How to Get a Certified Copy of Someone’s Death Certificate

To get a certified copy of a death certificate, contact the vital records office in the state where the death occurred and submit a request online, by mail, or in person. If the death was recent and a funeral home is handling arrangements, the simplest route is to let the funeral director order the copies for you at the time the death is filed with the state.¹

Let the Funeral Home Order Copies If You Can

The funeral director is the person who registers the death with the state in the first place. They collect the demographic details from a family member, pair them with the cause and manner of death certified by a physician, coroner, or medical examiner, and submit the record to the local or state vital records office.²

While they’re doing that, most funeral homes will offer to order your certified copies at the same time. Say yes. Ordering at the point of filing is faster than submitting a request yourself weeks later, and the per-copy fee is the same. The funeral director can also advise on how many to get.

Funeral homes usually report the death to the Social Security Administration as well, so you don’t have to. If no funeral home is involved, call the SSA at 1-800-772-1213 with the deceased’s name, Social Security number, date of birth, and date of death.³

Who Can Request One

States restrict who can receive a certified death certificate for the first years after a death. The eligible list is roughly the same everywhere: a surviving spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, or grandchild. An attorney for the estate, a court-appointed personal representative, or someone holding a court order also qualifies.¹ Named insurance beneficiaries and others with a documented legal or financial interest can often request a copy too, but may need to prove that interest.

Certified vs. Informational Copies

Many states issue two tiers. A certified copy (sometimes called “authorized”) is printed on secure paper, carries the registrar’s seal, and has full legal standing with banks, insurers, and courts. An informational copy contains most of the same data but is marked with a watermark stating it can’t be used to establish identity. If you don’t qualify as an eligible requester, an informational copy is what you’ll receive.

Some states also offer a long form and a short form. The long form includes cause of death and the deceased’s Social Security number, which life insurers and banks typically need to release funds. The short form omits both but is fine for things like a vehicle title transfer. When in doubt, order the long form.

What You’ll Need to Provide

At a minimum, you need the date and place of death.¹ Most application forms also ask for:

Full legal name of the deceased, including any alternate spellings
City or county where the death occurred (records are filed there, not where the person lived)
Date of birth
Social Security number, if you have it
Your relationship to the deceased

If the office comes back with “no record found,” it is almost always because of a misspelled name or a wrong date or location. Check those fields before resubmitting.

You’ll also need to prove your own identity. Most vital records offices require a copy of a current government-issued photo ID: a driver’s license, state ID, or passport. Some jurisdictions accept two non-photo documents, like a utility bill plus a bank statement, when a photo ID isn’t available. Mail-in requests often require a signed statement, notarized, under penalty of perjury that you’re legally entitled to receive the record. Requirements vary, so check your state’s vital records website first.

How to Submit the Request

You have three options. Each involves a tradeoff between speed and cost.

In Person

Going to your local registrar, county clerk, or state health department office is the fastest option. Some hand you the certificate the same day; others make you wait briefly. Many now require an appointment booked online, so call ahead. Bring your completed form, original photo ID, and payment.

Online

Most states offer online ordering, either through their own portal or through VitalChek, a third-party service that partners with state agencies.¹ You upload your ID, complete the form, pay by card, and get a tracking number. The tradeoff is cost. Third-party portals add a processing fee on top of the state’s fee, and expedited shipping costs more. VitalChek’s processing surcharge is around $13, and overnight shipping can add $20 or more.

By Mail

Download the application from your state’s vital records website, fill it out, and mail it with a copy of your ID, any required notarized statement, and a check or money order. Send it certified with tracking; you’re mailing identification documents and you want proof of delivery. Some states ask for a self-addressed stamped envelope for the return. Mail is the slowest route. Processing runs anywhere from under a week to several months, depending on the state’s backlog.

How Many Copies to Order

This is where people underorder. Each institution that needs proof of the death will want its own certified copy, and most keep the one you send. Banks, credit unions, life insurers, pension administrators, credit card companies, mortgage lenders, the probate court, the DMV for vehicle titles, and the Social Security Administration may each require a separate copy.

Count the deceased’s financial accounts, insurance policies, and property titles, and add a few extras. For most estates that comes to somewhere between 5 and 15 copies. Ordering them together at the time of filing is cheaper than ordering more later, because many states discount additional copies requested in the same order.

Costs and Processing Times

The fee for a certified copy generally runs $15 to $30, depending on the state. Additional copies in the same request are often discounted, sometimes to as little as $5 each. Fees are typically non-refundable even if no matching record is found. Through a third-party portal with expedited shipping, the all-in cost per copy can reach $40 to $50.

Turnaround depends on state and method. Well-staffed offices can produce a certificate the same day in person. Online and mail requests range from a few business days to a couple of months. Most states post current processing times on their vital records website. If you’re facing a time-sensitive insurance claim or court deadline, going in person is the safest bet.

If the Death Happened Outside the United States

When a U.S. citizen dies abroad, the local foreign government issues its own death certificate, but that document is often in another language and may not be accepted by U.S. banks, insurers, or courts. The U.S. embassy or consulate prepares a Consular Report of Death of a U.S. Citizen Abroad (CRODA), which is the U.S.-recognized equivalent and can be used to settle estates, file claims, and close accounts.⁴

The embassy or consulate provides up to 20 free certified copies of the CRODA to the next of kin or legal representative at the time of death.¹ Issuance can take four to six months, because the consulate generally needs the foreign death certificate in hand first. An electronic version (e-CRODA) with a digital consular seal can be emailed much faster, and printed copies of the e-CRODA are accepted by most U.S. institutions. Additional copies after the initial issuance can be requested through the State Department’s Record Services Division or the consular section where the death occurred.⁴

Fixing Errors on the Certificate

Read every field on your certified copies before using them. A misspelled name, wrong birth date, or incorrect Social Security number can stall an insurance payout or complicate probate, and catching mistakes early is much easier than fixing them later.

If the error came from the funeral home or the certifying physician, contact them first. In many states, the original filer can submit a correction electronically within the first year after death. After that window closes, or if the error involves demographic information that needs documentary proof, you’ll usually need to file a correction application with the state vital records office.

Corrections typically require supporting evidence: a birth certificate for a date-of-birth fix, a Social Security card or SSA letter for an SSN error, marriage or divorce records for relationship status, and military discharge papers for armed forces service. The process takes several weeks to a few months, depending on the state. The vital records office where the death was registered can provide the correction form and tell you exactly what documentation is required.

1
USAGov. How to Get a Certified Copy of a Death Certificate
2
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Vital Statistics System
3
Social Security Administration. What to Do When Someone Dies
4
U.S. Department of State. Death Abroad