Death Records by State: Are They Public + How to Get Them

Death records in the United States are issued by the state where the death occurred, not by the federal government, and whether a death record is public depends entirely on that state's vital-records law. Some states are open-record (anyone may buy a certified copy); others are closed-record, releasing recent certificates only to family or those with a legal interest until a statutory waiting period passes.

Are Death Records Public in the United States?

It depends on the state. Death records are governed by each state's vital-statistics law and its public-records act, so there is no single national rule and no federal database to search. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention directs the public to the vital-records office in the state or territory where the death was registered.

Open-record states treat death certificates as public documents and will issue a certified copy to any applicant. Closed-record states limit recent certificates to a defined list of eligible requesters and only release the record to the general public after a waiting period set by statute.

Many closed-record states draw a line between a certified copy (the legal document used to settle estates and claim benefits) and an informational copy (marked "not a valid document to establish identity"). The informational copy is frequently available to a wider audience, sometimes with the cause of death omitted.

Who Issues Death Records and Who Can Get Them?

Every state runs a vital-records office, usually inside the state department of health, that registers deaths and issues certificates. Many states also let the county or local registrar where the death occurred issue copies.

In closed-record states, eligibility typically extends to the surviving spouse, parents, children, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, the legal representative of the estate, and people who can show a direct legal or property interest. Applicants must show government-issued identification and pay a per-copy fee that varies by state.

In open-record states, no relationship is required; anyone may order a certified copy by providing the decedent's name, date, and place of death, plus the fee.

Is the Cause of Death Public?

Often it is more protected than the rest of the certificate. The medical cause-of-death section is completed by a physician, coroner, or medical examiner, and a number of states withhold it from informational copies or from requesters who lack a qualifying relationship.

When a death is sudden, violent, or unexplained, a coroner or medical examiner may conduct an autopsy. The resulting autopsy and toxicology reports are governed by a separate medical-examiner statute and may be exempt while an investigation is open. Access rules for those reports differ from the death-certificate rules and are covered on each state's page.

How Do You Request a Death Record?

Start with the state where the death occurred. The general steps are consistent across the country:

1. Identify the correct office. Use the state vital-records office (or the county registrar) for the place of death.
2. Confirm your eligibility. In closed-record states, check whether you qualify and what proof of relationship or interest is required.
3. Gather the details and ID. You will need the decedent's full name, date of death, and place of death, plus your own identification.
4. Choose a method and pay the fee. Most offices accept mail, in-person, and online orders; many states use an outside processing vendor for online requests.

Processing times range from same-day in person to several weeks by mail. Fees and turnaround are set by each state and change periodically, so verify the current amount with the office before you apply.

How Far Back Do Death Records Go and Are Old Ones Public?

Statewide death registration began at different times by state, generally between the 1880s and about 1920, and several states did not register deaths statewide until the 1910s. The CDC's directory shows Georgia's state office holding death records only since January 1919 and New Mexico's since 1920 (with delayed records since 1880); Arkansas begins in February 1914, and the majority of Florida's records date from 1917. If the death predates your state's registration date, search the county or local registrar where the death occurred, which is where the CDC's state pages direct earlier requests. Once a record passes the state's public-access threshold, it usually becomes available to anyone and is often indexed for genealogical research.

Nationally, the Social Security Death Index, drawn from the Social Security Administration's Death Master File, lets the public search deaths reported to Social Security. Since the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013, the public file excludes deaths within the prior three calendar years; immediate access is limited to users certified through the Department of Commerce for fraud-prevention or legitimate business purposes.

Death Records by State

Select your state for who can request a record, the open- or closed-record rule, the waiting period, fees, and how to order from the state vital-records office.

Death Records in the Northeast

Readers here are typically trying to identify the right vital-records office and confirm whether they qualify as an eligible requester before they order a copy.

• Connecticut Death Records
• Maine Death Records
• Massachusetts Death Records
• New Hampshire Death Records
• New Jersey Death Records
• New York Death Records
• Pennsylvania Death Records
• Rhode Island Death Records
• Vermont Death Records

Death Records in the South

Readers here are typically trying to identify the right vital-records office and confirm whether they qualify as an eligible requester before they order a copy.

• Alabama Death Records
• Arkansas Death Records
• Delaware Death Records
• District of Columbia Death Records
• Florida Death Records
• Georgia Death Records
• Kentucky Death Records
• Louisiana Death Records
• Maryland Death Records
• Mississippi Death Records
• North Carolina Death Records
• Oklahoma Death Records
• South Carolina Death Records
• Tennessee Death Records
• Texas Death Records
• Virginia Death Records
• West Virginia Death Records

Death Records in the Midwest

Readers here are typically trying to identify the right vital-records office and confirm whether they qualify as an eligible requester before they order a copy.

• Illinois Death Records
• Indiana Death Records
• Iowa Death Records
• Kansas Death Records
• Michigan Death Records
• Minnesota Death Records
• Missouri Death Records
• Nebraska Death Records
• North Dakota Death Records
• Ohio Death Records
• South Dakota Death Records
• Wisconsin Death Records

Death Records in the West

Readers here are typically trying to identify the right vital-records office and confirm whether they qualify as an eligible requester before they order a copy.

• Alaska Death Records
• Arizona Death Records
• California Death Records
• Colorado Death Records
• Hawaii Death Records
• Idaho Death Records
• Montana Death Records
• Nevada Death Records
• New Mexico Death Records
• Oregon Death Records
• Utah Death Records
• Washington Death Records
• Wyoming Death Records

Disclaimer: This article provides general legal information about public-records access, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Vital-records rules, eligibility, and fees change and vary by state; always confirm the current requirements with the state vital-records office before you apply.

Sources

Frequently Asked Questions

Are death records public in the United States?

It depends on the state where the death occurred. There is no national death-records database. Open-record states issue a certified copy to anyone, while closed-record states release recent certificates only to family or people with a documented legal interest, opening the record to the public after a statutory waiting period that is commonly 25 to 100 years.

Who can get a copy of a death certificate?

In open-record states, any applicant may order a certified copy. In closed-record states, eligibility is usually limited to the surviving spouse, immediate family, the legal representative of the estate, and those who can show a direct legal or property interest, and the applicant must present government-issued identification.

Is the cause of death public information?

Not always. The medical cause of death is often more restricted than the fact of death. Some states omit the cause from informational copies and release the full certified record only to authorized requesters. Autopsy and coroner reports are governed by a separate medical-examiner law and may be withheld while an investigation is open.

Does the federal government keep death records?

No. The CDC's National Center for Health Statistics states that the federal government does not issue death certificates or distribute identifying vital-record indexes. Death records are state-issued, so you must request them from the vital-records office in the state where the death occurred.

How do I find an older death record for genealogy?

Once a record passes a state's public-access threshold it is generally available to anyone and often indexed. Check when the state began registering deaths first: statewide registration started between the 1880s and about 1920, and for deaths before that date the county or local registrar where the death occurred is the office to contact. Nationally, the Social Security Death Index, based on the Social Security Administration's Death Master File, is searchable for deaths reported to Social Security that occurred at least three calendar years ago.