Arkansas Death Records: Are They Public + How to Get One

Arkansas is a closed-record state for death certificates. Only the next of kin, an authorized legal representative, or another person with a documented direct interest may buy a certified copy. Death records held by the state become public to anyone after 50 years have elapsed from the date of death.

Are Death Records Public in Arkansas?

No, Arkansas death records are not fully public. Arkansas is a closed-record state, which means the Arkansas Department of Health restricts certified death certificates to people who are authorized to receive them.

A death record stays restricted for 50 years after the date of death. Once 50 years have elapsed, the State Registrar must make the record available to any person who submits an application with enough information to locate it.

This rule comes from the Arkansas Vital Statistics Act and the State Board of Health Rules for the administration of vital records. The State Registrar may not disclose or copy a vital record unless satisfied that the applicant is authorized to obtain it.

That 50-year threshold is shorter than many states use for births, which Arkansas keeps confidential for 100 years. The shorter window for deaths reflects the fact that a death certificate names a person who has already passed.

The practical effect is a two-tier system. For deaths within the last 50 years, you must prove you are an eligible requester before the office will issue a certified copy. For older deaths, the same office issues copies to anyone for genealogical and research purposes, charging the same fees it charges for any other record.

For a wider view of how rules differ, see our Death Records by State overview. Arkansas also keeps birth records confidential for a long window, a pattern explained in Are Birth Certificates Public Records?.

Who Can Request an Arkansas Death Record?

During the 50-year restricted period, only eligible individuals with a qualifying relationship or interest may request a certified Arkansas death certificate. The Department of Health publishes an Eligible Individuals List that controls who qualifies.

Eligible requesters generally include immediate and extended family members. The Department of Health's Eligible Individuals List for death records names the mother, father (if named on the certificate), child or children, spouse, grandchild, maternal grandparents of the deceased, the informant, and the funeral home.

The Vital Statistics Act also lets an authorized designated representative, such as a funeral home acting for the family, obtain a certified copy, and it allows others who can show the record is needed to protect a personal or property right. Family members and genealogists representing a family member may obtain copies needed for research.

Some requesters are expressly barred. Commercial firms or agencies asking for lists of names and addresses are not authorized to obtain copies of vital records.

Every applicant must present acceptable government-issued photo identification. The Department of Health publishes a separate ID requirements document, and the State Registrar may also require a sworn statement or proof of relationship before releasing a certified copy.

How to Get an Arkansas Death Certificate

Certified Arkansas death certificates are issued by the Arkansas Department of Health, Vital Records office in Little Rock. You can order online, by mail, by phone, or in person.

The office is located at 4815 West Markham Street, Slot 44, Little Rock, AR 72205. The toll-free ordering line is (866) 209-9482, and walk-in service runs Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.

The fee is $10.00 for the first certified copy and $8.00 for each additional copy ordered at the same time. If no record is found, the office keeps a $10.00 non-refundable search fee. Online orders add a $5.00 processing fee plus a $1.85 identity-verification fee.

Processing time depends on the method. Online orders take about 7 to 14 business days from the date the order is approved, plus shipping. Mail orders take roughly 10 to 14 days for processing, plus mail delivery time.

Walk-in requests can often be filled the same day if you arrive by 4:00 p.m., although non-routine searches are not guaranteed same-day. Online orders are handled through the state's official vital records vendor portal rather than a third-party reseller.

Whichever method you choose, plan to document your eligibility. Mail applications typically require a copy of your photo ID and may ask you to state your relationship to the deceased. Having the full legal name, date of death, and county or city of death ready will help the office locate the certificate quickly and avoid a failed search and its non-refundable fee.

Is the Cause of Death Public in Arkansas?

The cause of death is recorded on the Arkansas death certificate, and during the 50-year restricted period it is released only to authorized requesters, not the general public. There is no separate informational copy that strips out the cause of death for the public.

Because Arkansas treats the full death certificate as a restricted record, the medical cause of death travels with it. Once the 50-year period has passed and the record becomes open, the cause of death is part of the public certificate.

Coroner and medical examiner findings follow their own access rules and may be handled separately from the vital record. For more on how cause-of-death information is treated, see Are Cause of Death Records Public? and Are Autopsies Public Records?.

How Far Back Do Arkansas Death Records Go?

Statewide death registration in Arkansas began on February 1, 1914. Records from before that date may exist only in county, church, or cemetery sources rather than in the state vital records system.

Death records older than 50 years are open to the public, and the Arkansas State Archives maintains a historical death records index covering 1812 to 2006 for genealogical research. The state holds the certified records, while archives and indexes help locate them.

There is no national death certificate database. The CDC's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) confirms that vital records are issued by each state, so Arkansas deaths are filed only in Arkansas.

For nationwide genealogical leads, the Social Security Death Index draws on the Social Security Administration's Death Master File. Under the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013, the public version of that file excludes deaths that occurred within the last three calendar years.

Disclaimer: This page provides general legal information about public records access in Arkansas, not legal advice. Eligibility rules, fees, and processing times can change. Verify current requirements directly with the Arkansas Department of Health, Vital Records office before ordering.

Sources

This article is based on official guidance and statutes from the Arkansas Department of Health, the Arkansas State Board of Health vital records rules, the CDC National Center for Health Statistics, and the Social Security Administration, cited below.