How to Get a Connecticut Death Certificate (2026)

You get a Connecticut death certificate from the State Vital Records Office at the Department of Public Health (DPH) or the vital records office in the town where the death occurred. Anyone at least 18 years old may obtain a certified copy. Each certified copy costs $20.

How Do You Get a Death Certificate in Connecticut?

You get a Connecticut death certificate from the State Vital Records Office at the Department of Public Health or from the vital records office in the town where the death occurred. Connecticut keeps death records at both the state and town level, so either office can issue a certified copy.

There are three main ways to request a copy.

Order by Mail

Complete the death certificate application and mail it to the State Vital Records Office at 410 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, CT 06134, or to the town where the death occurred. Include the $20.00 fee per copy as a money order or bank check. For the state, make payment payable to "Treasurer, State of Connecticut." Cash and personal checks are not accepted.

Order in Person

You may visit the State Vital Records Office in Hartford or the town vital records office (town clerk) where the death took place. Bring your application, valid photo ID, and payment.

Order Online

Connecticut's authorized online vendor is VitalChek. Online orders carry an additional processing and service fee on top of the $20.00 certificate charge.

Who Is Eligible to Request a Connecticut Death Certificate?

Anyone at least 18 years old may purchase a certified copy of a Connecticut death certificate. You do not need to prove a family relationship to obtain the standard certified copy.

There is one important restriction. The certified copy that displays the decedent's Social Security number may only be obtained by the decedent's spouse or next of kin. To receive that version, the requester must provide proof of identity and proof of the relationship. All other requesters receive a certified copy without the Social Security number.

Connecticut also offers a one-time fee waiver for veterans' families. The spouse, child, or parent of a deceased veteran may obtain one free certified copy when they present a valid government-issued photo ID and proof of their relationship to the deceased.

Connecticut Death Certificate Cost and Processing Time

A certified copy of a Connecticut death certificate costs $20.00, whether you order from the State Vital Records Office or a town clerk. Each additional copy ordered at the same time is also $20.00. Connecticut does not charge a reduced rate for extra copies.

Processing time depends on where you order. The State Vital Records Office notes that processing varies and can take up to twelve (12) weeks. Requesting from the town where the death occurred is typically faster, since the town holds the original record locally.

For payment, the state accepts a money order or bank check payable to "Treasurer, State of Connecticut." Towns accept a money order payable to the town. Cash, personal checks, and credit cards are generally not accepted for mailed requests.

Certified vs Informational Copy in Connecticut

Connecticut issues certified copies of death certificates. A certified copy bears the official seal and signature of the registrar and is accepted for legal purposes such as settling an estate, claiming life insurance, closing financial accounts, and transferring property.

Unlike some states, Connecticut does not sell a separate, lower-cost "informational" or non-certified death certificate to the general public. Instead, access is managed through what appears on the certified copy: most requesters receive a certified copy without the decedent's Social Security number, while the spouse or next of kin may obtain the full version with proof of relationship.

For most needs, the standard certified copy is the document you want. Confirm with the institution requesting the certificate whether they require the version with the Social Security number before you order.

How to Get Additional or Replacement Copies

To get additional or replacement copies of a Connecticut death certificate, submit another request to the State Vital Records Office or the town where the death occurred, paying $20.00 for each copy. There is no separate replacement process; each copy is issued as a new certified copy.

If you need several copies, order them together to save on shipping time, and consider requesting from the town of death for faster turnaround. Keep at least one certified copy in a safe place, since estate, insurance, and benefit claims often each require their own original.

You will need the decedent's full name, the approximate date of death, and the town where the death occurred to complete any request.

Disclaimer: This page provides general information about obtaining Connecticut death certificates and is not legal advice. Fees, forms, and processing times can change. Verify current details with the Connecticut State Vital Records Office or the town vital records office before you submit a request.

Sources

This page draws on the Connecticut Department of Public Health State Vital Records Office and Connecticut General Statutes governing access to and fees for death certificates.

For the parent overview, see Connecticut Death Records, and for other states see Death Records by State.