Kentucky
How to Get a Kentucky Death Certificate (2026)
Independently fact-checked against primary sources (last audited June 14, 2026). · Law checked current as of August 7, 2026. · 3 primary sources cited on this page. How we verify our legal content
Kentucky death certificates are issued by the Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics in Frankfort for deaths from 1911 to the present. Anyone who provides the required information to identify the record and pays the search fee may obtain a certified copy. The fee is $6.00 for the first copy and $6.00 for each additional copy.
How Do You Get a Death Certificate in Kentucky?
You get a Kentucky death certificate from the Office of Vital Statistics, part of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services in Frankfort. The office holds records for deaths that occurred in Kentucky from 1911 to the present.
There are four ways to request a certified copy.
Order Online
You can order online through VitalChek, the state-authorized vendor at vitalchek.com. Online orders can be delivered by overnight courier for an additional shipping fee.
Order by Phone
Call (800) 241-8322 and choose option 1 to place a death certificate order by phone.
Order by Mail
Mail your request with payment to the Office of Vital Statistics, 275 East Main Street, 1E-A, Frankfort, KY 40621. Pay by check or money order in U.S. dollars drawn on a U.S. bank, made payable to the Kentucky State Treasurer.
Order in Person
Visit the Office of Vital Statistics at 275 East Main Street in Frankfort. The office is open to the public Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time. For same-day service on an in-person request, apply before the 3:45 p.m. Eastern cutoff.
To order, you must provide the decedent's full name, the month, day, and year of death, and the county where the death occurred.
Who Is Eligible to Request a Kentucky Death Certificate?
In Kentucky, anyone who provides the required identifying information and pays the proper search fee may generally obtain a certified copy of a death certificate. The state does not limit certified death certificates to next of kin the way some states do.
Kentucky is therefore a relatively open-access state for death records. The official application still asks for your name, your relationship to the decedent, and the purpose of the request, and access to certain restricted details on the record can be limited, so be prepared to supply that information.
Because the requester must still supply accurate details to locate the record, having the decedent's full name, date of death, and county of death on hand makes the request faster. For background on what is and is not publicly available, see the parent guide on Kentucky Death Records.
Kentucky Death Certificate Cost and Processing Time
A Kentucky death certificate costs $6.00 for the first certified copy and $6.00 for each additional copy ordered at the same time. The fee is a search fee, so it is generally not refunded even if no matching record is found.
Mailed requests can take up to 30 working days to process from the date payment is posted. In-person requests are usually handled faster, often the same day depending on volume.
Online orders through VitalChek may be expedited with overnight courier delivery for an extra shipping charge. Always confirm current turnaround times with the office before relying on a specific date.
Certified vs Informational Copy in Kentucky
Kentucky issues certified copies only. The Office of Vital Statistics does not issue photocopies, faxed copies, non-certified copies, or electronic copies of records.
A certified copy carries the official seal of the State Registrar and is accepted for legal and administrative purposes. These uses include settling an estate, claiming life insurance or pension benefits, closing financial accounts, and transferring property or a vehicle title.
Because Kentucky does not offer a separate informational version, every copy you receive is a certified document suitable for official use.
How to Get Additional or Replacement Copies
You request additional or replacement Kentucky death certificates the same way you order the first one: online through VitalChek, by phone, by mail, or in person. Each copy costs $6.00.
If you know in advance that you will need several copies, order them together. Estates, banks, insurers, and government agencies often each want their own original certified copy, so families commonly request multiple copies at once.
To replace a lost certificate later, simply submit a new request with the decedent's details and the $6.00 fee per copy. There is no separate replacement process; a replacement is just another certified copy.
| Item | Kentucky |
|---|---|
| Issuing office | Office of Vital Statistics (Cabinet for Health and Family Services), Frankfort |
| First-copy fee | $6.00 |
| Each additional copy | $6.00 |
| Processing time | Up to 30 working days by mail |
| Eligibility | Anyone who provides required information and pays the search fee |
Disclaimer: This page provides general information about obtaining a Kentucky death certificate and is not legal advice. Fees, processing times, and rules can change. Verify current details with the Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics before submitting a request.
Sources
This page is based on information published by the Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics within the Cabinet for Health and Family Services and the Kentucky Revised Statutes.
Up: Kentucky Death Records | Hub: Death Records by State
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is a Kentucky death certificate?
A Kentucky death certificate costs $6.00 for the first certified copy and $6.00 for each additional copy ordered at the same time. Payment to the Office of Vital Statistics is by check or money order payable to the Kentucky State Treasurer, or by card when ordering online through VitalChek.
How long does it take to get a Kentucky death certificate?
Mailed requests can take up to 30 working days to process from the date payment is posted. In-person requests are often handled the same day, and online VitalChek orders can be expedited with overnight courier delivery for an extra fee.
Who can get a Kentucky death certificate?
Anyone who provides the required information to identify the record and pays the proper search fee may obtain a certified copy of a Kentucky death certificate. The state does not require you to be a family member or prove a legal interest in the record.
Can I get a Kentucky death certificate online?
Yes. You can order a certified Kentucky death certificate online through VitalChek, the state-authorized vendor at vitalchek.com. Online orders can be delivered by overnight courier for an additional shipping fee.
What is the difference between a certified and informational copy in Kentucky?
Kentucky issues certified copies only and does not offer informational copies. A certified copy carries the State Registrar's official seal and is accepted for legal purposes such as settling an estate or claiming benefits. There is no separate non-certified or informational version.
How do I get extra copies of a Kentucky death certificate?
Order extra copies the same way you order the first, online, by phone, by mail, or in person, at $6.00 each. Ordering several at once is efficient because estates, banks, and insurers often each require their own certified copy.
Updates
Corrected the mail processing window to run from the date payment is posted rather than the date the office receives the request, and aligned the list of copy types Kentucky will not issue with the Office of Vital Statistics wording; the $6.00 fee was reconfirmed against the current state fee regulation.
Governing law re-checked for recent changes
Independently fact-checked against the cited primary sources
The Law Behind This Article
This article rests on the statutory provisions below, held in our own legal record and retrieved from the official source. Tap a section to read the operative text.
Kentucky Revised Statutes, Chapter 213: VITAL STATISTICS
§ 213.136Certified copy of a vital recordIn forcecited in 4 of our articles
(1) The state registrar shall upon receipt of an application issue a certified copy of a vital record in the registrar's custody or a part thereof to any applicant. Each copy issued shall show the date of registration and copies issued from records marked "delayed" or "amended" shall be similarly marked and show the effective date. The documentary evidence used to establish a delayed certificate shall be shown on all copies issued. All forms and procedures used in the issuance of certified copies of vital records in the Commonwealth shall be provided or approved by the state registrar. (2) A certified copy of a vital record or any part thereof, issued in accordance with subsection (1) of this section, shall be considered for all purposes the same as the original and shall be prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein. The evidentiary value of a certificate or record which has been amended shall be determined by the judicial or administrative body, or official before which the certificate is offered as evidence.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-04 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at apps.legislature.ky.gov
Also relied on in: Kentucky Death Records: Are They Public + How to Get Them, How to Find a Cause of Death in Kentucky (2026), Kentucky Marriage and Divorce Records: $6 Copies From June 1958
§ 213.141Fee for certified copies of certificates or records or for a search of records - - ExemptionsIn forcecited in 3 of our articles
(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, the cabinet shall prescribe by regulation a fee not to exceed five dollars ($5), to be paid for certified copies of certificates or records, or for a search of the files or records when no copy is made, or for copies or information provided for research, statistical, or administrative purposes. (2) The cabinet shall prescribe by administrative regulation pursuant to KRS Chapter 13A a fee not to exceed ten dollars ($10) to be paid for a certified copy of a record of a birth: (a) Three dollars ($3) of which shall be used by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services for the sole purpose of contracting for the operation of private, not-for-profit, self-help, education, and support groups for parents who want to prevent or cease physical, sexual, or mental abuse of children; and (b) One dollar ($1) of which shall be used by the Division of Maternal and Child Health to pay for therapeutic food, formulas, supplements, amino acid-based elemental formula, or low-protein modified foods for all inborn errors of metabolism and genetic conditions if: 1.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at apps.legislature.ky.gov
Also relied on in: Kentucky Birth Certificate: How to Order, Fees and Processing Times
§ 213.076Certificate of death or provisional certificate of death required to be filed - - Method of filing -- Notice of military burial rights -- Medical certification of cause of death -- Contents of certificate -- Supplemental report -- Verification- of-death statements -- Interment or other disposition of body prohibited unless accompanied by copy of certificate -- Authorization for disinterment -- Change in death certificateIn force
(1) (a) A certificate of death or a provisional certificate of death for each death which occurs in the Commonwealth shall be filed with the cabinet or as otherwise directed by the state registrar prior to final disposition, and it shall be registered if it has been completed and filed in accordance with this section. The funeral director, or person acting as such, who first takes custody of a dead body shall be responsible for filing the certificate of death. The funeral director, or person acting as such, shall obtain the required personal and statistical particulars from the person best qualified to supply them over the signature and address of the informant. All certificates of death shall be filed with the cabinet using the Kentucky Electronic Death Registration System in a manner directed by the state registrar. (b) At the time of obtaining the required personal and statistical particulars from the informant referred to in paragraph (a) of this subsection, the funeral director, or person acting as such, shall ask the informant if the deceased ever served in the military.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at apps.legislature.ky.gov
Cited in 4 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2025
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Reynolds Enterprises, Inc. v. Kentucky Board of Embalmers & Funeral Directors (Court of Appeals of Kentucky 2012, 382 S.W.3d 47)“…n body to possess a funeral director’s license, or, whether KRS 213.076(1) contains an exemption that allows an…”
- New v. Commonwealth (Court of Appeals of Kentucky 2005, 156 S.W.3d 769)“…f law in reversing the Board’s conclusion that New violated KRS 213.076(1), a statute relating to the filing of…”
- St. Clair v. Commonwealth (Kentucky Supreme Court 2015, 455 S.W.3d 869)“…at information does not appear to be required by law. See KRS 213.076. 10 And even if that information were…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Sources and References
- Death Certificates - Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics (CHFS)(chfs.ky.gov).gov
- Application for a Certified Copy of Death Certificate (VS-31)(chfs.ky.gov).gov
- KRS 213.076 - Certificate of death or provisional death(legislature.ky.gov).gov
- 901 KAR 5:050 - Fees for searches, certified copies of certificates and records(legislature.ky.gov)
- KRS 213.141 - Fee for certified copies of certificates or records or for a search of records(legislature.ky.gov)