How to Find a Cause of Death in Mississippi (2026)

In Mississippi, the cause of death is recorded on the medical certification section of the death certificate and, for investigated deaths, in the autopsy report. It is not public. Mississippi is a closed-record state, so only eligible relatives, legal representatives, and people with a legitimate and tangible interest can obtain it during the 50-year restriction period.

How Do You Find Someone's Cause of Death in Mississippi?

To find someone's cause of death in Mississippi, request a certified copy of the death certificate from the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) Vital Records office if you are an eligible requester. The cause of death is written on the medical certification portion of that certificate.

If the death was investigated, the State Medical Examiner's Office also prepares an autopsy report that explains the cause and manner of death in detail. You can request that report from the Medical Examiner's Office.

For deaths that are not recent, an obituary or newspaper notice often states a cause informally. Older records eventually open to the public for genealogy.

Is the Cause of Death Public in Mississippi?

No. The cause of death is not public in Mississippi because the death certificate itself is restricted. Mississippi is a closed-record state under Mississippi Code Section 41-57-2, which exempts vital records from open public release unless the requester has a legitimate and tangible interest.

Access to a Mississippi death certificate, including the cause-of-death field, is restricted for 50 years from the date of death. During that window, only qualifying relatives, legal representatives, and people who can show a tangible interest may obtain a certified copy.

After 50 years, the record opens for genealogical research, and the cause of death becomes viewable through that public copy. This closed-then-open pattern is common nationwide. You can read more about it in Are Cause of Death Records Public?.

Where the Cause of Death Is Recorded

The cause of death is recorded in two main places in Mississippi: the death certificate and, when an investigation occurs, the autopsy report.

On the Death Certificate

Every Mississippi death certificate includes a medical certification section completed by the certifying physician, coroner, or medical examiner. This section lists the immediate cause of death, any underlying conditions, and the manner of death. Because the full certificate is restricted, the cause-of-death field is released only to eligible requesters.

In the Autopsy Report

For deaths that fall under the State Medical Examiner's Office, the autopsy report contains the official cause and manner of death. Mississippi law (Miss. Code Ann. Section 41-61-51 and following) directs the medical examiner system to investigate reportable deaths such as homicides, suicides, accidents, child deaths, in-custody deaths, and unexplained deaths.

How to Request Records That Show the Cause of Death

To get a record showing the cause of death, choose the source that fits your situation and your eligibility.

For the death certificate, apply to MSDH Vital Records with a valid photo ID and proof of your relationship or legal authority. A certified copy costs $17 for the first copy and $6 for each additional copy ordered at the same time. Eligible applicants include a spouse, parent, grandparent, sibling, child, grandchild, guardian, or legal representative.

For an autopsy report, contact the State Medical Examiner's Office at MEInfo@mcl.ms.gov. Eligibility and release rules apply, so confirm requirements with that office before submitting.

You can review the full eligibility and ordering rules on the parent page, Mississippi Death Records.

Finding the Cause of Death for Older or Historical Deaths

For older Mississippi deaths, the cause of death usually becomes easier to find once the 50-year restriction ends. After that point, MSDH releases a plain-paper genealogy copy of the death certificate that shows the cause-of-death field.

Mississippi statewide death records begin in 1912, so deaths before that year may not have a state certificate. For those, county records, church records, cemetery records, and newspaper obituaries are the practical sources.

The Social Security Death Index, drawn from the federal Death Master File, can confirm that a person died and provide a date, but it never lists the cause of death.

Disclaimer: This page is general information, not legal advice. Access rules and fees can change. Always verify current requirements with the Mississippi State Department of Health Vital Records office or the State Medical Examiner's Office before requesting records.

Sources

This page draws on the Mississippi State Department of Health Vital Records office, the Mississippi Department of Public Safety State Medical Examiner's Office, Mississippi Code Section 41-57-2 and the Medical Examiner Act, and the U.S. Social Security Administration.