How to Get a New York Death Certificate (2026)

A certified New York death certificate is issued by the New York State Department of Health for deaths outside the five boroughs, and by the NYC Health Department for deaths in New York City. Eligible relatives or estate representatives can order online, by mail, or in person. State copies cost $30 each.

How Do You Get a Death Certificate in New York?

You get a New York death certificate from the vital records office that registered the death. For deaths outside New York City, that is the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) Vital Records Section. For deaths in the five boroughs (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, and Staten Island), you must order from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC Health).

Both offices offer the same basic request methods.

Order Online or by Phone

The fastest option is to order online or by telephone through VitalChek, the state-authorized vendor. The state processes these priority requests in about 5 to 10 business days.

Order by Mail

You can mail a completed application with payment and a copy of your ID. The New York State mailing address is the Vital Records Certification Unit, P.O. Box 2602, Albany, NY 12220-2602. Mail requests take significantly longer to process.

Order in Person

In-person service is available at designated vital records offices. NYC accepts in-person orders for death records from 1970 to the present.

Who Is Eligible to Request a New York Death Certificate?

Eligible requesters for a certified New York death certificate are limited to the deceased person's spouse, parent, child, or sibling, the lawful representative of the estate, or a person with a documented lawful right or claim. A common example of a lawful right or claim is needing the record to settle a benefit or insurance matter.

If you are not an immediate family member or estate representative, you must document why you need the record. NYC also recognizes a domestic partner and the person in control of the disposition as entitled parties.

To establish your identity and relationship, you must provide a valid government-issued photo ID, such as a driver license or passport, along with your application.

New York Death Certificate Cost and Processing Time

A certified copy from the New York State Department of Health costs $30 per copy, and each additional copy is also $30. NYC death certificates cost $15 each, and there is no extra fee to include the cause of death.

Pay the state by check or money order made out to the New York State Department of Health. Do not send cash by mail.

Processing time depends on the method. State online and telephone orders are handled in roughly 5 to 10 business days, while state mail requests take about 10 to 12 weeks. NYC online orders take about two weeks to process, with mail delivery adding up to two more weeks; NYC mail applications can take around 12 weeks.

If no record is found, the office issues a No Record Certification and the fee is not refunded.

Certified vs Informational Copy in New York

New York primarily issues certified copies of death certificates. A certified copy is the official legal document used to settle estates, close accounts, claim life insurance, and handle other formal matters.

New York does not offer a routine non-certified "informational" copy for recent deaths the way some states do. Instead, uncertified copies are available only through the genealogy program, and only after a long waiting period. For deaths, a record generally becomes available for genealogical (informational) copies 50 years after the date of death.

If you need a working document for legal or financial business, you need a certified copy.

How to Get Additional or Replacement Copies

To get additional or replacement copies, submit a new application to the same office that issued the original, using any of the standard methods (online, mail, or in person). Each copy carries its own fee, so request all the copies you expect to need at once.

Settling an estate often requires multiple certified copies, since banks, insurers, and other institutions each want an original. Ordering several copies in one request is usually faster and avoids repeat processing waits.

If a certificate shows the cause of death as "pending," NYC lets you exchange it for an updated certificate within 90 days of the original issue date without paying the $15 fee again.

Disclaimer: This page provides general information, not legal advice. Fees, processing times, and eligibility rules change. Always verify current details with the New York State Department of Health or the NYC Health Department before applying.

Sources

This page is based on guidance from the New York State Department of Health Vital Records and the NYC Department of Health death certificate program.

Related: New York Death Records | Death Records by State