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

Pennsylvania is a closed-record state for death certificates. Only the deceased person's family members and others with a direct or tangible interest can buy a certified copy. A Pennsylvania death record does not become a public record until 50 years after the date of death, when it transfers to the State Archives.

Are Death Records Public in Pennsylvania?

No. Pennsylvania is a closed-record state, so death certificates are not open to the general public for the first 50 years after death. During that window, only eligible applicants with a qualifying relationship or a documented direct interest may obtain a certified copy.

This rule comes from the Vital Statistics Law of 1953, found at 35 P.S. 450.801. A 2011 amendment set the 50-year mark at which death records lose their confidential status and become public records.

Once 50 years have passed from the date of death, the record transfers to the Pennsylvania State Archives and anyone may access it. That makes Pennsylvania more open than states that keep death records restricted for 75 or 100 years, but more restrictive than true open-record states where anyone can buy a current certified copy.

There is no national death-records database. The CDC's National Center for Health Statistics confirms that death certificates are issued and held at the state level, so access always follows the rules of the state where the death occurred.

Who Can Request a Pennsylvania Death Record?

Within the 50-year confidential period, only eligible applicants who are at least 18 years old may request a certified Pennsylvania death certificate. Eligibility is tied to family relationship, legal authority, or a documented direct interest in the record.

Eligible requesters include:

• The deceased person's spouse or ex-spouse (with documentation of a direct interest)
• Parents or stepparents
• Siblings (brothers and sisters)
• Children and stepchildren
• Grandparents and grandchildren
• A legal representative or person holding power of attorney
• An estate representative, with supporting documentation
• A person or government office with a direct financial or legal interest, with documentation

Every applicant must complete an Application for a Death Certificate, sign it, and show valid identification. The Department of Health publishes an acceptable-ID list; a current government-issued photo ID is the simplest way to qualify. If your ID does not show your current address, you may need to provide additional proof.

How to Get a Pennsylvania Death Certificate

Certified Pennsylvania death certificates are issued by the Department of Health's Division of Vital Records. A certified copy costs $20, regardless of how many copies you order, and payment by cash is not accepted.

You can order three ways:

• Online: Through the state's only authorized vendor at mycertificates.health.pa.gov, available 24/7. A $10 service fee applies on top of the $20, and payment is by credit card. Processing is roughly three weeks.
• By mail: Mail a completed application and a copy of acceptable ID, with a check or money order payable to "Vital Records," to the Division of Vital Records, Death Certificate Processing Unit, PO Box 1528, New Castle, PA 16103. Processing is roughly three weeks from receipt.
• In person: Visit one of the six Vital Records branch offices across the state.

The fee may be waived when the decedent or the decedent's spouse was a member of the U.S. Armed Forces who died in active service or was discharged under conditions other than dishonorable. Documentation is required, and waived copies are limited to 10 per year.

For broader context on how access works across the country, see Death Records by State.

Is the Cause of Death Public in Pennsylvania?

The cause of death is restricted information in Pennsylvania, and it appears only on certain versions of the certificate. The Division of Vital Records issues two types of death certificate.

The with-medical-information certificate includes the cause and manner of death. The without-medical-information version omits those medical details and is available for deaths that occurred after 2019. Many agencies and institutions accept the without-medical version for routine matters such as closing accounts.

Because cause-of-death data is sensitive, it is released only to eligible applicants during the 50-year confidential period, not to the general public. To understand how this varies nationally, see Are Cause of Death Records Public? and the related question of whether autopsy reports are public records.

How Far Back Do Pennsylvania Death Records Go?

Pennsylvania began issuing statewide death certificates in 1906. Before that year, deaths were recorded only sporadically by counties and some cities, so coverage for the 1800s and earlier is uneven and held at the local or county level.

Because of the 50-year rule, older death records have already become public. The Pennsylvania State Archives holds the public death certificates from 1906 to 1975. Certificates from 1973 to 1975 are available as uncertified copies by request from the Archives, since they are not yet digitized.

For deaths within the last 50 years, the Division of Vital Records remains the only source, and access stays limited to eligible applicants. At the national level, the Social Security Administration's public Death Master File excludes deaths that occurred within the most recent three calendar years, a limit set by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013. If you also need a birth record, see Are Birth Certificates Public Records? for the parallel rules.

Pennsylvania Death Records at a Glance

Disclaimer: This page provides general legal information about public records access in Pennsylvania, not legal advice. Eligibility rules, fees, and processing times can change. Always confirm current requirements with the Pennsylvania Department of Health Division of Vital Records before submitting a request.

Sources

This article cites the Pennsylvania Department of Health Division of Vital Records, the Pennsylvania State Archives, the Vital Statistics Law of 1953, the CDC National Center for Health Statistics, and the Social Security Administration.