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

Tennessee is a closed-record state for recent death certificates. Certified copies are restricted to the decedent's spouse, parent, child, next of kin, or an authorized legal representative until a record reaches 50 years old, at which point Tennessee death records become public and move to the State Library and Archives.

Are Death Records Public in Tennessee?

No. Tennessee is a closed-record state for recent deaths. Under the Tennessee Vital Records Act, death records for events that occurred within the last 50 years are exempt from the Tennessee Public Records Act and are treated as confidential.

This means the general public cannot simply buy a certified copy of a recent Tennessee death certificate. Access is limited to a defined list of close family members and legal representatives.

The fact of a death and basic index data may be searchable through obituaries and archives, but the certified record itself is restricted. Tennessee uses a 50-year waiting period rather than the longer 75 or 100-year windows some states apply.

Once 50 years have elapsed after the date of death, the record becomes available to the public and is held by the Tennessee State Library and Archives.

Who Can Request a Tennessee Death Record?

For a death within the last 50 years, only eligible parties may obtain a certified copy. Under Tenn. Code Ann. 68-3-205, those parties include the decedent's spouse, parent, child, next of kin, or an authorized legal representative.

Every requester must present a valid government-issued photo ID. The state may also release record information for approved research purposes under its regulations.

If you live outside Tennessee, eligibility is narrower in practice. Out-of-state applicants are generally limited to the surviving spouse, a parent of the deceased, or the funeral director named on the record.

Anyone who does not fit these categories must show a documented legal interest in the record before a certified copy will be issued.

How to Get a Tennessee Death Certificate

You order a certified Tennessee death certificate from the Tennessee Office of Vital Records, part of the Department of Health. The office is located at 710 James Robertson Parkway, Andrew Johnson Tower, Nashville, TN 37243.

The fee is $15 for a certified copy, and $15 for each additional copy requested at the same time. This search fee is charged even if no record is found.

There are several ways to request a record:

Mail

Send a completed application (form PH-1663), a copy of your photo ID, and the fee to the Office of Vital Records in Nashville. Mail processing typically takes the longest and can run several weeks.

In Person

Visit the Nashville office or a participating county health department. In-person requests are usually fulfilled the same day or within a few business days.

Online

The state directs online and phone orders through its authorized vendor, which adds a separate processing charge on top of the state fee. Always start from the official Tennessee Office of Vital Records website to reach the correct ordering channel.

For records older than 50 years, contact the Tennessee State Library and Archives instead of the Office of Vital Records.

Is the Cause of Death Public in Tennessee?

No, not for recent records. The cause of death is printed on the certified Tennessee death certificate, so it carries the same access restrictions as the full record.

Because certified copies are limited to the spouse, parent, child, next of kin, or legal representative, the cause of death is not available to the general public for any death within the last 50 years. For broader background on this topic, see Are Cause of Death Records Public?.

Once a record reaches the 50-year mark and moves to the State Library and Archives, the historical certificate, including the cause of death, becomes publicly viewable. Investigative records that may accompany a death, such as autopsies, follow separate rules covered in Are Autopsies Public Records?.

How Far Back Do Tennessee Death Records Go?

The Tennessee Office of Vital Records holds statewide death records for the most recent 50 years. Anything older is transferred to the Tennessee State Library and Archives, which maintains the historical index.

Statewide death registration began in 1908, lapsed at the end of 1912, and resumed in 1914. As a result, there are no statewide records for 1913, and earlier coverage can be incomplete.

For deaths predating statewide registration, researchers often turn to county records, the Library and Archives death index, and obituary collections.

On the national level, there is no single federal death-records database. The CDC's National Center for Health Statistics confirms that vital records are issued and held by the states, not the federal government. The Social Security Administration's public Death Master File can help locate older deaths, but under the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 it excludes deaths within the most recent three calendar years.

If you are also researching the start of life, see Are Birth Certificates Public Records? for how those records are restricted.

Tennessee Death Records: Quick Facts

Disclaimer: This page provides general legal information about access to public records in Tennessee and is not legal advice. Eligibility rules, fees, and processing times change. Always confirm current requirements with the Tennessee Office of Vital Records before relying on this information.

For rules in other states, see Death Records by State.

Sources

This article cites the Tennessee Office of Vital Records, the Tennessee Vital Records Act (Tenn. Code Ann. 68-3-205), the CDC National Center for Health Statistics, and the Social Security Administration, all linked below.