How to Get a Vermont Death Certificate (2026)

A certified Vermont death certificate costs $10 per copy (plus a $2 fee online) and is issued by Vermont town and city clerks and the state Vital Records Office. Family members, legal guardians, court-appointed parties, their legal representatives, and the funeral home may request one.

How Do You Get a Death Certificate in Vermont?

You get a Vermont death certificate from a town or city clerk or through the Vermont Department of Health Vital Records Office. Both certified and noncertified copies are available, and any Vermont town or city clerk can issue a certificate regardless of where the death occurred.

There are three main ways to request a copy.

Order in person at a town or city clerk

Visiting a Vermont town or city clerk is the fastest and cheapest way to get a copy. You can request a certified copy on the spot and skip the online processing fee.

Bring valid identification and the basic facts about the death, including the full name of the deceased and the date and place of death.

Order online

You can order a certified copy through the state ordering service at secure.vermont.gov/VSARA/vitalrecords. Online orders cost $10 per certificate plus a $2 processing fee.

Completed online orders ship by standard U.S. mail within 5 to 7 business days.

Order by mail

You may also apply by mail using the Application for a Certified Copy of a Vermont Birth or Death Certificate. Follow the instructions on the form and mail it to the address listed, along with the required fee and a copy of your valid identification.

Who Is Eligible to Request a Vermont Death Certificate?

Eligibility for a certified Vermont death certificate is restricted. Only family members, legal guardians, certain court-appointed parties, or their legal representatives can apply for a certified copy of a death certificate. A funeral home or crematorium may also apply.

Applicants must show valid identification when requesting a certified copy. This identification requirement applies whether you order in person, by mail, or online.

If you do not fall into one of these eligible categories, you can still obtain a noncertified (informational) copy, which is available to the public at no charge.

Vermont Death Certificate Cost and Processing Time

A certified Vermont death certificate costs $10 per certificate. If you order online, a $2 processing fee is added, bringing the online total to $12 per copy.

Noncertified copies are available at no charge. Ordering in person at a town or city clerk avoids the online processing fee, making it the cheapest route for a certified copy.

Online orders ship by standard U.S. mail within 5 to 7 business days of the completed transaction. In-person requests at a town or city clerk are typically filled the same day.

Certified vs Informational Copy in Vermont

Vermont issues two kinds of death certificate copies, and the difference matters for how you can use them. A certified copy is printed on engraved security paper with a raised seal, while a noncertified (informational) copy is printed on plain paper with a watermark.

A certified copy is the official legal document. You need it for tasks such as settling an estate, claiming life insurance or pension benefits, transferring property, and closing financial accounts.

A noncertified copy is for personal reference and genealogy. It is available to the public at no charge but is not accepted as legal proof of death.

How to Get Additional or Replacement Copies

To get additional or replacement copies, place a new request through the same channels: a town or city clerk, the online ordering service, or by mail. Each additional certified copy costs the same $10 (plus the $2 online fee when applicable).

If you need several certified copies to settle an estate, request them together so you do not have to reorder later. Estate administration, insurance claims, and account closures often each require their own certified copy.

There is no separate discounted rate for extra copies in Vermont; the per-certificate fee applies to each one.

Disclaimer: This page provides general information and is not legal advice. Fees, eligibility rules, and processing times can change. Always confirm the current requirements with the Vermont Department of Health Vital Records Office or your town or city clerk before submitting a request.

For the broader rules on who may access records and how Vermont treats death records, see Vermont Death Records and the national Death Records by State hub.

Sources

This page draws on the Vermont Department of Health Vital Records Office and the Vermont Secretary of State / State Archives, the .gov authorities that issue and govern Vermont death certificates.