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

Wisconsin records a cause of death on the medical certification of the death certificate, and for unexplained or suspicious deaths the county coroner or medical examiner determines it. That detail is restricted: only a direct descendant of the decedent, or someone with a direct and tangible interest such as immediate family or their authorized representative, can obtain it until 50 years after the date of death.

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

You find a cause of death in Wisconsin by obtaining the extended death certificate, an autopsy or coroner report, or by reading the obituary. The cause of death is written on the medical certification portion of the death certificate by the certifying physician, coroner, or medical examiner.

If you are eligible to request the record, the fastest official route is the extended fact-of-death certificate from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services Vital Records Office. That copy carries the cause, manner, and place of disposition.

For deaths that were sudden, violent, or unexplained, the county coroner or medical examiner conducts the investigation and produces a separate report that explains how the person died.

Is the Cause of Death Public in Wisconsin?

The cause of death is not freely public in Wisconsin for recent deaths. Wisconsin restricts the most sensitive fields of a death record, and the cause of death is one of them.

Under Wisconsin Statute 69.21, anyone may buy an uncertified, information-only copy of a post-1907 death. But that basic copy is a fact-of-death record that leaves out the cause of death, the manner of death, and the final disposition.

Those extended details are released only to a direct descendant of the decedent or a person with a direct and tangible interest in the record, unless 50 years have passed since the date of death (Wis. Stat. 69.20(2)(c)). So for a recent death, the cause is effectively restricted to family and other qualified requesters.

This matches the general rule that cause-of-death access depends on each state's certificate law. For the wider picture, see Are Cause of Death Records Public?.

Where the Cause of Death Is Recorded

The cause of death lives in two main places in Wisconsin: the death certificate and, when one exists, the autopsy report.

The Death Certificate

Every Wisconsin death certificate has a medical certification section. There the certifying physician, coroner, or medical examiner lists the immediate cause of death, any underlying conditions, and the manner of death. This is the field omitted from the basic informational copy.

If the cause-of-death information must be corrected, only the medical certifier can change it, and a court order is required when the death occurred more than one year earlier.

The Autopsy or Coroner Report

When a death is unexplained, unusual, suspicious, accidental, or the result of homicide or suicide, the county coroner or medical examiner investigates under Wisconsin Statutes chapter 979. They may order an autopsy, which must be performed by a physician trained in pathology.

The resulting autopsy or investigative report explains the cause and manner of death in far more detail than the certificate. Access to that report is handled by the county coroner or medical examiner office, not the state vital records office.

How to Request Records That Show the Cause of Death

To get a record that shows the cause of death, request the extended fact-of-death certificate from the state, or ask the county coroner or medical examiner for the investigative report.

To order the certificate, complete the Wisconsin Death Certificate Application and submit it to the DHS Vital Records Office. You must show that you are an eligible requester, such as a spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, the estate representative, or a person with a direct and tangible interest.

You will need a government-issued photo ID. Orders can be placed by mail, in person in Madison, or online or by phone through VitalChek. The fee is $20 for the first copy.

For an autopsy or coroner report, contact the medical examiner or coroner in the county where the death occurred and ask about their record-request process.

Finding the Cause of Death for Older or Historical Deaths

For older deaths, the cause of death becomes far easier to access. Once 50 years have passed since the date of death, anyone may obtain an uncertified copy that includes the cause, manner, and disposition.

For deaths before October 1, 1907, the records are held by the Wisconsin Historical Society rather than the state vital records office, and they are widely open for genealogical research.

Obituaries and historical newspapers are often the most accessible source for an older cause of death. The Social Security Death Index can confirm the fact and date of death, but it never lists the cause.

Disclaimer: This page is general information, not legal advice. Vital-records rules, fees, and processing times change. Confirm the current requirements with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services Vital Records Office or the county coroner or medical examiner before you rely on them.

Sources

This page draws on the Wisconsin Department of Health Services Vital Records Office, Wisconsin Statutes 69.18, 69.20, and 69.21 and chapter 979, and CDC coroner/medical-examiner law references.

Related: Wisconsin Death Records and the hub Death Records by State.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I find someone's cause of death in Wisconsin?

Read the obituary, request the extended fact-of-death certificate if you are an eligible requester, or ask the county coroner or medical examiner for an autopsy or investigative report. The cause is written on the medical certification section of the death certificate.

Is the cause of death public record in Wisconsin?

Not for recent deaths. The cause, manner, and disposition are left off the basic informational copy and released only to a direct descendant of the decedent, or to someone with a direct and tangible interest such as immediate family, until 50 years after the date of death, under Wis. Stat. 69.20(2)(c).

How can I find out how a relative died in Wisconsin?

As an immediate family member you can request the extended death certificate from the DHS Vital Records Office, which lists the cause and manner of death. For investigated deaths, the county coroner or medical examiner report has more detail.

Does the death certificate show the cause of death in Wisconsin?

Yes. The certifying physician, coroner, or medical examiner records the cause and manner of death in the medical certification section. That field appears on the extended fact-of-death copy, not the basic informational copy.

How do I get a cause of death for an old death?

Once 50 years have passed since the date of death, anyone may obtain an uncertified copy that includes the cause. Pre-1907 records are held by the Wisconsin Historical Society and are open for genealogical research.

Can anyone find out a cause of death in Wisconsin?

Not for recent deaths. Only a direct descendant of the decedent, or a person with a direct and tangible interest such as immediate family or an authorized representative, can obtain the cause within 50 years of the date of death. After that it becomes available to any requester.