Search Death Records

First decide whether you need an official certified death certificate for a legal or account task, or a historical death clue for research. USA.gov’s death-certificate guidance explains when a certified copy is needed; check the receiving organization’s requirements. A historical index hit or photocopy is not automatically an acceptable certified certificate.

For a death in the United States, identify the state where the death occurred, then use CDC’s state and territory directory to reach that vital-records office. Start with the deceased’s full name and month, day and year of death, plus the city/town, county and state. If the exact date is unknown, narrow the range before asking the office about a search. Residence and burial place are clues, not substitutes for confirming the place of death.

Follow the event-state office’s application and access rules. Be ready to state your relationship to the deceased and the purpose of the request; CDC also lists parents’ names, sex, hospital if known and your daytime phone number among request details. Confirm the office’s current identification/eligibility requirements, copy type, fee and delivery method before paying. Recent certificates may be restricted to eligible family members or other authorized requesters; the date they become public varies by state.