What do you need to undertake a death certificate search?

The majority of local and state vital records offices currently have very clear guidelines about obtaining death records. In actual fact, the majority of state organizations only will release a record of death for someone who can easily prove to be a direct-line descendant of the individual in question. A direct-line descendant could be the husband or wife, mother or father or child connected with the particular deceased.

Other people who are qualified to receive a copy of a death record are generally anyone who has recorded legal right or lay claim to, a recorded health care need, or possibly a court ruling handed down from the state court.

In order to request a duplicate of the recorded death, the person in question needs to give evidence of their particular relationship with the deceased.

The vital records business office will then most likely require a photo ID, for instance a passport or perhaps a driver’s license, in addition to a couple of different letters or a statement that show the applicant’s present identify and address. Sometimes, the vital records business office may recognize such documentation as a utility invoice or correspondence by a government agency.

Even though every state will have a list of rules concerning the release of death certificates, the aforementioned information is generally commonplace.

Web based Resources

There are a lot of websites that may well be equipped to assist you in your investigation for death records whether they be Illinois death records or Missouri death records. Many can certainly supply you with the appropriate data and can help the process so you can get the record of a death in a reasonable amount of time.

This page provides quick reference information on where to obtain vital records in Washington DC.

For those who prefer walk-in service, we have listed the physical address as well as the postal address (sometimes they are the same) for the main government agencies where records of birth, death, marriage and divorce are held.
Relevant phone numbers are included so you can confirm up-to-date information about the charges for services, or if you need to clarify anything about your records search.

For BIRTH and DEATH records contact:

Department of Health
Vital Records Division
825 North Capitol Street, NE, 1st Floor
Washington, DC 20002

ph (202) 671-5000

For MARRIAGE and DIVORCE records contact:

DC Superior Court,
500 Indiana Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20001
(Room 4335 for Divorce Decree or Room 4485 for marriage license)

Marriage information (202) 879-4840
Divorce Information (202) 879-1261

Here is quick reference information on where to obtain vital records in Dallas, Texas.

Especially for those people who prefer walk-in service, we have listed the physical address as well as the mailing address for the government agencies where records of birth, death, marriage and divorce are held. Relevant phone numbers are included so you can confirm up-to-date information about the charges for services, or if you need to clarify anything about your records search.

Bureau of Vital Statistics
Texas Department of Health
P.O. Box 12040
Austin, TX 78711-2040

Texas Vital Statistics
Department of State Health Services
1100 W. 49th Street
Austin, TX 78756

Open M-F 8am to 5pm

ph. (512) 458-7111

For MARRIAGES and DIVORCES only, letters
verifying essential facts are available from state
office.  Certified copies of marriage licenses or divorce
decrees are available from the county clerk
(marriage) or district clerk (divorce) in the county
or district in which it was obtained.

DALLAS COUNTY CLERK
Vital Statistics
Records Building 2nd Fl
509 Main St, Suite 200
Dallas, Texas 75202-3551

Phone: (214)-653-7099

Here is quick reference information on where to obtain vital records in Dallas County, Texas.

Especially for those people who prefer walk-in service, we have listed the physical address as well as the mailing address for the government agencies where records of birth, death, marriage and divorce are held. Relevant phone numbers are included so you can confirm up-to-date information about the charges for services, or if you need to clarify anything about your records search.

Bureau of Vital Statistics
Texas Department of Health
P.O. Box 12040
Austin, TX 78711-2040

Texas Vital Statistics
Department of State Health Services
1100 W. 49th Street
Austin, TX 78756

Open M-F 8am to 5pm

ph. (512) 458-7111

For MARRIAGES and DIVORCES only, letters
verifying essential facts are available from state
office.  Certified copies of marriage licenses or divorce
decrees are available from the county clerk
(marriage) or district clerk (divorce) in the county
or district in which it was obtained.

DALLAS COUNTY CLERK
Vital Statistics
Records Building 2nd Fl
509 Main St, Suite 200
Dallas, Texas 75202-3551

Phone: (214)-653-7099

Here is Quick reference information on where to obtain vital records in Miami-Dade County, Florida.

Especially for those people who prefer walk-in service, we have listed the physical address as well as the mailing address for the government agencies where records of birth, death, marriage and divorce are held. Relevant phone numbers are included so you can confirm  up-to-date information about the charges for services, or if you need to clarify anything about your records search.

County BIRTH and DEATH RECORDS are available from
Miami-Dade Health Department offices:

North Dade
18680 NW 67 Avenue
North Miami, Florida
ph (305) 628-7227
Monday – Friday
9:00 AM to 5:30 PM
(WALK-IN APPLICANTS ONLY)

Central Dade
1350 NW 14 Street, Room 3
Miami, Florida 33125
ph (305) 324-2489
Monday – Friday
8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
(WALK-IN AND MAIL APPLICANTS)

South Dade
18255 Homestead Ave #113
West Perrine, FL 33157
ph (305) 278-1046
Monday – Friday
8:00 AM to 4:30 PM
(WALK-IN APPLICANTS ONLY)

All Florida records of birth, death, marriage and divorce from 1927 to the present are filed with, and can be obtained from:

Florida Dept of Health
Office of Vital Statistics
1217 Pearl Street
Jacksonville, Florida 32202

Phone: (904) 359-6900
Fax: (904) 359-6931

MAIL TO:
Florida Dept of Health
Office of Vital Statistics
P.O. Box 210
Jacksonville, Florida
32231-0042

Here is Quick reference information on where to obtain vital records in Cuyahoga County, Ohio.

Especially for those people who prefer walk-in service, we have listed the physical address as well as the mailing address for the government agencies where records of birth, death, marriage and divorce are held. Relevant phone numbers are included so you can confirm  up-to-date information about the charges for services, or if you need to clarify anything about your records search.

Ohio Department of Health
Vital Statistics
225 Neilston Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 466-2531

Ohio Department of Health
Vital Statistics
P.O. Box 15098
Columbus, Ohio 43215-0098

Only abstracts of Marriage licenses and Divorce decrees are held on file.
Contact the local court if a full document is required:
•    Marriage License – County Probate Court
•    Divorce – County Clerk of Court

OFFICE OF THE CLERK- Cuyahoga County
Administrative Offices
Justice Center 1st Floor
1200 Ontario Street
Cleveland, Ohio 44113-1664

ph 216-443-7952

Quick reference information on where to obtain vital records in Cook County, Illinois and the city of Chicago.

Especially for those people who prefer walk-in service, we have listed the physical address as well as the mailing address for the government agencies where records of birth, death, marriage and divorce are held. Relevant phone numbers are included so you can confirm  up-to-date information about the charges for services, or if you need to clarify anything about your records search.

Illinois Department of Public Health
Division of Vital Records
605 W. Jefferson St.
Springfield, IL 62702-5097

phone:  (217)-782-6553

State office has records since January 1916 for birth and deaths and marriage and divorce indexes from 1962.  For earlier records and for copies of State records since January 1916, write to County Clerk in county where event occurred (county fees vary).

COOK COUNTY CLERK

Mail only requests to:
Cook County Clerk
Bureau of Vital Records
P.O. Box 642570
Chicago, IL 60664-2570

Call Toll-Free: (866) 252-8974

Visit the COUNTY CLERK’S OFFICE at the following locations:

Downtown Chicago – Daley Center
50 W. Washington St.
Chicago, IL 60602
Call: (312) 603-7790

North suburbs – Skokie
5600 W. Old Orchard Road
Skokie, IL 60077
Call: (847) 470-7233

Northwest suburbs – Rolling Meadows
2121 Euclid Ave.
Rolling Meadows, IL 60008
Call: (847) 818-2850

West suburbs – Maywood
1311 Maybrook Square, Room 109
Maywood, IL 60153
Call: (708) 865-6010

South suburbs – Markham
16501 S. Kedzie
Markham, IL 60426
Call: (708) 210-4150

Southwest suburbs – Bridgeview
10220 S. 76th Ave.
Bridgeview, IL 60455
Call: (708) 974-6150

Quick reference information on where to obtain vital records in Cook County, Illinois and the city of Chicago.

Especially for those people who prefer walk-in service, we have listed the physical address as well as the mailing address for the government agencies where records of birth, death, marriage and divorce are held. Relevant phone numbers are included so you can confirm  up-to-date information about the charges for services, or if you need to clarify anything about your records search.

Illinois Department of Public Health
Division of Vital Records
605 W. Jefferson St.
Springfield, IL 62702-5097

phone:  (217)-782-6553

State office has records since January 1916 for birth and deaths and marriage and divorce indexes from 1962.  For earlier records and for copies of State records since January 1916, write to County Clerk in county where event occurred (county fees vary).

COOK COUNTY CLERK

Mail only requests to:
Cook County Clerk
Bureau of Vital Records
P.O. Box 642570
Chicago, IL 60664-2570

Call Toll-Free: (866) 252-8974

Visit the COUNTY CLERK’S OFFICE at the following locations:

Downtown Chicago – Daley Center
50 W. Washington St.
Chicago, IL 60602
Call: (312) 603-7790

North suburbs – Skokie
5600 W. Old Orchard Road
Skokie, IL 60077
Call: (847) 470-7233

Northwest suburbs – Rolling Meadows
2121 Euclid Ave.
Rolling Meadows, IL 60008
Call: (847) 818-2850

West suburbs – Maywood
1311 Maybrook Square, Room 109
Maywood, IL 60153
Call: (708) 865-6010

South suburbs – Markham
16501 S. Kedzie
Markham, IL 60426
Call: (708) 210-4150

Southwest suburbs – Bridgeview
10220 S. 76th Ave.
Bridgeview, IL 60455
Call: (708) 974-6150

This page provides you with quick reference information on where to obtain vital records about you and your family. Especially for those people who prefer walk-in service, we have listed the physical address as well as the mailing address for the government agencies where records of birth, death, marriage and divorce are held in each state. Relevant phone numbers are included so you can confirm  up-to-date information about the charges for services, or if you need to clarify anything about your records search.

Department of Public Health
State Office of Vital Records
410 Capitol Ave.  MS#11VRS
P.O. Box 340308
Hartford, CT  06134-0308

Phone: 860-509-7700
Fax: 860-509-7964

Town Vital Record Contact Information

Vital Records offices are located in each of the 169 towns in Connecticut.  The vital records registrar in each town is responsible for maintaining a registry of all births, marriages, civil unions, deaths and fetal deaths that occur within its town.  To obtain a copy of a vital record from the town where the event occurred, see the Connecticut Town Clerk and Registrar Directory for contact and address information.  And the charges are less than those charged by the state.

State Vital Records Office

The State Vital Records Office at the Connecticut Department of Public Health maintains a statewide registry of all births, marriages, civil unions, deaths and fetal deaths which have occurred in CT since July 1, 1897.  For information on vital records prior to July 1, 1897, you must contact the town where the vital event occurred.  See the Connecticut Town Clerk and Registrar Directory.

Mail requests for a vital record from the State Vital Records Office have a turnaround time of approximately six (6) weeks.  For quicker turnaround time you may direct your request to the town where the event occurred

To obtain a copy of your Divorce Decree or Dissolution of Civil Union Decree, you must request it from the Superior Court where the divorce or dissolution was granted.   Please call the appropriate court for fees and requirements.

This page provides you with quick reference information on where to obtain vital records about you and your family. Especially for those people who prefer walk-in service, we have listed the physical address as well as the mailing address for the government agencies where records of birth, death, marriage and divorce are held in each state. Relevant phone numbers are included so you can confirm  up-to-date information about the charges for services, or if you need to clarify anything about your records search.

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
Vital Records Section
4300 Cherry Creek Drive South
HSVRD-VR-A1
Denver, CO 80246-1530
Office hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday–Friday
Please note: Same-day service available until 4:30 p.m