A death certificate is the official government record confirming a person's death, including the date, place, and cause. Nearly every institution that holds the deceased's money, benefits, or property will ask for a certified copy before it releases anything or closes an account. Understanding how to get one—and how many to order—is one of the first practical steps after a death.
Certified copies vs. photocopies
There are two versions of a death certificate, and the difference matters. A certified copy is printed on security paper and bears the raised seal or official stamp of the state or county registrar. A plain photocopy or an "informational" copy has no legal weight. Banks, insurers, and courts will only accept certified copies, so a scan or photocopy you make at home will almost always be rejected.
Some states also issue two kinds of certified copies: an authorized (long-form) certificate that shows the cause of death, and an informational one that omits it. For estate settlement, order the authorized version.
How to get a death certificate
In most cases, the funeral home or cremation provider handles the initial order. As part of their services, they file the certificate with the state and ask how many certified copies you want. This is the easiest path, and it's worth ordering the bulk of your copies here.
If you need copies later, or no funeral home was involved, you can order directly from the vital records office in the state (and sometimes the county) where the death occurred. You generally have three options:
- In person or by mail through the state or county vital records office.
- Online, typically through VitalChek, the official third-party ordering service most states use. When you "order a death certificate online," you're usually going through VitalChek.
- Through the funeral director, who can reorder on your behalf.
Requirements, forms, and fees vary by state, so always check your specific state's vital records website first. See our what to do when someone dies checklist for how this fits into the wider process.
How many certified copies to order
A common mistake is ordering too few. Reordering later costs more and adds weeks of delay, so most estate professionals recommend 10 to 15 certified copies. Many institutions keep the copy you send and will not return it. Here's roughly where they go:
| Institution | Copies needed |
|---|---|
| Banks and credit unions (one per institution) | 2–4 |
| Life insurance policies (one per policy) | 1–3 |
| Social Security (usually handled by the funeral home) | 1 |
| DMV (vehicle title transfers) | 1 |
| Probate court | 1–2 |
| IRS / final tax return | 1 |
| Brokerage, retirement, and pension accounts | 2–3 |
| Employer, mortgage, and utilities | 1–2 |
Many banks and agencies will now sight-verify a certificate—viewing the original and returning it—but you can't count on it. Ordering a healthy stack up front is cheaper insurance than reordering. You'll typically need one when you close a bank account after death, and Social Security is often notified automatically when the funeral home reports the death, though you can also notify Social Security of a death directly.
Cost and timeline
Prices vary by state, but a certified copy generally runs $5 to $25, with additional copies ordered at the same time often costing less. Online orders through VitalChek add a processing fee.
Timing depends on how you order. Certificates ordered through a funeral home usually arrive within one to three weeks, since the cause of death must be certified by the attending physician or medical examiner first. Cases involving an autopsy or a pending investigation can take longer. Direct state orders typically take a few days to several weeks; expedited and in-person service is faster in many jurisdictions.
Who is authorized to request a copy
Because death certificates contain sensitive information, states restrict who may order the authorized (cause-of-death) version. Eligible requesters usually include:
- The surviving spouse or domestic partner
- Immediate family members (parents, children, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren)
- The legal representative or executor/administrator of the estate
- Anyone with a documented legal or property interest (for example, an attorney or life-insurance beneficiary)
You'll typically need to prove your identity and your relationship to the deceased. Informational copies are more widely available in some states.
Replacement and amended certificates
If you lose a certified copy or run out, simply reorder more from the same vital records office—there's no limit on how many you can request over time.
If a certificate contains an error—a misspelled name, wrong date, or incorrect information—you can request an amendment. This usually requires an application, supporting documentation, and sometimes a small fee. Corrections to the cause of death must generally be made by the certifying physician or medical examiner, not by the family.
State vital records offices
Every state maintains its own vital records office, and rules, fees, and processing times differ from one to the next. Some centralize everything at the state level; others let you order from the county where the death occurred. Below is a sample of where to start.
| State | Where to order |
|---|---|
| California | CDPH Vital Records (or county recorder) |
| Texas | DSHS Vital Statistics |
| Florida | Bureau of Vital Statistics |
| New York | NYSDOH (NYC handled separately) |
| Illinois | IDPH Division of Vital Records |
| Other states | Search "[state] vital records death certificate" |
Tools like EstateWrap can help you track which institutions still need a certified copy so none slip through the cracks. When in doubt, start with your state's official vital records website and order more copies than you think you'll need.