Are Death Certificates Public Record? What You Need to Know
Cindy Ellis - August 26, 2022
Death certificates are documents that provide information about someone’s death. When someone dies, a medical practitioner logs information about someone’s death. For close relatives and family members, death certificates are almost always a public record. Furthermore, loved ones can request information about death certificates as long as they have tangible reasons to do so.
That said, finding someone’s death certificate is challenging when you don’t know where to look. It also helps to know whether or not death certificates are public records in your state. The good news is that we’re here to help.
Read on to learn more about death certificates and if they’re public records below.
What Is a Death Certificate
A death certificate is a document that contains information about someone’s death. Death certificates are created when someone dies, and they’re used to transfer assets, manage estates, and verify that someone is deceased. These certificates are only issued by medical practitioners, and they’re either available as public records or for family members of the deceased.
Death certificates are created by a civil registration office, which confirms the date, time, and location of someone’s death. These records are kept within state databases and may be accessed by people doing genealogical research.
A death certificate is also used to update government information about an individual.
What Information Does a Death Certificate Contain?
Death certificates contain a lot of information. Anything relevant to the death of someone is included in the report and stored within a database.
Below is the information you’ll find in someone’s death certificate:
- Location of the death
- The time of death
- The cause of death (may be excluded in some states)
- Known injuries
- Chronic conditions that contributed to their death
- Information about legal brain death
- The date of someone’s death
Keep in mind that information may vary based on someone’s cause of death.
Are Death Certificates Public Record?
Death certificates are a public record in most states if you’re the immediate family member of the person who died. Additionally, death certificates are public records if the state allows the public to view them. Some states allow people to view death certificates right after someone dies. On the other hand, some states don’t make death certificates public record until 25 to 100 years after the date of their death.
In some cases, death certificates may also be public records for people doing genealogical research.
In What States Are Death Certificates Public Records?
Some states have death certificates listed as public records. In these states, anyone can view someone’s death certificate without needing a specific reason. Additionally, you don’t need to be a member of someone’s family to view death certificates in these states.
- Alabama: Public after 25 years
- Alaska: Public after 50 years
- California: No restrictions
- Delaware: Public after 40 years
- Idaho: Public after 50 years
- Minnesota: No restrictions
- Montana: No restrictions
- Nebraska: With tangible reasons
- Nevada: No restrictions
- New Mexico: Public after 100 years
- Ohio: No restrictions
- Oregon: Public after 50 years
- Texas: Public after 25 years
- Vermont: Few restrictions
- Virginia: Few restrictions
- Wisconsin: With restrictions on the cause of death and injuries
- Wyoming: Public record
Keep in mind that some exceptions may apply. For example, death certificates for ongoing investigations are always confidential.
In What States are Death Certificates Not Public Records?
Some states don’t list death certificates as public records. While family members can receive death certificates, the general public doesn’t get access. In these states, no amount of time changes this fact.
Below are the states with restrictions on death certificates:
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Mississippi
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Utah
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
There are some exceptions in these states, with the most common examples being tangible reasons to view the records and if you’re a family member of the deceased.
How to Find Someone’s Death Certificate
There are a few ways to find someone’s death certificate. Still, some ways are better than others, so we’re going to take you through the two best options.
Reach Out to the Family
The simplest way to find someone’s death certificate is to reach out to family members or friends of the deceased. Reaching out to friends or family members is the best method because people will give you the information directly. So, you don’t have to worry about searching through databases or requesting records from the county clerk’s office.
Still, exercising caution is important when asking family members or friends about someone’s death certificate. Asking at the wrong time will ruin your chances of learning more, and people may decide not to tell you; this is their right.
For these reasons, you need to be careful when asking for someone’s death certificate. Always avoid using morbid phrases, remain empathetic, and give the family time to grieve if the death is recent. Also, respecting a family’s wishes is best if they decide against showing you the death certificate.
If people don’t want to tell you about someone’s death certificate, we recommend running a people search to learn more. If the information is a public record, it will appear in their full report.
Use a People Search Engine
Another way to find someone’s death certificate is to use a people search engine. People search engines combine information from thousands of databases around the United States. Instead of looking through each state’s database individually, you only need to run one search.
People search engines are also easy to use. In fact, you only need someone’s first and last name to use Information.com’s people search tool. Once you enter their name, any information that’s public record will appear. Just make sure you choose the right person after you perform the search. On Information.com, the person you’re looking for is typically the first or second search result.
Along with someone’s death certificate, people searches reveal:
- Addresses (past and present)
- Email addresses
- Phone numbers
- Family members and relatives
- Social media accounts
- Dating profiles
- Criminal background
- Court documents
- Licensing
- Financial history (in some cases)
- Traffic violation
Overall, people search engines are efficient and easy-to-use tools you can use to learn more about someone.
Find Someone’s Death Certificate Today
There are many reasons to find someone’s death certificate. For example, you might want to know if a family member died or simply learn more about someone. While many states have death certificates listed as public records, each has unique rules and guidelines. So, you might need to be a family member or have another valid reason to assess someone’s death certificate.
If you’re unsure about your state’s rules or want to avoid scrolling through dozens of databases, use Information.com’s people search tool. The search tool gives you access to someone’s full report, which includes their death certificate if they’re deceased and if the information is a public record.
