Order more than you think you need — and order them all at once. Running out later means waiting weeks and paying again at a time when you have enough to manage.
What a death certificate is
A death certificate is the official government record of a person's death. It contains the full legal name, date and place of birth, date, time, and place of death, cause and manner of death, and the certifying physician or medical examiner's signature.
It is required by nearly every institution you'll deal with in settling an estate — banks, insurers, government agencies, courts, and employers all need to see it before releasing assets or processing claims.
How it gets issued
The process typically works like this:
- The attending physician or medical examiner certifies the cause of death
- The funeral home completes the demographic information and files the certificate with the state or county vital records office
- The vital records office issues certified copies, which the funeral home provides to you
This typically takes a few days from the date of death, but can take longer if cause of death is pending investigation or toxicology results.
Certified vs. informational copies
A certified copy is an official copy issued directly by the vital records office. It has a raised seal or security features and is accepted as a legal document. Most institutions require certified copies — not photocopies.
An informational copy or photocopy is a reproduction. It is useful for your own records but will be rejected by most banks, insurers, and government agencies.
When people say "death certificate," they almost always mean a certified copy. That is what you need to order.
How many to order
Order 10–12 certified copies as a starting baseline. It is nearly always cheaper to order extras upfront than to reorder later.
Who typically needs a certified original
- Each financial institution (bank, credit union, brokerage) — one per institution
- Life insurance companies — one per policy
- Social Security Administration
- VA benefits office (if applicable)
- Employer HR department
- Pension administrator
- Probate court (if opening an estate)
- DMV (to transfer vehicle titles)
- Mortgage lender or servicer
- Real estate transactions
If the deceased had multiple bank accounts, multiple insurance policies, or property in more than one state, your count goes up quickly. Order enough to cover every institution with one to spare.
Where to order them
The funeral home will order an initial batch as part of their services — ask how many are included in the price and whether you can add more at the time of filing. This is the easiest moment to order; additional copies ordered later cost more and take longer.
If you need more copies later, contact the vital records office in the state and county where the death occurred. Most states allow online ordering through their vital records website or through a service like VitalChek.
Cost
The cost of certified copies varies by state — typically $10–$25 per copy. Some states charge more for the first copy and less for additional copies ordered at the same time. See our State Guide for current costs by state.
Dealing with delays
If cause of death is pending — due to an ongoing investigation or toxicology testing — the certificate may be issued with "pending" listed as the cause. Most institutions will accept this for initial processing and update their records when the amended certificate is issued.
If there's an error on the death certificate (misspelled name, wrong date of birth), contact the funeral home first — they filed the original and can initiate an amendment with the vital records office. Corrections can take several weeks.
International use
If you need to use a death certificate in another country, you may need an apostille — an authentication stamp that verifies the document is legitimate for use in countries that are party to the Hague Convention. Contact the Secretary of State's office in the state where the certificate was issued to obtain an apostille.