How many death certificates do you need?

When someone dies, the death certificate becomes one of the most important documents your family will use for months to come. Getting the right number of certified copies — and getting them promptly — saves a great deal of time and frustration in the weeks ahead.

What a death certificate is and why you need it

A death certificate is the official legal record of a person's death. It documents the date, time, location, and cause of death, along with identifying information about the deceased.

A certified copy generally shows:

• Full legal name of the deceased
• Date, time, and place of death
• Cause of death and manner of death
• Date and place of birth
• Social Security number
• Spouse's name, if applicable
• The certifying physician, coroner, or medical examiner
• The funeral home handling arrangements

The cause-of-death section is completed by the attending physician, a coroner, or a medical examiner, depending on the circumstances of the death.

You will need certified copies of this document to:

• Close or transfer bank accounts and investment accounts
• File a life insurance claim
• Transfer vehicle titles and real property
• Notify Social Security and pension providers
• Open probate or file court documents
• Cancel government benefits and update voter registration
• Transfer retirement accounts to beneficiaries

The original is filed with the state or county vital records office. Families receive certified copies — official reproductions with a raised seal or watermark — that institutions accept as legal proof.

How many certified copies to order

Most families underestimate how many copies they will need. Ordering more upfront is nearly always less expensive and far less time-consuming than requesting additional copies later.

A general guideline:

• Basic estate (few assets, no property): 6–8 copies
• Moderate estate (home, retirement accounts, vehicles): 10–12 copies
• Complex estate (multiple properties, business interests, accounts): 12–15+ copies

Each financial institution typically requires its own original certified copy. Some will accept a photocopy after reviewing the original, but many will not — especially for insurance claims and property transfers.

Who needs a copy, institution by institution

The count above is a guideline. This is where the copies actually go, and it is worth working through before you order, because the total is usually higher than a family expects.

Two patterns are worth planning around. Insurers and courts nearly always keep the copy, so those are permanent losses from your stack. And each institution generally wants its own certified copy — a photocopy of a certified copy is not a certified copy, and most will not accept one for anything involving money moving.

Ask each institution whether it returns the copy. The ones that do can supply the same certificate to the next institution in line, which meaningfully reduces how many you need.

Who files the death certificate

In most cases, the funeral home handles the filing on your behalf, and it is typically included in the basic service fee. They gather the required information from the family — full legal name, Social Security number, date of birth, place of birth, parents' names — and submit the certificate to the state vital records office.

If there is no funeral home involved — an arrangement sometimes called direct family disposition — you may be able to file the certificate yourself in states that permit it. The same applies if the death occurred abroad. Your county or state health department can guide you through that process, and the rules vary significantly from state to state.

Note: Processing times and submission procedures vary by state. Some states require electronic filing; others accept paper. Many states can complete standard filings within one to two weeks, but delays can occur during high-volume periods.

Who is allowed to order a death certificate

Not everyone can. Most states restrict certified copies to people with a direct and tangible interest, because a death certificate carries the Social Security number and is a standing identity-theft risk.

Typically eligible:

• The surviving spouse or domestic partner
• Parents, children, grandchildren, and siblings
• The executor or court-appointed administrator of the estate
• A legal representative acting for any of the above
• Someone who can document a financial interest, such as a named insurance beneficiary or a creditor

You will generally have to prove both your identity and your relationship — a government photo ID, and sometimes a birth or marriage certificate establishing the link, or the Letters Testamentary if you are acting for the estate.

More distant relatives, friends, and neighbors usually cannot obtain a certified copy, though many states will issue them an informational copy instead. Genealogical access typically opens only after a waiting period measured in decades.

How to order certified copies

The most common methods:

• Through the funeral home. Most funeral homes order certified copies at the time of filing, at the state's official rate. Ask how many copies they are ordering and whether you can add more at the initial filing — it is usually cheaper and faster than reordering later.
• Through the state vital records office. Each state has a vital records division, sometimes called the Bureau of Vital Statistics or the Office of Vital Records, typically under the Department of Health. Most accept online applications through a state portal, mail-in applications with a notarized statement, and in-person requests at the county clerk's office.
• Through VitalChek. VitalChek is a third-party service authorized by many states to process vital records requests. It is often faster than applying directly, and it charges a service fee above the state's base cost. A handful of states use their own portal instead — check your state's vital records page before assuming either route.

Turnaround depends heavily on the method. In-person county clerk requests are frequently same-day or next-day. Online orders commonly take a few days to two weeks. Mail applications can take two to six weeks.

What certified copies cost

The base fee per certified copy varies by state, typically ranging from $6 to $25 per copy. Many states offer a small discount for additional copies ordered at the same time.

If you need copies months later, the same fees apply — plus potentially additional processing or service fees if you use an expedited service.

Some life insurance companies will return your certified copy after reviewing it. Others keep it. It is worth asking each institution about their policy before you send originals.

Certified copies versus informational copies

States commonly issue two versions of the same record, and ordering the wrong one wastes both the fee and the wait.

A certified copy carries a raised seal, an embossment, or security paper, and is the only version institutions accept as legal proof. This is what you need for banks, insurers, courts, and title transfers.

An informational copy contains the same facts but is usually stamped to the effect that it cannot be used to establish identity or for legal purposes. It is cheaper and more widely available, and it is fine for personal records — but a bank will reject it.

When ordering, say explicitly that you need certified copies. Some online portals default to the informational version.

Cause of death, and why some copies omit it

Several states issue both a long form, which states the cause of death, and a short form, which omits it.

Most routine administration — closing a bank account, transferring a title — does not require the cause of death, and the short form is sufficient. But life insurance claims frequently do require the long form, particularly where a policy is within its contestability period or carries accidental-death provisions.

If the cause of death is pending while a medical examiner or coroner completes an investigation, the certificate is issued with the cause marked pending, and an amended certificate follows later. A pending certificate is still valid for most purposes, and you do not have to wait for the amendment to begin estate work — but an insurer may hold the claim until the final version exists.

Order at least one long-form copy if there is any life insurance in the picture.

If you need more copies later

You can request additional certified copies at any time from the state's vital records office. You will generally need:

• The deceased's full legal name
• Date of death
• County and state of death
• Your relationship to the deceased
• A valid photo ID
• Payment for the applicable fee

Processing time varies — some offices complete requests in days, others take several weeks. If timing is critical (for example, to close an estate or meet a filing deadline), ask about expedited options.

Note: Requirements vary by state. Some states have residency restrictions on who can order a certified copy. In California, for example, only authorized individuals — such as immediate family members, legal representatives, and law enforcement — may obtain certified copies. An informational copy is available to others. Check your state's vital records office for specific eligibility rules.

How long to keep death certificates

Keep at least one certified copy permanently, with the estate's records. There is no point at which a death certificate expires, and questions that need one can surface years after an estate closes — an unclaimed life insurance policy, a pension survivor benefit, a property title defect, a forgotten account surfacing through a state unclaimed-property office.

For the rest of the stack, a practical approach:

• One certified copy, kept indefinitely with the will, the letters testamentary, and the final tax returns.
• Scanned copies of both the long and short form, stored where the family can reach them. A scan is not legally valid anywhere, but it answers most day-to-day questions without spending a certified copy.
• Spare certified copies are worth holding rather than discarding once the estate closes. They cost the same to replace later and take longer to obtain.

If you run out and need one years afterward, you can still order from the state's vital records office — the record is permanent. You will need to establish your relationship and eligibility again.

Frequently asked questions

How many death certificates do I need?

Most families need between 8 and 12 certified copies. A simple estate with few assets may need 6 to 8; one with a home, retirement accounts, and vehicles usually needs 10 to 12; and a complex estate can need 15 or more. Order them at the initial filing through the funeral home, where they are cheapest, and lean high — reordering later costs more and adds weeks.

What is a death certificate needed for?

Closing bank and investment accounts, filing life insurance claims, transferring vehicle titles and real property, notifying Social Security and pension providers, opening probate, claiming veterans benefits, and settling employer benefits. Nearly every institution that held an account or owed a benefit will require one before it will act.

Can anyone get a death certificate for someone else?

No. Most states limit certified copies to immediate family, the executor or administrator, a legal representative, and people who can document a financial interest such as a named insurance beneficiary. You will need to prove your identity and your relationship. More distant parties can often obtain an informational copy, which is not valid for legal or financial use.

Does everyone get a death certificate?

Every death in the United States is registered with the state, so a death certificate exists for every death regardless of the circumstances or whether there was a funeral. What varies is whether the family orders certified copies of it. If no one ordered copies at the time, the record is still on file and copies can be requested later by anyone eligible.

How much does a death certificate cost?

Usually between $6 and $25 per certified copy, depending on the state, and many states discount additional copies ordered at the same time. Ordering later costs the same base fee plus any expedite or third-party service charges, which is the main reason to order generously at the outset.

How long does it take to get one?

When the funeral home files at the time of death, copies commonly arrive within one to two weeks. In-person requests at a county clerk's office are often same-day or next-day. Ordering by mail from a vital records office can take two to six weeks, though many states offer expedited online ordering. A certificate awaiting a medical examiner's determination will be issued with the cause of death pending and amended afterward.

Can I use a photocopy?

Rarely. A photocopy of a certified copy is not itself certified, and most institutions handling money — banks, insurers, courts, title offices — will not accept one. Some will review an original in person and keep a photocopy for their file, which is worth asking about, since it preserves a certified copy for the next institution.

What if there is an error on the death certificate?

Errors are corrected through the vital records office that issued the certificate, not through the funeral home. Minor factual errors — a misspelled name, an incorrect date of birth — can usually be corrected with supporting documentation. Corrections to the cause of death require an attestation from the certifying physician or medical examiner and take longer. Request the correction promptly: it is considerably harder to unwind once institutions have accepted and acted on the original.

Is a death certificate different from a burial permit?

Yes. A burial permit — sometimes called a disposition permit — is a separate document authorizing burial, cremation, or another form of disposition. It is typically filed by the funeral home alongside the death certificate, and families rarely need to handle it directly. It is not a substitute for a death certificate and no institution will accept it as one.

What Passings Can Help With

Passings includes a guided task checklist that walks you through each step of estate administration, including tracking which institutions have received death certificates and which tasks still require one. The document vault gives your family a central place to store a scanned copy and record where originals were sent.

Related resources

• What to do when someone dies: the first 48 hours
• Immediate needs checklist: the first 72 hours
• How to close a bank account after a death
• How to report a death to Social Security
• How to avoid probate: which assets skip it and which do not
• Getting a death certificate in Illinois

This article provides general information and is not legal, financial, or medical advice. Regulations and procedures vary by state.

Disclaimer — For informational purposes only

This article is compiled from publicly available resources and is provided solely for general informational purposes. It does not constitute and should not be relied upon as legal, financial, tax, insurance, medical, psychological, or other professional advice. Passings is a planning and organizational platform, not a licensed advisory service, and no attorney-client, financial advisor-client, or other professional relationship is created by reading this content.

Laws, regulations, financial products, and professional standards vary by state and change over time. Passings makes no representations or warranties — express or implied — regarding the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, or suitability of any information contained herein. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Passings disclaims all liability for any loss, damage, or harm arising from your use of or reliance on this content. Always consult a qualified, licensed professional — including an attorney, financial advisor, CPA, or licensed counselor — before making decisions specific to your situation.

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