How to Get a Death Certificate in New York
To get a death certificate in New York, first check where the death occurred: New York City has its own vital records office, and the rest of the state uses the State Department of Health. Outside the city, mail orders cost $30 per copy and online or phone orders cost $45 plus a vendor fee, with delays noted. In the city, each copy costs $15 plus a processing fee.
How to get a death certificate in New York starts with one question that trips up many families: did the death happen inside New York City or elsewhere in the state? The two systems are separate, with different offices, fees, and forms. A death in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, or Staten Island goes through the city’s Office of Vital Records. A death anywhere else in New York State goes through the State Department of Health in Albany. This guide covers both, so you order from the right office the first time.
How to get a death certificate in New York outside New York City
For deaths outside the five boroughs, order from the New York State Department of Health, Vital Records Certification Unit, P.O. Box 2602, Albany, NY 12220-2602. Mail orders cost $30 per copy, paid by personal check, postal money order, or certified check made payable to the NYS Department of Health. Do not send cash. Online and phone orders cost $45 per copy plus a vendor processing fee per transaction, paid by card or electronic check. The state warns that it is currently experiencing significant delays in order processing, so build extra weeks into your plans, and note that payment for mail orders must be drawn on a United States bank or sent as an international money order if you are ordering from abroad.
The application asks for your identification and, for applicants from certain foreign countries, a copy of a United States passport in addition to the standard IDs. The state’s own guidance lists missing or improper ID as a common reason for denial, so read the ID instructions on the form before you send it. If you need a correction to a death certificate, that is a separate process with its own form and supporting documents, and it takes longer than a copy order.
Ordering in New York City
New York City orders run through the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Office of Vital Records, at 125 Worth Street, CN-4, Room 119, New York, NY 10013. Each certified copy costs $15. Online orders through VitalChek, the only vendor authorized by the Health Department, carry a $9.30 processing fee on top of the $15 per copy, take 2 to 3 weeks to process, and need up to 2 more weeks for delivery by regular mail. Express delivery by UPS is available for an extra $21, which speeds shipping, not processing. Mail orders carry a $7.50 processing fee plus $15 per copy and take about 2 to 3 weeks, while non-premium mail requests take 8 to 12 weeks at $15 per copy. Allow an extra two weeks for records from 1951 to 1970 or any record that needs a search.
In-person ordering in the city requires an appointment and is available for deaths from 1970 onward; older records must be ordered online or by mail. Same-day service is possible for in-person orders. If you have an emergency tied to travel, health coverage, government services, military service, housing, or employment and cannot get an appointment, the city gives an email address for emergency appointment requests. Beware of unauthorized vendors charging high fees for help with a certificate: VitalChek is the only authorized online vendor for city records.
Who can order
Eligibility is tighter in New York City than in many states. Only the spouse, domestic partner, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, informant listed on the certificate, or person in control of disposition can request both the death certificate and the cause of death. If you are ordering for someone other than a family member, you must apply by mail with the required documents, such as the papers you are trying to execute, for example a will or insurance policy. Online city orders are only available if your name is on the record. For upstate orders, the state form likewise requires proper identification, and applications without it are a leading cause of denial.
Which office and which form
If you are unsure whether the death counts as a New York City death, use the place of death, not the home address of the person who died. A person who lived upstate but died in a Manhattan hospital has a New York City record. A person who lived in the city but died in Albany has a state record. When in doubt, the city’s 311 service can point you to the right office, and the state health department site lists its own forms separately. Ordering from the wrong office does not transfer automatically, so getting this right first saves weeks.
Frequently asked questions
Do I order a New York City death certificate from the state?
No. Deaths in the five boroughs of New York City are handled by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Office of Vital Records. Deaths elsewhere in New York State go through the State Department of Health Vital Records Certification Unit in Albany. Ordering from the wrong office will delay your request.
How much does a New York death certificate cost?
Outside New York City, mail orders cost $30 per copy and online or phone orders cost $45 per copy plus a vendor processing fee per transaction. In New York City, each copy costs $15, plus a $9.30 processing fee for online orders or a $7.50 processing fee for mail orders.
How long does a New York death certificate take?
The State Department of Health reports significant delays in order processing, so allow extra time for upstate orders. In New York City, online orders take 2 to 3 weeks plus up to 2 weeks for delivery, and mail orders take about 2 to 3 weeks, with longer waits for records that need a search.
Who can order a New York City death certificate with cause of death?
Only the spouse, domestic partner, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, informant listed on the certificate, or person in control of disposition can request both the certificate and the cause of death. Others must apply by mail with supporting documents.
Can I get a New York City death certificate in person?
Yes, by appointment, at 125 Worth Street, CN-4, Room 119, New York, open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. In-person orders are available for deaths from 1970 onward, and same-day service is possible. Older records must be ordered online or by mail.