How to Get a Death Certificate in New Mexico
From Everendium · Last reviewed October 17, 2026
This guide covers New Mexico. For the general overview, see Getting Death Certificates: How Many You'll Need and Why.
Quick answer
In New Mexico, certified death certificates are issued by the New Mexico Department of Health's Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics in Santa Fe. New Mexico charges a non-refundable $5 search fee per certified copy if the record is on file, so every copy costs the same. Credit card orders go through VitalChek, the Department's authorized vendor, at added cost.
Getting a death certificate is one of the first practical steps after a death in New Mexico, and the details of who issues it and what it costs are specific to New Mexico.
Who issues death certificates in New Mexico?
Certified copies come from the New Mexico Department of Health’s Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics in Santa Fe. In practice, the funeral home usually files the certificate and orders an initial batch of certified copies for you.
How much does a certified copy cost in New Mexico?
New Mexico charges a non-refundable $5 search fee per certified copy if the record is on file, so every copy costs the same. Credit card orders go through VitalChek, the Department’s authorized vendor, at added cost.
Who can order a copy in New Mexico?
New Mexico death certificates are restricted for 50 years. They go to the person’s immediate family (a parent, sibling, child, current spouse, or grandparent) or to people who can show a legal interest. Your request must state your relationship to the person and why you need the certificate.
How do I order more copies in New Mexico?
- In person: only at the Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics in Santa Fe (2554 Camino Entrada). Local public health offices do not issue death certificates.
- By mail: to New Mexico Vital Records, Post Office Box 26110, Santa Fe, NM 87502, with a form or letter giving the date of death, your relationship, and your purpose, plus a certified check or money order for the exact amount payable to “New Mexico Vital Records.”
- By credit card: through VitalChek by phone, fax, or online. The state does not take credit cards or online orders itself.
What else should I know before I order?
Because only the Santa Fe office issues death certificates, plan for mail time if you don’t live nearby.
What should I do next?
Confirm with the funeral home how many copies it is ordering for you, then decide how many more you need; see how many death certificates you need in New Mexico and our general guide to death certificates.
Add this to your Final Day Plan: your Social Security number, birthplace, and parents’ full names - the death certificate application asks for these, and they’re often surprisingly hard for a family to track down under pressure.
Fees and rules change - confirm current details with the New Mexico Bureau of Vital Records before you send payment.
Sources
- New Mexico Department of Health - Death Certificates ($5 search fee per copy; restricted for 50 years; Santa Fe office only)(Government)
- New Mexico Department of Health - VitalChek as authorized vendor for credit card orders(Government)
- CDC National Center for Health Statistics - Where to Write for Vital Records: New Mexico ($5; records since 1920)(Government)
About this review
Everendium Editorial Team · last reviewed October 17, 2026.
Fees, eligibility rules, and ordering options were checked on October 17, 2026 against the state's own published fee information, application forms, and county government pages listed in the sources. Death certificate fees change often, and some official pages were read only as search extracts, so the current fee should be confirmed on the agency's page before paying. Recommended for periodic re-verification. This is general information, not legal advice
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