How to Get a Death Certificate in New York

Getting a death certificate is one of the first practical steps after a death in New York, and the details of who issues it and what it costs are specific to New York.

Who issues death certificates in New York?

Certified copies come from the New York State Department of Health’s Vital Records office in Albany for deaths outside New York City, local registrars of vital statistics, and the New York City Health Department for deaths in the five boroughs. 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 York?

Outside New York City, the State Department of Health charges $30 per copy by mail, or $45 per copy plus a vendor processing fee (charged per transaction, not per copy) for online and phone orders. Local registrars of vital statistics set their own fees: Newark Valley lists $10 per copy, and Tompkins County lists $30 for the first copy and $15 for each additional. New York City is a separate system: its Health Department charges $15 per certificate plus a processing fee for online orders.

Who can order a copy in New York?

New York restricts copies to the spouse, parent, child, or sibling of the person who died. Anyone else needs a New York State court order or documentation that the copy is needed to establish a lawful right or claim, such as an official letter from an agency or the estate’s attorney.

How do I order more copies in New York?

• From the local registrar of vital statistics: for a death outside New York City, the registrar where the death occurred (often the town, village, or city clerk or the county health department) can issue copies at its own fee.
• From the State Department of Health: by mail to the NYS Department of Health, Vital Records Certification Unit, Albany, NY 12220-2602, with a check, postal money order, or certified check. The state says it is currently experiencing significant delays in order processing.
• Online or by phone: through the state’s approved vendor, at $45 per copy plus a processing fee per transaction.
• In New York City: the NYC Health Department issues certificates for all deaths in the five boroughs, online through VitalChek (the only authorized vendor), by mail, or in person. The funeral director can order for up to a year after the death.

What else should I know before I order?

In New York City, if the cause of death shows as pending, you can exchange the certificate within 90 days of the original issue date without paying the $15 fee.

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 York 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 York State Department of Health, your local registrar, or the NYC Health Department before you send payment.