How to Get a Death Certificate in Ohio
From Everendium · Last reviewed October 17, 2026
This guide covers Ohio. For the general overview, see Getting Death Certificates: How Many You'll Need and Why.
Quick answer
In Ohio, certified death certificates are issued by the Ohio Department of Health's Office of Vital Statistics in Columbus and the local health departments that act as registrars. The state charges $21.50 for each certified copy, with no lower price for extras. Local health departments and registrars may charge different fees.
Getting a death certificate is one of the first practical steps after a death in Ohio, and the details of who issues it and what it costs are specific to Ohio.
Who issues death certificates in Ohio?
Certified copies come from the Ohio Department of Health’s Office of Vital Statistics in Columbus and the local health departments that act as registrars. 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 Ohio?
The state charges $21.50 for each certified copy, with no lower price for extras. Local health departments and registrars may charge different fees.
Who can order a copy in Ohio?
The state’s application asks you to sign and pay the fee. A copy that includes the Social Security number is restricted: you must attach identification showing you are an eligible person.
How do I order more copies in Ohio?
- By mail to the state: Ohio Department of Health, Vital Statistics, P.O. Box 15098, Columbus, OH 43215-0098, with the Application for Certified Copies (HEA 2709) and a check or money order payable to “Treasurer, State of Ohio” (no cash). Phone (614) 466-2531.
- At a local health department or registrar: in the city or county where the death occurred. Local offices can issue certified copies, and their fees can differ from the state’s.
- Online: through the Ohio Department of Health’s ordering page, with a credit card.
What else should I know before I order?
The state office holds death records from the early 1970s on. For earlier deaths, contact the local health department or probate court where the death occurred.
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 Ohio 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 Ohio Department of Health or your local health department before you send payment.
Sources
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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