How to Get a Death Certificate in Wisconsin
From Everendium · Last reviewed October 17, 2026
This guide covers Wisconsin. For the general overview, see Getting Death Certificates: How Many You'll Need and Why.
Quick answer
In Wisconsin, certified death certificates are issued by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services' Vital Records Office in Madison and the county Register of Deeds offices. A certified copy costs $20, and each additional copy of the same record purchased at the same time costs $3. Online orders through VitalChek add a service fee.
Getting a death certificate is one of the first practical steps after a death in Wisconsin, and the details of who issues it and what it costs are specific to Wisconsin.
Who issues death certificates in Wisconsin?
Certified copies come from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services’ Vital Records Office in Madison and the county Register of Deeds offices. 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 Wisconsin?
A certified copy costs $20, and each additional copy of the same record purchased at the same time costs $3. Online orders through VitalChek add a service fee.
Who can order a copy in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin issues certified copies to people who show identification and a direct and tangible interest, typically immediate family. A notarized vital records consent form can give permission to someone who isn’t family.
How do I order more copies in Wisconsin?
- At any county Register of Deeds office: for deaths on or after September 1, 2013, any Wisconsin county’s office can issue the certificate no matter where the death occurred. For earlier deaths, use the county where it occurred or the State Vital Records Office.
- By mail: with the application, a photocopy of your ID, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and a money order or cashier’s check payable to Register of Deeds.
- Online: through VitalChek in many counties, which charges an extra fee and asks you to upload a photo ID.
- State office: Wisconsin Vital Records Office, 1 West Wilson Street, Room 160, Madison, WI 53703.
What else should I know before I order?
Many county offices say a walk-in copy takes 15 to 20 minutes, and some stop taking applications by 3:45 p.m.
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 Wisconsin 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 a Wisconsin county Register of Deeds before you send payment.
Sources
- Waukesha County Register of Deeds - Vital Records (statewide issuance for deaths since September 1, 2013; $20 and $3 fees)(Government)
- Iowa County Register of Deeds - Vital Records (direct and tangible interest; notarized consent form)(Government)
- Florence County Register of Deeds - Vital Records (identification and direct and tangible interest; mail requirements)(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
Related reading
Make this easier for your family.
Record what you've just read in your Final Day Plan, then download it as a PDF. Nothing is stored online.