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Death certificates for an estate

An executor or estate administrator needs certified death certificates for the probate court, banks, insurers and the title transfer of property. Many states name the executor or administrator among those who may order, often with proof of appointment from the probate court; each state page lists what it asks for.

Last checked against official sources.

On this page
  1. Estate and funeral roles the states name
  2. Social Security
  3. Deaths abroad
  4. Sources

Estate and funeral roles the states name

StateEstate and funeral roles the state names
AlabamaAttorney or legal representative1
Executor or estate administrator2
Funeral director3
AlaskaAttorney or legal representative4
ArizonaFuneral director5
Executor or estate administrator5
Attorney or legal representative5
ArkansasFuneral director6
Attorney or legal representative7
CaliforniaExecutor or estate administrator8
Attorney or legal representative8
Funeral director8
ColoradoFuneral director9
Attorney or legal representative9
District of ColumbiaAttorney or legal representative10
FloridaExecutor or estate administrator11
Attorney or legal representative11
Funeral director12
GeorgiaExecutor or estate administrator13
Attorney or legal representative14
HawaiiAttorney or legal representative15
Executor or estate administrator15
IdahoAttorney or legal representative16
IndianaAttorney or legal representative17
Funeral director17
IowaAttorney or legal representative18
Executor or estate administrator18
Funeral director18
LouisianaExecutor or estate administrator19
Attorney or legal representative19
Funeral director20
MaineFuneral director21
Executor or estate administrator21
Attorney or legal representative22
MarylandAttorney or legal representative23
Executor or estate administrator24
Funeral director23
MassachusettsFuneral director25
Executor or estate administrator25
Attorney or legal representative25
MinnesotaExecutor or estate administrator26
Funeral director27
Attorney or legal representative26
MississippiAttorney or legal representative28
Funeral director28
MissouriFuneral director29
Attorney or legal representative29
NevadaAttorney or legal representative30
Executor or estate administrator30
Funeral director31
New HampshireAttorney or legal representative32
Funeral director32
New JerseyAttorney or legal representative33
Executor or estate administrator33
New MexicoAttorney or legal representative34
Executor or estate administrator34
Funeral director34
New York CityFuneral director35
Executor or estate administrator36
Attorney or legal representative35
North CarolinaAttorney or legal representative37
Funeral director37
North DakotaAttorney or legal representative38
Funeral director38
OhioFuneral director39
Executor or estate administrator39
Attorney or legal representative39
OklahomaExecutor or estate administrator40
Funeral director40
PennsylvaniaAttorney or legal representative41
Executor or estate administrator41
South DakotaAttorney or legal representative42
Funeral director42
TennesseeAttorney or legal representative43
Funeral director43
Executor or estate administrator43
TexasAttorney or legal representative44
Funeral director45
UtahAttorney or legal representative46
Funeral director46
VermontExecutor or estate administrator47
Attorney or legal representative47
Funeral director48
VirginiaFuneral director49
Attorney or legal representative50
Executor or estate administrator50
WashingtonAttorney or legal representative51
Funeral director51
West VirginiaAttorney or legal representative52
Funeral director53
GuamAttorney or legal representative54

Before the court appoints you, the funeral director often orders the first copies for the family. Order enough at once: see how many death certificates you need and the copies calculator.

Social Security

Give the deceased's SSN to the funeral director, who usually reports the death to SSA; then contact SSA.55 Benefits for the month of death and later must be returned.55

Deaths abroad

When a U.S. citizen dies abroad and it is reported, the consul may prepare a Report of the Death of an American Citizen Abroad, filed permanently with the State Department.56 Reports filed before 1975 are with the National Archives56. Deaths of members of the armed forces are handled by the National Personnel Records Center, St. Louis56.

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from these official sources, checked between November 5, 2026 and November 6, 2026. Tap a source number next to a fact to read the exact words.

  1. Death-certificates pageAlabama Department of Public Health, Center for Health Statisticsdated March 27, 2026
  2. Alabama Administrative Code Chapter 420-7-1 Vital Statistics PDF (Alabama Legislative Services…Alabama Legislative Services Agency (Administrative Code)dated December 15, 2022
  3. Code of Alabama section 22-9A-21 (ALISON, Alabama Legislature)Alabama Legislature (Code of Alabama, ALISON)
  4. Death form (PDF)Alaska Department of Health, Health Analytics and Vital Recordsdated April 1, 2026read from the Internet Archive copy of this official page
  5. ADHS Vital Records: Who Can Obtain a Death CertificateArizona Department of Health Services, Bureau of Vital Records
  6. Eligible Individuals for Birth and or Death Certificates (PDF)Arkansas Department of Health
  7. 2022 Vital Records Rule (PDF)Arkansas Department of Healthdated May 2, 2022
  8. Authorized Copy vs. Informational CopyCalifornia Department of Public Health, Vital Recordsdated October 23, 2025
  9. Application for Certified Death Certificate, REV. 12/2025Colorado Department of Public Health and Environmentdated December 1, 2025
  10. Death certificatesdchealth.dc.gov/service/death-certificatesDC Health, Vital Records Division
  11. Death certificatesfloridahealth.gov/certificates-records/death-certificatesFlorida Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics
  12. DH727 Application Death Record 6 30 2023 (PDF)Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statisticsdated January 1, 2022
  13. GA R&R - GAC - Subject 511-1-3 VITAL RECORDSGeorgia Secretary of State, Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgiadated September 27, 2026read from the Internet Archive copy of this official page
  14. FAQs About CertificatesState of Georgia (georgia.gov)
  15. Death CertificatesHawaii State Department of Health, Office of Health Status Monitoring
  16. Ordering a Death, Stillbirth and Miscarriage CertificateIdaho Department of Health and Welfare
  17. Who is Eligible to Obtain a Birth Certificate?Indiana Department of Health
  18. Iowa Admin. Code 641 Ch. 95 Vital Records: General Administration (IAC 6/10/26)Iowa Legislaturedated July 1, 2026
  19. How to order death recordsLouisiana Department of Health, Center for Vital Records and Statistics
  20. §41. Disclosure of recordsLouisiana State Legislature
  21. Eligibility Requirements matrix (R 04/2017)Maine DHHS, Maine CDC, Data, Research and Vital Statistics (DRVS)dated April 1, 2017
  22. 22 MRS §2706 Disclosure of vital recordsMaine Legislature, Office of the Revisor of Statutes
  23. Request Death and Fetal Death CertificatesMaryland Department of Health, Vital Statistics Administration
  24. Death Certificate Entitlement DocumentationMaryland Department of Health, Vital Statistics Administration
  25. Interim Legitimate Need for the SSN in a Record of Death and Evidence GuideMassachusetts Department of Public Health, Registry of Vital Records and Statisticsdated July 1, 2026
  26. Minnesota Department of Health pageMinnesota Department of Health, Office of Vital Recordsdated October 27, 2026
  27. Section 144Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes
  28. Mississippi State Department of Health Revised 02/2026 Form 523Mississippi State Department of Health, Office of Vital Recordsdated February 1, 2026
  29. Order a Copy of a Vital Record | Missouri Department of Health and Senior ServicesMissouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Bureau of Vital Records
  30. Attachment A - Proof Required ListNevada DPBH Office of Vital Recordsdated January 5, 2023
  31. NAC Chapter 440 - Vital StatisticsNevada Legislature (NAC chapter 440)dated October 8, 2026read from the Internet Archive copy of this official page
  32. RSA Chapter 5-C Vital Records AdministrationNew Hampshire General Courtdated October 24, 2026read from the Internet Archive copy of this official page
  33. Department of HealthNew Jersey Department of Healthdated June 15, 2026
  34. 7.2.2 NMAC Vital Records and Health StatisticsNew Mexico State Records Center and Archives (NMAC)dated December 27, 2022
  35. Death Certificates - NYC HealthNYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
  36. Health code article207 (PDF)NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC Health Code)
  37. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 130A-93 Access to vital records; copiesNorth Carolina General Assemblydated February 13, 2026read from the Internet Archive copy of this official page
  38. Certified Copies of Death RecordsNorth Dakota Department of Health and Human Services
  39. HEA 2701 & HEA 2709 (PDF)Ohio Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statisticsdated January 1, 2025
  40. Authorized Birth/Death Certificate Applicants and Document RequirementsOklahoma State Department of Health, Vital Recordsdated December 18, 2024
  41. Death certificatespa.gov/agencies/health/programs/vital-records/death-certificatesPennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Records
  42. Vital Records Eligibility & IdentificationSouth Dakota Department of Health, Office of Vital Recordsdated January 9, 2025
  43. Entitlement GuidelinesTennessee Department of Health, Office of Vital Records
  44. Persons Qualified to Request or Change RecordsTexas Department of State Health Services, Vital Statistics Section
  45. Mail application for death record VS 142 1.2026 (PDF)Texas Department of State Health Services, Vital Statistics Sectiondated January 1, 2026
  46. Utah Code 26B-8-125Utah State Legislaturedated November 1, 2025
  47. 18 V.S.A. chapter 101 (Vital Records), full chapterVermont General Assemblydated May 9, 2026read from the Internet Archive copy of this official page
  48. Order Vital RecordsVermont Department of Healthdated June 30, 2026
  49. Application for Certification of a Death Record (VS6D-07/26)Virginia Department of Health, Office of Vital Recordsdated July 1, 2026
  50. 12VAC5-550-470 Individual requestsVirginia General Assembly, Legislative Information System (Virginia Administrative Code)
  51. Chapter 70.58A RCW Vital Statistics (full text)Washington State Legislature
  52. Application for Copy of West Virginia Death Certificate (deathfm26.pdf)West Virginia Department of Health, Bureau for Public Health, Health Statistics Center (Vital Registration Office)dated January 6, 2009
  53. 64CSR32 Vital Statistics, Final File (effective May 8, 2025)West Virginia Secretary of State (Code of State Rules), rule of the WV Department of Healthdated May 8, 2025
  54. 26 GAR Chapter 2 Vital StatisticsGuam Compiler of Laws (Supreme Court of Guam)
  55. How Social Security Can Help You When a Family Member Dies (Publication No. 05-10008, July 2026)Social Security Administrationdated July 1, 2026
  56. Where to Write: Foreign Birth and Death CertificatesCDC National Center for Health Statisticsdated November 6, 2015