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How to get an Ohio death certificate

In Ohio, order a certified death certificate from the Ohio Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, and local vital statistics offices.1 Each certified copy costs $21.501. You can order online, by mail, in person or at a local office. Only the people the state lists below can order a certified copy. The fastest published option is at a local office: same day1.

Last checked against official sources.

On this page
  1. Ways to order
  2. What an Ohio death certificate costs
  3. How long it takes
  4. Who can order an Ohio death certificate
  5. ID you need
  6. What the application asks for
  7. Forms
  8. Years held and older records
  9. Special situations
  10. The state office
  11. Questions people ask
  12. Sources

Ways to order

HowCost per copyProcessing timePayment
Online$21.501Up to 5 business days1Card1
By mail$21.5024 to 6 weeks1Check and money order1
In person$21.501Up to 5 business days2–
At a local officeSet by each office, for example $223 in Summit County or $323 in Fairfield CountySame day1–

Online

Run by
LexisNexis VitalChek Network Inc., on behalf of the Ohio Bureau of Vital Statistics4
Fees
  • Per copy $21.501
Processing time
Up to 5 business days1
Expedited service
Not offered1
Payment
Card1

Good to know

  • Death records more than 50 years old must come from a local office1
  • Orders cannot be canceled once submitted1
  • Expected delivery in the continental U.S. is three weeks by USPS1

Go to the ordering site1

By mail

Fees
  • Per copy $21.502
Processing time
4 to 6 weeks1
Expedited service
Not offered1
Payment
Check and money order1
Make payable to
Treasurer, State of Ohio2
Mail to
Ohio Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, PO Box 15098, Columbus, OH 43215-0098
1

Good to know

  • Status check by email after three weeks1

Open the application or mail instructions1

In person

Fees
  • Per copy $21.501
Processing time
Up to 5 business days2
Expedited service
Not offered2
Office
Bureau of Vital Statistics, 4200 Surface Road, Columbus, OH 43228
5

Open the official page1

At a local office

Fees
  • Summit County, per copy $223
  • Fairfield County, per copy $323
Processing time
Same day1

Find a local office6

What an Ohio death certificate costs

First certified copy
$21.501
Each additional copy
$21.502
If no record is found
The fee is kept as a search fee1
Fees in effect since
Jan. 1, 20251

How long it takes

These are the office's own published times. They do not include shipping. Mail and shipping time is extra unless the office says otherwise.

How you orderProcessing time
OnlineUp to 5 business days1
By mail4 to 6 weeks1
In personUp to 5 business days2
At a local officeSame day1

Who can order an Ohio death certificate

The state names these people and bodies as able to order a certified copy. Each line gives the official wording.

  • Spouse, child, grandchild, funeral director, executor or estate administrator, government agency and attorney or legal representative2
    Proof: Copy of identification showing you are an authorized requestor2
Social Security number on the copy
Requester chooses with or without SSN; with SSN within 5 years of death requires ID showing authorized-requestor status2

ID you need

ID copy with a mail order
Include a copy of your ID2

What the application asks for

Have these details ready before you fill in the form or start an online order.2

  • Decedent's full name at time of death
  • Date of birth
  • Date of death
  • City and county of death
  • Each parent's name before first marriage
  • With or without SSN
  • Applicant name, address, email, phone and signature

Forms

Years held and older records

Older records
Certified copies: local health department where the death took place. Originals: Ohio History Connection1

Special situations

Stillbirth
Stillbirth abstract is free to birth parents only2
Fetal death
Fetal death certificate shows cause of death and costs $21.502
If no record is found
The fee is kept if no record is found; only excess by more than $2 is refunded2

The state office

Office
Ohio Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics5
Mailing address
Ohio Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, PO Box 15098, Columbus, OH 43215-0098
1
Walk-in address
Bureau of Vital Statistics, 4200 Surface Road, Columbus, OH 43228
5
Hours
Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., only for central Ohio customers who need an expedited birth record and can pay by credit card1

Questions people ask

How much is a certified Ohio death certificate?

Each certified copy costs $21.50.12

How long does it take to get an Ohio death certificate?

Online: up to 5 business days. By mail: 4 to 6 weeks. In person: up to 5 business days. At a local office: same day.12

Can I order an Ohio death certificate online?

Yes. Online: LexisNexis VitalChek Network Inc., on behalf of the Ohio Bureau of Vital Statistics.4

Who do I make the check or money order payable to?

Write it exactly as the office prints it: Treasurer, State of Ohio.2

Where are older Ohio death certificates kept?

Certified copies: local health department where the death took place. Originals: Ohio History Connection.1

Sources

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

  1. How to Order CertificatesOhio Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statisticsdated December 31, 2024
  2. HEA 2701 & HEA 2709 (PDF)Ohio Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statisticsdated January 1, 2025
  3. Registrar directory (PDF)Ohio Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statisticsdated February 28, 2026
  4. LexisNexis VitalChek Network Inc. home pageLexisNexis VitalChek Network Inc., portal linked by the Ohio Department of Health as its online order service
  5. Vital StatisticsOhio Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics
  6. VS - Local Vital Statistics DirectoryOhio Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statisticsdated May 1, 2025