How to get an Oklahoma death certificate

Ways to order

Not offered: in person and online directly with the vital records office.³

What an Oklahoma death certificate costs

First certified copy

$15²

Each additional copy, same order

$15²

If no record is found

The fee is kept as a search fee²

Fees in effect since

Oct 2026 (form revision)²

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.

Who can order an Oklahoma death certificate

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

• Spouse, a parent named on the record, child, grandparent, brother or sister and legal guardian³
  Proof: Legal documentation showing relationship (e.g. birth/death records)⁵
• Executor or estate administrator⁵
  Proof: Affidavit from attorney on practice letterhead⁵
• Funeral director⁵
• Person named in a court order⁵
• Former Spouse Co-owner or a joint tenant of real or personal property of the decedent⁵
  Proof: Legal documentation of administrative need (will, contracts, court orders, insurance claim letter, etc.)⁵
• Genealogist or family researcher⁵
• Genealogist or family researcher⁵
  Proof: Statement of release signed by a family member, proof of their relationship, family member ID; or court order⁵
• Oil & Gas, Mineral Companies, etc. ▪ Court Order⁵

Records open to the public after

50 years²

ID you need

Photo ID

Required³

Accepted ID

• U.S. Issued Driver license or Identification card
• U.S. Passport [MUST be signed]
• Foreign Issued Passport with Visa (I-94)
• United States of America B1/B2 Visa/Border Crossing Card – Form DSP-150
• Government issued Military photo ID (VA photo ID included)
• OK DOC, Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) or Federal Correction Institution (FCI) photo ID
• Tribal Photo Identification Card
• Oklahoma Self-Defense Act (SDA) License or OK Concealed Carry permit
• Resident Alien Card (Form I-551)
• Employment Authorization Card (Form I-766) or (Form I-688A)
• Temporary Resident Card (Form I-688)
• Oklahoma public, private, or parochial secondary school ID (subject must be age 19 or younger)
• Oklahoma institution of higher education ID
• Oklahoma technology center school ID⁵

Without that ID

Two secondary IDs (at least one showing a current address dated within the last 6 months; certificate mailed to that address), or attestation by a second party with primary ID when the subject applies for their own record.⁸

ID copy with a mail order

Include a copy of your ID³

What the application asks for

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

• Full name of the deceased
• Date of death
• Place of death (Oklahoma city and/or county)
• Requester relationship
• Purpose (optional extras: SSN, sex, birth date/place, parents, spouse, funeral home)

Forms

• Death Certificate Request Form (English) revision Oct 2026²
• Death Certificate Application, Spanish revision oct. 2026⁷

Years held and older records

Years the issuing office holds

October 1908 to today²

Older records

No death records before 1908 are on file with OSDH.⁹

Special situations

Fetal death

Fetal deaths at 12+ weeks gestation must be reported (since Nov 1, 2015); certificates only to the parent; $15.³

Use abroad

Apostille from the Oklahoma Secretary of State.³

If no record is found

The $15 search fee is not refunded if no record is found.²

The state office

Office

Vital Records Service, Oklahoma State Department of Health⁶

Phone

(405) 426-8880⁶

Email

[email protected]⁶

Mailing address

Vital Records Service, Oklahoma State Department of Health, PO Box 248964, Oklahoma City, OK 73124-8964

⁶

Hours

Will Call pickup: 12:00 p.m. to 4:45 p.m., Monday-Friday³

Website

Official website¹⁰

Questions people ask