Ordering Additional Death Certificates

*The below information is intended to act as a guide, is not legal advice and could change without notice.*

The Division of Vital Records maintains records of deaths that occurred from 1906 to the present. Certified copies of death certificates (with a raised seal) are issued and acceptable for various uses, such as:

Settle Estate
Insurance
Pension/Retirement
Property Transfer
Social Security
Stocks/Bonds

Important Information Regarding Right-to-Know Law:

Death certificates maintained by the Division of Vital Records are not public certificates and, therefore, cannot be released under the provisions of Pennsylvania’s Right-to-Know-Law. To determine if you are eligible to apply for a certified copy, please review the following:

Who May Request A Death Certificate?

Only certain people can request a death certificate. You must be:

Legal representative of decedent’s estate
Immediate family member
Extended family member who indicates a direct relationship to the decedent
Power of Attorney (Please note that a Power of Attorney document is no longer valid upon the death of the individual)

Cost

There is a $20 fee for each certified copy. Check or money order should be made payable to Vital Records. This fee may be waived for individuals who served or are currently serving in the Armed Forces or their dependents. The Armed Forces fee waiver does not apply to genealogical requests.