How to Get a Death Certificate

A death certificate is an ofiicial legal document that records the date and location of a person’s death. In some cases, you might need a “certified” death certificate. A certified death certificate has security features that proves that the document is genuine. Depending on the issuing county in New York state, the death certificate can have a watermark, a raised seal, micro-printing, multi-colored background, or heat sensitive ink. A certified death certificate is may be required for legal purposes such as estate administration or probate proceedngs in the Surrogates Court or for claiming insurance and employee benefits.

If the person died in New York City you can order a certified copy of the death certificate online or by mail from the Office of Vital Records.

f the person died outside of New York City but in New York State, you can order a certified copy of the death certificate online or by mail from the New York State Department of Health.