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How to order a Maryland death certificate

Who holds it: MDH Division of Vital Records for deaths in 2012 or later; earlier deaths at the Maryland State Archives1

Last checked against official sources on .

On this page
  1. Older records and indexes
  2. Related records in Maryland
  3. How Maryland handles it
  4. Death certificates in Maryland counties with a full guide
  5. Official warnings
  6. Official copies vs look-alike sites
  7. Sources

Fee

$10 first certified copy, $12 each additional copy in the same transaction (MDH); VitalChek adds $13; local health departments set their own fees2

Who may order

Surviving relative or authorized representative of the deceased; funeral director in charge of disposition1

Older records and indexes

Older records
Maryland State Archives: $25 certified / $5 uncertified PDF; indexes on the MSA guide3
Birth certificates: who holds it
Maryland Department of Health, Vital Statistics Administration, Division of Vital Records (Baltimore); also some local health departments; records older than 100 years at Maryland State Archives4
Birth certificates: fee
$10 per certified copy (MDH); online via VitalChek adds $13 processing; local health department fees vary2
Probate: who holds it
Register of Wills (elected, 4-year term) in each county and Baltimore City; clerk to the Orphans' Court5

How Maryland handles it

  • Vital records are split by year: MDH issues births, deaths (2012+), marriages (2007+) and divorce verifications; births over 100 years old, older deaths and older marriages are at the Maryland State Archives6

Death certificates in Maryland counties with a full guide

The local office, its official online search and its own fee, for each county with a full guide. Local fees can differ from the statewide figures above.

CountyOfficeSearch onlineFee
Anne Arundel CountyAnne Arundel County Department of Health: Vital Records7—$18 first certificate, $20 each additional; 2.2% card fee8
Baltimore CityMaryland Department of Health, Division of Vital Records9—$10.00 (MDH fee page)10
Baltimore CountyMaryland Department of Health, Vital Statistics Administration11—Death $10.00 (MDH fee page)12
Calvert CountyCalvert County Health Department13—$25.00 per certificate at the Health Department14
Carroll CountyCarroll County Health Department issues death certificates by appointment (410-876-4442)15——
Cecil CountyCecil County Health Department - Office of Vital Records16——
Charles CountyCharles County Department of Health - Vital Records17——
Frederick CountyFrederick County Health Department issues death certificates to walk-in customers; state MDH for 2012 or later18——
Harford CountyHarford County Health Department - Vital Records19—$20.00 per copy at the Harford County Health Department20
Howard CountyHoward County Health Department - Vital Records Office21——
Montgomery CountyMontgomery County DHHS Vital Records Office, Dennis Avenue Health Center22—State fee table, Death: Fee for Certificate $10.00; Internet $13.00; Expedited Shipping (only for internet orders) $20.00; Additional Death (same transaction) $12.0023
Prince George's CountyPrince George's County Health Department, Vital Records24—$25.00 first copy; $20.00 each additional copy of the same certificate25
St. Mary's CountySt. Mary's County Health Department26—$18 for the first copy, $20 for each additional copy27
Washington County——State fee: $10 first certified copy, $12 each additional copy in the same transaction (MDH); VitalChek adds $13; local health departments set their own fees28
Wicomico CountyWicomico County Health Department - Birth & Death Certificates29——

For any other county, see the county list on the Maryland guide.

Official warnings

  • MDH Vital Records: phone scam targeting people who misdial; DVR never asks for SSN or card PIN; VitalChek is the only authorized online vendor30
  • MDH: other online services just mail your request; only VitalChek is authorized6

Official copies vs look-alike sites

A certified copy comes only from the office that holds the record; reports and "research copies" sold by commercial sites are not issued by any Maryland office. How to tell an official record source from a paid look-alike.

Rules in other states: death certificates in every state. Everything else in Maryland: Maryland public records guide.

Sources

Every fact above links to the official page it comes from. Fees and rules change, so check the office's own page before you pay or travel.

  1. Request Death and Fetal Death CertificatesMaryland Department of Health, Vital Statistics Administrationchecked November 4, 2026
  2. Md. Code, Health-General § 4-217 (copies of vital records; fees)Maryland General Assembly (Department of Legislative Services)checked November 4, 2026
  3. Death Certificate ordersMaryland State Archiveschecked November 4, 2026
  4. Birth CertificatesMaryland Department of Health, Vital Statistics Administrationchecked November 4, 2026
  5. Maryland Register of Wills homeMaryland Registers of Willschecked November 4, 2026
  6. Division of Vital RecordsMaryland Department of Health, Vital Statistics Administrationchecked November 4, 2026
  7. Anne Arundel County, Maryland Manual On-LineMaryland State Archiveschecked November 4, 2026
  8. Vital RecordsAnne Arundel County Department of Healthchecked November 4, 2026
  9. Register of Wills for Baltimore CityMaryland Register of Willschecked November 4, 2026
  10. FeesMaryland Department of Health, Vital Statistics Administrationchecked November 4, 2026
  11. Circuit Court for Baltimore CountyBaltimore County Governmentchecked November 4, 2026
  12. FeesMaryland Department of Health, Vital Statistics Administrationchecked November 4, 2026
  13. Calvert County Health Departmentchecked November 7, 2026
  14. Death CertificatesCalvert County Health Departmentchecked November 7, 2026
  15. Death CertificatesCarroll County Health Departmentchecked November 4, 2026
  16. Birth and Death CertificatesCecil County Health Departmentchecked November 4, 2026
  17. Maryland Manual On-Line: Charles County, Maryland - GovernmentMaryland State Archiveschecked November 7, 2026
  18. Local Health Departments (vital records)Maryland Department of Health, Vital Statistics Administrationchecked November 4, 2026
  19. Birth CertificatesHarford County Health Departmentchecked November 4, 2026
  20. Death CertificatesHarford County Health Departmentchecked November 4, 2026
  21. Birth & Death CertificatesHoward County Health Departmentchecked November 4, 2026
  22. Birth and Death Certificates (Vital Records)Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Serviceschecked November 4, 2026
  23. FeesMaryland Department of Health, Vital Statistics Administrationchecked November 4, 2026
  24. Local health departments issuing certificatesMaryland Department of Health, Vital Statistics Administrationchecked November 4, 2026
  25. Birth and Death Certificates | Prince George's CountyPrince George's County Health Departmentchecked November 4, 2026
  26. St. Mary's County Government home pageSt. Mary's County, Marylandchecked November 4, 2026
  27. Death CertificatesSt. Mary's County Health Departmentchecked November 4, 2026
  28. Md. Code, Health-General § 4-217 (copies of vital records; fees)Maryland General Assembly (Department of Legislative Services)checked November 6, 2026
  29. Wicomico County Health Department (home)Wicomico County Health Departmentchecked November 4, 2026
  30. Vital Statistics Administration homeMaryland Department of Health, Vital Statistics Administrationchecked November 4, 2026