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How to order a Michigan death certificate

Who holds it: MDHHS Vital Records from 1867; local registrars may issue1

Last checked against official sources on .

On this page
  1. Fees
  2. Who may order and what is restricted
  3. Older records and indexes
  4. More details
  5. Related records in Michigan
  6. How Michigan handles it
  7. Death certificates in Michigan counties with a full guide
  8. Official warnings
  9. Official copies vs look-alike sites
  10. Sources

Fee

$34.00 search including one certified copy2

Who may order

Any applicant, cause of death included3

Fees

Online fee
Standard record: $34 search fee plus $14 online processing fee1

Who may order and what is restricted

ID required
Photo ID not required per MDHHS1

Older records and indexes

Historical index
GENDIS index, deaths 1867-18974

More details

Additional copies
$16.00 each additional identical copy ordered at the same time2
Birth certificates: who holds it
MDHHS Division for Vital Records and Health Statistics (from 1867); local registrars may also issue1
Birth certificates: fee
$34.00 search including one certified copy2
Probate: who holds it
County probate court (probate register); some counties share a probate district5
Older records: death online
Death records online through 1943 per Michiganology6

How Michigan handles it

  • Charter county fee differences (vital records). Charter county over 1,500,000 may charge more for vital records, capped at cost2

Death certificates in Michigan 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
Allegan CountyCounty Clerk - Vital Records Office7Search7$10 for first copy; $4 for each additional8
Bay CountyBay County Clerk9—$15.00 first copy; $5.00 each additional10
Calhoun CountyClerk and Register of Deeds, Vital Records11—First copy $20.00; seniors 60+ $10.00; each additional $5.0011
Clinton CountyCounty Clerk's Office12—$15 first certified, $5 each additional; fee retained if not found13
Eaton CountyCounty Clerk's Office14—$20 first copy, $10 each additional15
Genesee CountyCounty Clerk - Vital Records Division16—$25.00 first copy; $10.00 each additional same record17
Grand Traverse CountyCounty Clerk Vital Records18—$15 first copy; $5 each additional19
Ingham CountyIngham County Clerk20—Certified copy fee: $30.00 first copy; $15.00 additional copies of the same record; $45.00 expedited postage21
Jackson CountyJackson County Clerk - Vital Records, Elections22—$15.00 first certified copy, $5.00 each additional23
Kalamazoo CountyClerk / Register of Deeds: Vital Records24—$20 first copy; $7 each additional; online +$10.0025
Kent CountyCounty Clerk's Office26—$10 first certified copy; $3 each additional copy of the same record; convenience fee online27
Lapeer CountyLapeer County Clerk (records of births, deaths and marriages occurring in Lapeer County)28——
Lenawee CountyCounty Clerk Vital Records29—$16.00 first copy; $6.00 each additional29
Livingston CountyCounty Clerk – Vital Records30—Certified copy fee: $30.00; additional copies of the same record at the same time $15.00 each31
Macomb CountyClerk's Office Vital Records Department32—$15 one certified copy; $5 each additional copy of the same record33
Midland CountyMidland County Clerk34—$14.00 first certified copy; $6.00 each additional of same record at same time35
Monroe CountyCounty Clerk, Vital Records window36—$12 first copy; $5 each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time36
Muskegon CountyMuskegon County Clerk - Vital Records37—$20 first certified copy, $10 each additional37
Oakland CountyClerk/Register of Deeds - Vital Records Division38—$15 first copy, $5 each additional39
Ottawa CountyCounty Clerk & Register of Deeds, Vital Records Division42Search4041$15 first copy; $6 additional copies same record, same day40
Saginaw CountySaginaw County Clerk43—In person $15 first copy, $7 each additional; mail $16/$7; online from $2644
St. Clair CountySt. Clair County Clerk's Office45—$15.00 first copy, $6.00 each additional; $5.00 non-refundable internet process fee online46
Washtenaw CountyClerk / Register: Vital Records Division48Search47$15 first copy; $5 each additional same record same time; extra service fees online49
Wayne CountyWayne County Clerk - Birth & Death Records Division / Vital Statistics Records Office50—$24.00 certified, $7.00 additional copies51

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

Official warnings

  • VitalChek only authorized online vendor (authorization statement, not a scam alert). MDHHS names VitalChek as the only authorized online provider (MDHHS)1

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 Michigan 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 Michigan: Michigan 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. Order Birth, Death, Marriage, and Divorce RecordsMDHHSchecked November 4, 2026
  2. 333.2891 Search for vital record; request; fee; official statement if record not locatedMichigan Legislaturechecked November 4, 2026
  3. 333.2882 Issuance of certain certified copies; request; fee; request of adopted adult orMichigan Legislaturechecked November 4, 2026
  4. GENDISMDHHSchecked November 4, 2026
  5. 600.803 Probate court district.Michigan Legislaturechecked November 4, 2026
  6. Vital Records: History of Michigan's Vital Records (Michiganology)Archives of Michiganchecked November 4, 2026
  7. County Clerk - Vital Records Office | Allegan County, MIAllegan Countychecked November 7, 2026
  8. Fee Schedule | Allegan County, MIAllegan Countychecked November 7, 2026
  9. Bay County, MI home pageBay County, Michiganchecked November 4, 2026
  10. Death CertificateBay County Clerkchecked November 4, 2026
  11. Calhoun County, MICalhoun County, Michiganchecked November 7, 2026
  12. Vital Records Search | Clinton County, MIClinton County, Michiganarchived copychecked November 7, 2026
  13. Death Records | Clinton County, MIClinton County, Michiganarchived copychecked November 7, 2026
  14. County Clerk's OfficeEaton County, Michiganchecked November 4, 2026
  15. Vital Records - Birth, Marriage, DeathEaton County, Michiganchecked November 4, 2026
  16. County Clerk & Register of DeedsGenesee County, Michiganchecked November 4, 2026
  17. Certified Copies of Birth, Death and Marriage RecordsGenesee County, Michiganchecked November 4, 2026
  18. Vital Records & Elections OfficeGrand Traverse County, Michiganchecked November 7, 2026
  19. Death RecordsGrand Traverse County, Michiganchecked November 7, 2026
  20. Ingham County - Vital RecordsIngham County, Michiganchecked November 4, 2026
  21. Ingham County - Death CertificatesIngham County, Michiganchecked November 4, 2026
  22. County ClerkJackson County, Michiganchecked November 4, 2026
  23. Death RecordsJackson County, Michiganchecked November 4, 2026
  24. Vital RecordsKalamazoo County Governmentchecked November 4, 2026
  25. Death RecordsKalamazoo County Governmentchecked November 4, 2026
  26. Vital RecordsKent County, Michiganchecked November 4, 2026
  27. Order a Death CertificateKent County, Michiganchecked November 4, 2026
  28. ClerkLapeer Countychecked November 7, 2026
  29. Certified Vital RecordsLenawee County, Michiganchecked November 7, 2026
  30. Vital RecordsLivingston County, MIchecked November 4, 2026
  31. Death RecordsLivingston County, MIchecked November 4, 2026
  32. Birth recordsMacomb County, Michiganchecked November 4, 2026
  33. Death recordsMacomb County, Michiganchecked November 4, 2026
  34. County DepartmentsMidland County, Michiganchecked November 4, 2026
  35. Death RecordsMidland County Clerkchecked November 4, 2026
  36. Certified Copies | Monroe County, MIMonroe County, Michiganchecked November 7, 2026
  37. Birth, Death, & Marriage RecordsMuskegon Countychecked November 4, 2026
  38. Life Events & ServicesOakland County Clerk/Register of Deedschecked November 4, 2026
  39. Death RecordsOakland County Clerk/Register of Deedschecked November 4, 2026
  40. Death Records | Ottawa County, MIOttawa Countychecked November 4, 2026
  41. Death Records | Ottawa County, MIOttawa County, MIchecked November 8, 2026
  42. Vital Records Division | Ottawa County, MIOttawa Countychecked November 4, 2026
  43. County of Saginaw home pageSaginaw County, Michiganchecked November 4, 2026
  44. Death CertificatesSaginaw County, Michiganchecked November 4, 2026
  45. Birth Certificate Request -St. Clair County, Michiganchecked November 6, 2026
  46. Death Certificate Request -St. Clair County, Michiganchecked November 6, 2026
  47. GenealogyWashtenaw County, Michiganchecked November 4, 2026
  48. Vital RecordsWashtenaw County, Michiganchecked November 4, 2026
  49. Death CertificatesWashtenaw County, Michiganchecked November 4, 2026
  50. General Office (Clerk)Charter County of Wayne, Michiganchecked November 4, 2026
  51. Death CertificatesCharter County of Wayne, Michiganchecked November 4, 2026