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How to order a New York death certificate

Who holds it: Outside NYC: NYS DOH Vital Records (since 1881) and the local Registrar where the death occurred. NYC: NYC DOHMH (deaths after 1951 via DOHMH; older via Municipal Archives)1

Last checked against official sources on .

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

Fee

NYS DOH: $30 by mail; $45 plus vendor processing fee online/phone. NYC DOHMH: $15 per certificate plus processing fee1

Who may order

Spouse, parent, child or sibling of the deceased; others with a documented lawful right or claim, documented medical need, or NYS court order. NYC: wider family list for certificate without cause of death; cause-of-death report limited to close relatives, informant and person in charge of disposition1

Older records and indexes

Genealogy
DOH uncertified genealogy copies if on file 50+ years; $22 for a 1-3 year search2
Birth certificates: who holds it
Outside NYC: NYS Department of Health Vital Records (since 1881) and the local Registrar of Vital Statistics where the birth occurred. NYC (five boroughs): NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene; pre-1910 NYC births: NYC Municipal Archives3
Birth certificates: fee
NYS DOH: $30 by mail; $45 plus vendor processing fee online/phone. NYC DOHMH: $15 per certificate plus processing fee ($9.30 online, $7.50 mail, $2.75 in person)3
Probate: who holds it
Surrogate's Court in each county (probate records kept since 1787)4

How New York handles it

  • New York City vital records are separate from the state system: NYC DOHMH issues NYC birth/death certificates and the NYC City Clerk handles NYC marriage records; NYS DOH does not hold them2
  • Albany, Buffalo and Yonkers: records before January 1, 1914 are only at the city's local registrar (births/deaths) or city clerk (marriages)2

Death certificates in New York 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
Albany CountyLocal Registrar where the death occurred, or NYS DOH Vital Records (since 1881)5——
Bronx CountyNYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene6—$15 per certificate plus processing fee7
Broome CountyCity, town and village registrars/clerks8——
Chautauqua CountyTown or City Clerk where the death took place9——
Clinton CountyTown or city clerk where the death occurred10——
Dutchess CountyCity or town local registrar where the death occurred, or NYS Department of Health11—State fee: NYS DOH: $30 by mail; $45 plus vendor fee online/phone12
Erie CountyCity or Town Clerk where the death occurred; not at the County Clerk13——
Kings CountyNYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene14—$15 per certificate plus processing fee15
Monroe CountyMonroe County Department of Public Health – Office of Vital Records16—$30 per certified copy17
New York CountyNYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Office of Vital Records18—$15 per certificate plus processing fee19
Oneida CountyCity/town clerk (local registrar) where the death occurred; NYS DOH Vital Records (since 1881)20——
Onondaga CountyOnondaga County Office of Vital Statistics21—$30.00 first certified copy; $15.00 each additional copy22
Orange CountyCity, village and town Registrars of Vital Statistics / Town and City Clerks23——
Queens CountyNYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene24—$15 per certificate plus processing fee25
Rensselaer CountyNot at the County Clerk: NYS Department of Health or the town/city clerk where the death occurred26——
Richmond CountyNYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene27—$15 per certificate plus processing fee28
Saratoga CountyTown or city clerk where the death occurred; also NYS Department of Health29—State fee: NYS DOH: $30 by mail; $45 plus vendor processing fee online/phone30
Schenectady CountyLocal Registrar of Vital Statistics where the death occurred, or NYS Department of Health31——
Suffolk CountyTown Clerks / Registrars of Vital Statistics32—NYS DOH: $30 by mail; $45 plus vendor processing fee online/phone33
Sullivan CountyLocal Registrar/Clerk of the town or village where the death occurred34——
Ulster CountyCity, town and village clerks in Ulster County35——
Westchester CountyCity, town and village clerks36——

For any other county, see the county list on the New York guide.

Official warnings

  • NYC Department of Finance: only VitalChek is authorized for online NYC birth/death orders; unauthorized vendors charge high fees37

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 New York 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 New York: New York 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. Death CertificatesNew York State Department of Healthchecked November 4, 2026
  2. Genealogy Records & ResourcesNew York State Department of Healthchecked November 4, 2026
  3. Birth CertificatesNew York State Department of Healthchecked November 4, 2026
  4. Getting Court Records (CourtHelp)New York State Unified Court Systemchecked November 4, 2026
  5. Death CertificatesNew York State Department of Healthchecked November 7, 2026
  6. Birth and Death RecordsNYC Department of Health and Mental Hygienechecked November 4, 2026
  7. Death Certificates (NYC)NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygienechecked November 4, 2026
  8. County Clerk: Birth, Marriage, and Death CertificatesBroome County, New Yorkchecked November 4, 2026
  9. County ClerkChautauqua County, NYchecked November 8, 2026
  10. Birth, Death and Marriage CertificatesClinton County Clerkchecked November 4, 2026
  11. County Clerk: Vital RecordsDutchess County, New Yorkchecked November 4, 2026
  12. Death CertificatesNew York State Department of Healthchecked November 4, 2026
  13. GenealogyErie County Clerkchecked November 4, 2026
  14. Birth and Death RecordsNYC Department of Health and Mental Hygienechecked November 4, 2026
  15. Death Certificates (NYC)NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygienechecked November 4, 2026
  16. Monroe County, NY home pageMonroe Countychecked November 4, 2026
  17. Vital Records - Birth/Death CertificatesMonroe County Department of Public Healthchecked November 4, 2026
  18. Birth Certificates (NYC)NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygienechecked November 4, 2026
  19. Birth and Death Records: Fees and Processing TimesNYC Department of Health and Mental Hygienechecked November 4, 2026
  20. Death CertificatesNew York State Department of Healthchecked November 4, 2026
  21. Office of Vital Statistics (a Division of Health)Onondaga Countychecked November 4, 2026
  22. Vital Statistics - Death Certificates By MailOnondaga Countychecked November 4, 2026
  23. Birth, Death & Marriage RecordsOrange County Clerkchecked November 4, 2026
  24. Birth and Death RecordsNYC Department of Health and Mental Hygienechecked November 4, 2026
  25. Death Certificates (NYC)NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygienechecked November 4, 2026
  26. County Clerk FAQsRensselaer County, NYchecked November 4, 2026
  27. Birth and Death RecordsNYC Department of Health and Mental Hygienechecked November 4, 2026
  28. Death Certificates (NYC)NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygienechecked November 4, 2026
  29. County Clerk Frequently Asked QuestionsCounty of Saratoga, New Yorkchecked November 4, 2026
  30. Death CertificatesNew York State Department of Healthchecked November 4, 2026
  31. Death CertificatesNew York State Department of Healthchecked November 4, 2026
  32. Birth, Marriage and Death CertificatesSuffolk County Clerkchecked November 4, 2026
  33. Death CertificatesNew York State Department of Healthchecked November 4, 2026
  34. Vital Records (Birth, Death, Marriage) | Sullivan County NYSullivan County, New Yorkchecked November 4, 2026
  35. Frequently Asked QuestionsUlster County Clerkchecked November 4, 2026
  36. City, Town and Village ClerksOffice of the Westchester County Clerkchecked November 4, 2026
  37. Birth and Death Records: Fees and Processing TimesNYC Department of Health and Mental Hygienechecked November 4, 2026