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How to order a Tennessee death certificate

Who holds it: Tennessee Office of Vital Records and every county health department1

Last checked against official sources on .

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

Fee

$15.00 per certified copy (first and each additional)2

Who may order

Mother, father, son, daughter, husband, wife, and the funeral director handling services; beneficiaries, executors, guardians, legal representatives and attorneys with documentation of a legal right or claim3

Ordering online

VitalChek only1

Processing time

In person same day; mail and online 3 days (as of 6/23/2026)4

Older records and indexes

Years covered
Office of Vital Records keeps deaths for 50 years; 1914-1975 (and 1908-1912) at the State Library and Archives5

More details

Cause of death
Copies with cause of death: the mother, father, son, daughter, husband, wife and the funeral home that handled the services are entitled. Beneficiaries, executors, legal guardians, legal representatives and attorneys must show that the cause of death is needed (a documented need to establish a legal right or claim, a request by or for an organization paying survivor benefits, or a court order)3
Birth certificates: who holds it
Tennessee Office of Vital Records (Nashville) and every county health department (statewide electronic issuance)1
Birth certificates: fee
$15.00 per certified copy (first and each additional); no-record letter $15.002
Probate: who holds it
Chancery Court (Clerk and Master) by default; some counties have a separate Probate Court set up by law6
Older records: vital transfers
Births go to TSLA after 100 years; deaths, marriages and divorces after 50 years7

How Tennessee handles it

  • Any county health department can issue any Tennessee birth or death certificate1

Death certificates in Tennessee 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
Blount CountyBlount County Health Department8——
Bradley CountyBradley County Health Department9——
Davidson CountyMetro Public Health Department, Vital Records Division10——
Hamilton CountyHamilton County Health Department, Office of Vital Records11—$15.00 per certified copy11
Knox CountyKnox County Health Department, Vital Records Division12—$15 per certificate12
Madison CountyJackson-Madison County Regional Health Department13—$15.00 per certified certificate14
Maury CountyMaury County Health Department15——
Montgomery CountyCounty Health Department; $15.0016——
Putnam CountyPutnam County Health Department, Cookeville Clinic17—$15.00 each17
Rutherford CountyRutherford County Health Department18——
Sevier CountySevier County Health Department19—$15 for each copy20
Shelby CountyShelby County Health Department21——
Sullivan County———
Sumner CountyIssued by the Office of Vital Records and every county health department22——
Washington CountyWashington County Health Department23——
Williamson CountyWilliamson County Health Department24—$15.00 per certified copy (state fee)25
Wilson CountyWilson County Health Department26—$15.00 per certified copy (first and each additional)27

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

Official warnings

  • Vital records: VitalChek is the only state-authorized online vendor; other sites are not official1

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 Tennessee 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 Tennessee: Tennessee 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. How do I get my certificate? (In Person, Local County Health Department, Mail, or Online)Tennessee Department of Health, Office of Vital Recordschecked November 4, 2026
  2. FeesTennessee Department of Health, Office of Vital Recordschecked November 4, 2026
  3. Entitlement GuidelinesTennessee Department of Health, Office of Vital Recordschecked November 4, 2026
  4. How long will it take?Tennessee Department of Health, Office of Vital Recordschecked November 4, 2026
  5. Order Records from TSLATennessee Secretary of State, Tennessee State Library and Archiveschecked November 4, 2026
  6. Probate Court (CTAS-498)University of Tennessee County Technical Assistance Service (CTAS), e-Lichecked November 4, 2026
  7. Genealogy ResearchTennessee Department of Health, Office of Vital Recordschecked November 4, 2026
  8. Site MapBlount County, TNchecked November 4, 2026
  9. Bradley County, TN home pageBradley County Governmentchecked November 4, 2026
  10. Vital Records at Metro Public HealthMetro Nashville, Public Health Departmentchecked November 4, 2026
  11. Vital Records - Birth/Death CertificatesHamilton County Health Departmentchecked November 4, 2026
  12. Vital Records Division - Health DepartmentKnox County, Tennesseechecked November 4, 2026
  13. Site MapMadison County, Tennesseechecked November 7, 2026
  14. Death CertificatesMadison County, Tennesseechecked November 7, 2026
  15. Departments A - HMaury Countychecked November 4, 2026
  16. Tn-mon-healthMontgomery County Government, TNchecked November 4, 2026
  17. Birth & Death Certificates | Putnam County Health DepartmentPutnam Countychecked November 8, 2026
  18. Health FormsRutherford County Governmentchecked November 4, 2026
  19. HealthSevier County, Tennesseearchived copychecked November 7, 2026
  20. Vital Records (Health)Sevier County, Tennesseearchived copychecked November 7, 2026
  21. Birth/Death CertificatesShelby County Health Departmentchecked November 4, 2026
  22. How do I get my certificate? (In Person, Local County Health Department, Mail, or Online)Tennessee Department of Health, Office of Vital Recordschecked November 4, 2026
  23. Washington County TN: health-departmentWashington County, Tennesseechecked November 5, 2026
  24. Vital RecordsWilliamson County Health Departmentchecked November 4, 2026
  25. Vital Records feesTennessee Department of Health, Office of Vital Recordschecked November 4, 2026
  26. HealthWilson County, Tennesseechecked November 4, 2026
  27. FeesTennessee Department of Health, Office of Vital Recordschecked November 4, 2026