Not a government site. We do not sell records or host personal data. About us

County Records Guide
Menu

How to order a Virginia death certificate

Who holds it: VDH Office of Vital Records (also local health departments and DMV)1

Last checked against official sources on .

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

Fee

$15 per certified copy or search (no refund if not found)2

Who may order

Full certified copy: immediate family only; others with a direct and tangible interest may get a 'Verification of Death'; public after 25 years1

Processing time

Mail 8 business days; online 5 business days2

Older records and indexes

Older records
Deaths 1853-1896 on microfilm at the Library of Virginia; 1912+ at VDH; public 25 years after death3
Birth certificates: who holds it
Virginia Department of Health, Office of Vital Records (State Registrar), Richmond; also issued at local health departments and DMV customer service centers4
Birth certificates: fee
$15 per certified copy or search (no refund if not found)2
Probate: who holds it
Clerk of the Circuit Court (probate is handled by the clerk; disputes by the circuit court)5
Older records: vital index
VDH online index: births/deaths 1912+, divorces 1918+, marriages 1936+ (open records)3

How Virginia handles it

  • DMV customer service centers issue certified birth, death, marriage and divorce certificates ($15 + $2 DMV processing fee).6

Death certificates in Virginia 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
Albemarle County———
Alexandria CityAlexandria Health Department, Vital Records7——
Arlington CountyDepartment of Human Services, Vital Records8—$15 per certificate, payable to Arlington County Treasurer9
Chesapeake CityChesapeake Health Dept - Vital Records Office10—$15 per record search10
Chesterfield CountyVirginia Department of Health, Office of Vital Records; $15.00 per certificate search11——
Fairfax CountyFairfax County Office of Vital Records12—$15.00 per certificate and/or search12
Hampton CityHampton Health Department13—$15 per copy, June 1912-present13
Loudoun CountyLoudoun County Health Department, Vital Records Services14—$12.00 per certificate or search (county page)14
Newport News City———
Norfolk CityNorfolk Department of Public Health - Vital Records15——
Prince William CountyVirginia Department of Health (state)16—State fee: $15.00 per certificate search (VDH)17
Richmond CityRichmond City Health Department Vital Records Office18——
Spotsylvania CountySpotsylvania County Health Department19——
Stafford CountyNone at the county: Virginia Department of Health, Office of Vital Records20—$15.00 per certificate search; no refund if not found21
Virginia Beach CityVirginia Beach Department of Health - Vital Records Office22—$15 per certified copy or search (state)23

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

Official warnings

  • VitalChek is VDH's contracted vendor for expedited orders and charges extra; standard VDH fee is $15.24

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 Virginia 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 Virginia: Virginia 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. Vital Records Frequently Asked QuestionsVirginia Department of Health, Office of Vital Recordschecked November 4, 2026
  2. Online Application for a Vital RecordVirginia Department of Health, Office of Vital Recordschecked November 4, 2026
  3. GenealogyVirginia Department of Health, Office of Vital Recordschecked November 4, 2026
  4. Vital Record Walk-In LocationsVirginia Department of Health, Office of Vital Recordschecked November 4, 2026
  5. Code of Virginia § 64.2-444. Clerks may probate willsVirginia General Assembly (Legislative Information System)checked November 4, 2026
  6. Code of Virginia § 32.1-273. Fees for certified copies, searches of files, etc.Virginia General Assembly (Legislative Information System)checked November 4, 2026
  7. Vital Records (Alexandria Health Department)City of Alexandria, Virginiachecked November 4, 2026
  8. Land Records DivisionArlington County Circuit Court Clerkchecked November 4, 2026
  9. Vital Records (Birth/Death/Marriage)Arlington County Department of Human Serviceschecked November 4, 2026
  10. Vital Records Services - Chesapeake Health DistrictVirginia Department of Healthchecked November 5, 2026
  11. Applications for a Vital RecordVirginia Department of Healthchecked November 4, 2026
  12. Vital RecordsFairfax County, Virginiachecked November 4, 2026
  13. Vital Records - Hampton & Peninsula Health DistrictsVirginia Department of Healthchecked November 7, 2026
  14. Vital Records ServicesLoudoun County Health Departmentarchived copychecked November 4, 2026
  15. Norfolk Department of Public HealthVirginia Department of Healthchecked November 4, 2026
  16. Record Copy RequestsPrince William County, Virginiachecked November 4, 2026
  17. Online Application for a Vital RecordVirginia Department of Healthchecked November 4, 2026
  18. City of Richmond, VA home pageCity of Richmondchecked November 4, 2026
  19. Rappahannock Area Health DistrictVirginia Department of Healthchecked November 4, 2026
  20. Circuit Court: Vital RecordsStafford County, Virginiachecked November 7, 2026
  21. Online Application for a Vital RecordVirginia Department of Health, Office of Vital Recordschecked November 7, 2026
  22. Virginia Beach Vital RecordsVirginia Department of Healthchecked November 4, 2026
  23. Online Application for a Vital RecordVirginia Department of Health, Office of Vital Recordschecked November 4, 2026
  24. Express Delivery through the VitalChek NetworkVirginia Department of Health, Office of Vital Recordschecked November 4, 2026