Where to Request a Death Certificate in Pennsylvania

You request a Pennsylvania death certificate from the Division of Vital Records, which is part of the Pennsylvania Department of Health. This is the only official source for certified copies. You cannot get an official death certificate from a funeral home, hospital, or county office — those places may have records, but only the state division issues the document that banks, insurance companies, and courts will accept.

The Division of Vital Records is located in Harrisburg. You can reach them by mail, phone, fax, or in person. If you need the certificate quickly, in-person service at their office is fastest. If you are out of state or cannot travel, mail and phone orders work but take longer.

You will need to know the full name of the deceased person, their date of death, and the county where they died. If you do not have the exact date, you can provide an approximate year and the division will search for it — this may cost extra or take longer.

Key Takeaways

  • The Pennsylvania Division of Vital Records in Harrisburg is the only place that issues official death certificates, and you can order by mail, phone, fax, or in person.
  • You will need the deceased person's full name, date of death, and county of death to place an order.
  • In-person service at the Harrisburg office takes about 15 minutes; mail orders typically arrive within two to four weeks.
  • A certified copy costs $20 for the first copy and $5 for each additional copy ordered at the same time.
  • You do not need to prove your relationship to the deceased to request a death certificate — Pennsylvania releases them to anyone who asks.

Ordering by Mail

Mail is the most common way to order if you cannot visit in person. Send a written request to the Division of Vital Records, 101 South Mercer Street, P.O. Box 1528, New Castle, PA 16103. Include the deceased person's full name, date of death, county of death, and how many certified copies you need. Write a check or money order for the correct amount — $20 for the first copy and $5 for each additional copy — and make it payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Do not send cash. Include your name, address, and phone number so the division can contact you if there is a problem with your request. Mail orders usually arrive within two to four weeks, though during busy periods it may take longer. If you need the certificate sooner, use phone or in-person service instead.

Ordering by Phone or Fax

You can call the Division of Vital Records at 717-787-3860 to order by phone. Have your credit card ready — they accept Visa, Mastercard, and American Express. Tell them the deceased person's full name, date of death, county of death, and how many copies you need. They will charge your card and can mail the certificate to you or, in some cases, hold it for pickup.

Phone orders typically arrive within one to two weeks. You can also fax your written request to 717-787-0900, but fax orders take about the same time as mail orders. When you call or fax, include all the same information you would put in a mail request: the deceased person's full name, date of death, county, number of copies, and your contact information.

Ordering in Person at the Harrisburg Office

The Division of Vital Records office is located at 101 South Mercer Street, New Castle, PA 16103. If you can visit in person, this is the fastest option — you can usually get a certified copy within 15 minutes. Bring cash, a check, or a credit card to pay the $20 fee for the first copy and $5 for each additional copy.

The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., except on state holidays. There is no appointment needed. Bring the deceased person's full name, date of death, and county of death. If you do not have the exact date, bring the year and the county, and staff can search for the record.

What to Do If You Do Not Know the Exact Date of Death

If you know the year and county but not the exact date, you can still order. Tell the division the year the person died and the county. They will search their records for that year and county. This search may take longer than a request with an exact date, and you may be charged an additional search fee depending on how broad the search needs to be.

If the search turns up more than one person with the same name who died in that year and county, the division will contact you to ask which record you need. Provide as much information as you can — the person's age, occupation, or the names of family members — to help narrow it down.

Understanding Certified vs. Uncertified Copies

A certified copy is an official document with the state seal and a registrar's signature. Banks, insurance companies, courts, and government agencies require certified copies. This is what you order from the Division of Vital Records, and it costs $20 for the first copy and $5 for each additional copy.

An uncertified copy is a photocopy of the record without the official seal. Some funeral homes or hospitals may give you an uncertified copy at no cost or for a small fee, but most institutions will not accept it. Order certified copies from the state division unless you have a specific reason to need only an uncertified version.

Common Reasons You May Need a Death Certificate

You typically need a death certificate to settle the deceased person's estate, claim life insurance benefits, close bank accounts, transfer property, or update government records. Insurance companies, banks, and the Social Security Administration all require an official certified copy before they will process claims or close accounts.

If you are handling the estate, order several copies at once — you may need one for the insurance company, one for the bank, one for the court, and one for your own records. It is cheaper to order multiple copies together ($5 each after the first) than to order them separately later.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to be related to the deceased to get a death certificate?

No. Pennsylvania releases death certificates to anyone who requests them. You do not need to prove your relationship to the deceased person or explain why you need the certificate.

How much does a death certificate cost?

A certified copy costs $20 for the first copy and $5 for each additional copy ordered at the same time. If you order copies at different times, each order will have its own $20 first-copy fee. Payment methods include check, money order, or credit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express).

Can I get a death certificate if the person died in Pennsylvania but lived out of state?

Yes. If the person died in Pennsylvania, you order from the Pennsylvania Division of Vital Records, regardless of where they lived. If they died in another state, you order from that state's vital records office.

What if I need the death certificate urgently?

Visit the Harrisburg office in person for the fastest service — you can usually get a copy within 15 minutes. Phone orders arrive within one to two weeks, and mail orders take two to four weeks. There is no expedited mail service available.

Can I order a death certificate online?

The Division of Vital Records does not have an online ordering system. You must order by mail, phone, fax, or in person. Some third-party websites claim to order death certificates for you, but they charge extra fees and straightforward mail your request to the state division, so ordering directly is faster and cheaper.