Get a certified Michigan Death Certificate

A certified copy of a Michigan death certificate costs $34 from MDHHS. Additional copies ordered at the same time cost $16 each, and rush processing adds $12. Ordering through VRO adds a $19 service fee. County clerks also issue copies of deaths recorded in their county, and their fees vary.

MDHHS takes online and phone orders through its own authorized online provider. VRO is an independent preparation service: we prepare your application and send it to MDHHS by mail on your behalf. You will need the decedent's full legal name and the date and place of death. MDHHS currently quotes 10 to 12 weeks for regular mail-in requests and 8 to 10 weeks with rush processing ($12), plus mail time.

Yes. Death records are not restricted in Michigan, so anyone can request a certified copy of a Michigan death certificate, including a spouse, relative, executor, attorney or funeral director. No notarized affidavit, sworn statement or power of attorney is needed: the requester completes, signs and pays for the application.

An officially certified death certificate from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) will have unique security features to ensure its authenticity. The appearance of an official death certificate may vary depending on the year of issue. Still, it will contain essential details confirming the individual's identity at death. Official death certificates from Michigan typically feature the state seal, the individual's name, the date and place of death, and the state registrar's signature. They are printed on secure, tamper-resistant paper with watermarks and other security elements. The MDHHS issues these certificates according to state guidelines, and all counties follow these secure issuance procedures.

MDHHS issues a short form (no medical information or manner of death) and a long form (the full registration, including the cause of death). Both are certified copies and both cost $34.

• Full Name of the Decedent: The full legal name of the person whose death is being recorded.
• Date of Death: The exact date and time of death of the individual.
• Place of Death: The city, county, and state where the death occurred, along with the specific facility or location.
• Cause of Death: The immediate and underlying causes of death, as certified by the attending physician or medical examiner.
• Medical Certification Information: Includes details about who certified the death, such as the attending physician or coroner, and any contributing medical factors.
• Demographic Information: The deceased's age, sex, race, ethnicity, marital status, education level, and occupation.
• Disposition Details: Information about the method of disposition (burial, cremation, etc.), the date and place of disposition, and the funeral home or director responsible.
• Informant Information: The name and relationship of the person providing personal details of the deceased.
• Social Security Number: The Social Security number of the deceased.

Obtain and Fill Out the Necessary Form. Corrections to a Michigan death certificate are made by mail with the Application to Correct a Michigan Death Record (DCH-0856). The funeral director, the informant listed on the certificate, or the next of kin within 5 years of the date of death can apply. If next of kin cannot be determined, or more than 5 years have passed, a court order is required.

Pay the Correction Fee

The application fee is $50.00 and includes one certified copy. Additional certified copies are $16.00 each, and optional rush processing costs $25.00. Fees are payable by check or money order to the "State of Michigan." MDHHS currently quotes 8 to 10 weeks for corrections, or 6 to 8 weeks with rush processing.

Gather Supporting Documentation

Include a current, government-issued photo ID of the person making the request and documents that prove the correct information. Medical information, including the cause, date or place of death, can only be corrected by the certifying doctor or medical examiner. See the MDHHS corrections page for the full list of required documents.

Submit the Application

Mail it to Vital Records Changes, P.O. Box 30721, Lansing, MI 48909 (or "Vital Records Changes RUSH" at the same address for rush processing). For assistance, call the MDHHS Changes Unit at (517) 335-8660 or email MDHHS-VR-Changes@Michigan.gov.

You need an apostille when you file a death certificate with a foreign government in a country that is part of the Hague Convention. In Michigan, apostilles are issued by the Michigan Department of State, Office of the Great Seal.

We offer apostille services for death certificates across all 50 US states. VRO's apostille service starts at $49 (plus government fees).

For simultaneous requests, MDHHS can issue an authenticated (apostilled) copy in one request with the Simultaneous Death / Apostille Request Form: $42, additional copies $26, rush +$25. MDHHS sends the record to the Office of the Great Seal for you.

If you are manually submitting a request for an apostille to the Office of the Great Seal, you will need to provide the following items:

1. A certified copy of the death certificate issued by the Michigan State Registrar or a county clerk within the last 15 years;
2. The completed Authentication Request Form, including the country where the document will be used;
3. A payment of $1.00 per document, by check or money order payable to "State of Michigan";
4. A self-addressed stamped return envelope.

By Mail:

In-person:

In-person service is by appointment only, on Mondays and Wednesdays from 8:30am to 4pm, at the Richard H. Austin Building, 430 W. Allegan St., Lansing, and at select Secretary of State branch offices. The Department of State says turnaround is 1 to 2 weeks. See the Department of State apostille page.