Get certified North Dakota Death Certificate

A certified copy of a North Dakota death certificate costs $15 for the first copy. Additional copies ordered at the same time cost $10 each from the ND Division of Vital Records.

Yes. North Dakota death certificates can be ordered online through the ND Division of Vital Records or through authorized third-party services. You will need the decedent’s full legal name, date of death, and your relationship to the deceased.

North Dakota restricts death certificate access to eligible requestors such as a spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, legal representative, or funeral director. You may submit a notarized affidavit or sworn statement confirming your authorization. A Power of Attorney (PoA) document is also accepted.

An officially certified death certificate from the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services (ND HHS) has specific security features designed to confirm its authenticity and prevent fraud. The layout and design of the certificate may change based on the year it was issued; it always includes essential information about the deceased. Typically, the certificate displays the individual's full name, date of birth, date of death, place of death, and the state registrar's signature. Additionally, it features the official state seal, which adds an extra layer of verification. The certificate is printed on secure, tamper-evident paper, often including watermarks and other security elements. All death certificates are issued according to North Dakota state guidelines, with consistent procedures used across all counties to ensure security and reliability.

• 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.

In North Dakota, death certificates can be amended to correct or complete information, except for the cause and manner of death. To request an amendment, the individual must first obtain a signed statement from the person who completed the original medical certification. The state registrar of North Dakota may also request additional documentation to support the amendment.

To amend a death certificate in North Dakota, follow these steps:

1. Obtain a signed statement from the individual who completed the original medical certification.
2. Provide any additional documentation requested by the state registrar to verify the amendment.
3. The state registrar will prepare a new record with the corrected information.

What can be amended on a death certificate in North Dakota includes missing or inaccurate details, such as missing information (e.g., middle name, name suffix) or incorrect details (e.g., wrong date of birth, spelling errors).

A court order will be required if an item is amended more than once. Without this, the item cannot be amended further.

In North Dakota, the North Dakota Secretary of State can order apostilles for death certificates. Requests can be made by mail or online through VRO. An apostille is essential when submitting a document to a foreign government, as it certifies its authenticity for international use.

An apostille is a specialized certificate that verifies the legitimacy of official documents, such as death certificates. It makes them legally recognized in countries that are signatories to the Hague Convention. This certification ensures that the document will be accepted abroad for legal and official purposes. Apostilles are required for international inheritance, estate matters, and other legal affairs involving foreign entities.

VRO offers comprehensive apostille services for death certificates across all 50 US states. Governments and organizations acknowledge the service, which is legally valid in over 100 countries. VRO’s service comes with expert support, costs $149 (plus government fees), and can be accomplished online in just three steps.

If you are manually requesting an apostille at the North Dakota office of the Secretary of State, you will need to provide the following items:

1. The certified copy of the death certificate, with the original signature and seal of the current North Dakota State Registrar;
2. A payment of $15.00 per document.

Submit your request to the North Dakota Secretary of State's office at the following addresses:

In-person:

By Mail:

Ensure that you indicate the country to which the document will be submitted.