Get certified Ohio Death Certificate

A certified copy of an Ohio death certificate costs $25 per copy from the Ohio Department of Health. Additional fees apply for expedited processing and shipping.

Yes. Ohio death certificates can be ordered online through the Ohio Department of Health or through authorized third-party services. You will need the decedent’s full legal name, date of death, and your relationship to the deceased.

Ohio 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 official Ohio death certificate issued by the Ohio Department of Health includes several distinctive security features to ensure its authenticity. While the design may vary slightly depending on the year of issuance, it contains key details that confirm the decedent's identity at the time of death. Typically, an Ohio death certificate includes the full name of the deceased, the date and location of death, and the state registrar's signature. The certificate is printed on durable, tamper-resistant paper. It often features watermarks and other security elements to help prevent fraud. The Ohio Department of Health adheres to strict state guidelines when issuing these certificates, ensuring consistency across all counties.

• 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.

The procedure to amend an Ohio death certificate may vary depending on the changes needed. An addendum creates the necessary corrections or changes while the original record remains unchanged. You can correct mistakes in personal information, such as the name or date of birth. Additional supporting documents may be necessary if you correct more than one detail.

Typically, amendments to death certificates will require:

1. A completed Affidavit to Correct a Certificate of Death. The affidavit must be signed by the registrant in the presence of a Notary Public.
2. Supporting documentation: Varies based on the requested amendment type or correction.
3. Appropriate fee(s): The fees vary by local county offices and the notary public. A certified copy of a death record is $21.50.

You can obtain an apostille for a death certificate through the Ohio Secretary of State's office. Apostilles are available by mail or online, and the process is facilitated through VRO services. An apostille is an internationally recognized certification that authenticates a public document in foreign countries. It is required when submitting Ohio death certificates to foreign governments or institutions that are part of the Hague Convention.

To request an apostille, you must obtain a certified copy of the death certificate from the Ohio Department of Health or the local county vital records office. Once you have the certified document, you can submit it to the Secretary of State's office along with any required forms and fees. The apostille process helps confirm the document's authenticity for use abroad, making it legally valid in countries that recognize the Hague Convention.

Note that the apostille verifies the authenticity of the Ohio death certificate but does not provide additional details about its contents. This process is essential for inheritance, legal proceedings, or other international matters involving the deceased.

We offer 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 submitting a request for an apostille to the Ohio 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 Ohio State Registrar;
2. A payment of $5.00 per document.
3. An Apostille request form

Submit your request to the Ohio Office of the Secretary of State in Annapolis at the following addresses:

In-person:

By Mail:

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