Get a Certified Pennsylvania Death Certificate

Pennsylvania does not issue death certificates for individuals who die on U.S. military bases overseas. In such cases, if the deceased’s parents held U.S. citizenship, the U.S. Department of State records the death. To request this document, you must contact the U.S. Department of State and obtain a Consular Report of Death Abroad (CRDA or form DS-5542).

An officially certified death certificate from the Pennsylvania Department of Health 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 Pennsylvania 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 PDH issues these certificates to state guidelines, and all counties follow these secure issuance procedures.

• 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.

Pennsylvania death certificates are one of the most important and valuable legal documents. They are the only legal proof that someone has passed away and are used for crucial purposes, particularly in legal, financial, and personal matters. The vital record is fundamental after someone has died to handle financial affairs, benefit claims, verification for institutions, estate settlements, and benefits from government agencies.

Death certificates are often helpful or required for:

Settling Estates

Claiming Pension and Retirement Benefits

Marriage and Divorce Finalization

Genealogy and Historical Research

Claiming Life Insurance

Managing Accounts at Financial Institutions

Making Funeral and Burial Arrangements

Tax Filings

Claiming Social Security and Government Benefits

Handling Property Mortgage and Real Estate Matters

Settling the estate

The process for amending a Pennsylvania death certificate varies depending on the type of changes required. By law, the original record cannot be altered; an addendum is created to document the corrections. This addendum, also known as an affidavit, is issued alongside the original certificate and lists the corrected information while ensuring that the original details remain unchanged.

To correct or amend a Pennsylvania death certificate, you must provide a completed Request to Amend a Death Record and have it notarized. Fill out all parts of the form:

1: Contact information

2: Information about the death record to be edited.

• The person's legal name
• Social security number
• Date of birth
• Date of death
• State file number

3: Only fill out the information that needs to be changed on the death certificate.

4: Provide evidence of the change you are requesting.

5: Provide a copy of your identification. The complete list of acceptable IDs is on the second page of the Request to Amend a Death Record form.

Apostilles may be ordered from the Maryland Secretary of State by mail or with VRO.

You need an apostille when you file documents with a foreign government. It is a special certificate that verifies the authenticity of vital records for international use and is acceptable in countries that are part of the Hague Convention.

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 Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth, 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 Pennsylvania State Registrar;
2. A Completed Apostille Request Form
3. A payment of $15.00 per document. Make checks payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
4. Enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope for return of the documents.

Submit your request to the following addresses:

In-person:

By Mail:

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