Get certified Wyoming Death Certificate

Individuals who died on an overseas military base are not considered to have died in Wyoming. Therefore, no death certificate is on record with the state of Wyoming. If they passed on a U.S. military base overseas and their parents were U.S. citizens at the time of their death, their death should be recorded with the U.S. Department of State. You must contact the U.S. Department of State to request a copy of your Consular Report of Death Abroad (CRDA or form DS-5542).

An officially certified death certificate from the Wyoming DH-VSS will have unique features to show its authenticity. The appearance of an official death certificate can vary depending on the year of issue, and it will contain essential details to confirm a person's identity and citizenship at death. A long-form (official) death certificate is used for legal purposes and differs from a short-form (informational) copy. The WDH-VSS has specific county guidelines, which may include distinct colors and layouts. Overall, official death certificates commonly feature the state seal, the individual's name, and the registrar's signature and are printed on secure paper.

• Full Name of the Person: The full legal name of the person whose death is being recorded.
• Date of Death: The exact date of death of the individual.
• Place of Death: The city, county, and state where the death occurred.
• Cause of Death
• Medical Information Related to the Death
• Demographic Information: Age, occupation, marital status.
• Funeral and Burial Details: Method, date, place of disposition, funeral director’s information.

Wyoming death certificates are crucial legal documents. They provide the only official proof of a person's death and are used for important purposes in legal, financial, and personal matters. After someone passes away, this vital record is essential for managing financial affairs, filing benefit claims, verifying information for institutions, settling estates, and obtaining 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 death certificate depends on the type of changes needed. By law, the original record cannot be changed. Therefore, an addendum is created to document the corrections.

This addendum, also called an affidavit, is issued alongside the original certificate and lists the corrected information, ensuring the original details remain unaltered.

Personal and Demographic Information Corrections or Changes:

Personal and location information changes, including misspelled names, marital status, occupation, and age, can be corrected through the amendment process by:

• Attorney Representing the Decedent or Estate
• Child
• Court Appointed Individual for the Decedent
• Funeral Home
• Informant
• Parent
• Spouse

Obtain the Necessary Form

To request an amendment or correction, you must complete the appropriate form: the Wyoming Application for Correction is generally used for most corrections.

Gather Supporting Documentation

Depending on the type of correction, you'll need to provide supporting documents:

• For simple corrections (like typos or misspelled names), a valid ID and proof of the correct information (e.g., a birth certificate, marriage certificate, or ID with the correct spelling) are often sufficient.
• You'll need a statement from the certifying physician or medical examiner for medical corrections (such as changes to the cause of death).
• A court order may require legal name changes or other significant amendments.

Submit the Application

You can apply to amend or correct a death certificate by:

Mail: Send the completed form and supporting documents to:

Vital Statistics Services ATTN: Death Corrections 2300 Capitol Avenue Hathaway Building Cheyenne, WY 82002

In Person: Vital Statistics Service office in Cheyenne, WY

Pay the Amendment Fee

There is a fee to amend a death certificate in Alabama: Corrections not involving Court Action are $20.00, the first certified copy of the death certificate following correction is $25.00, and additional certified copies of death certificates following the correction are $20.00.

Legal Requirements

Due to the legal issues involved with the amendment of some items, questions regarding amendments to a death certificate should be referred to 307-777-7591.

Apostille

An apostille is required to certify a vital record for use abroad. The Wyoming Secretary of State issues apostilles for vital records originally filed with WDH-VSS.

Apostilles can be requested from the Secretary of State or via Vital Records Online (VRO). VRO offers reliable apostille services in all 50 states and is legally recognized by governments and organizations in over 100 countries.

Once the apostille is issued, it will be shipped to you through FedEx or DHL for global delivery. This ensures that your documents arrive at your doorstep regardless of your location, whether in the US or abroad.

If you are requesting by mail, you will need to provide the following information:

• Complete a Request form.
• Certified vital record certificate
• $20 per document. All checks (personal or company) or money orders should be made payable to the Wyoming Secretary of State.
• Prepaid return envelope or shipping label, unless retrieved in person.

You can submit requests for vital record apostilles to the Secretary of State at the following address:

For standard mail or express shipping (UPS, DHL, or Federal Express), submit the request to the physical address:

Wyoming Secretary of State, Herschler Building East, 122 W 25th St, Ste 100, Cheyenne, WY 82002-0020

You can reach the office at 307-777-7370 or online at https://sos.wyo.gov/Services/Authentication.aspx.