Death certificates in North Carolina
In North Carolina, a certified copy of a death certificate costs $24 from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, NC Vital Records. Each extra copy ordered at the same time costs $15. You can order online, by mail or in person. The funeral home can often order the first copies for you.
Last checked on the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, NC Vital Records site. General information, not legal advice. Fees change, so confirm before you pay.
How to order in North Carolina
| Office | North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, NC Vital Records |
|---|---|
| First certified copy | $24 |
| Each extra copy, same order | $15 The $24 search fee is not refunded if no record is found. VitalChek adds a $13.95 fee, and expedited service costs $15 more. County Register of Deeds offices also issue copies. |
| Who can order | The spouse, sibling, direct ancestor or descendant, stepparent, or stepchild of the person who died, someone who needs it to settle personal or property rights, or an authorized agent, attorney, or legal representative. Anyone can get an uncertified copy, which is not valid for legal use. |
| ID you need | A legible copy of a photo ID, or two documents showing your current address if you have no photo ID. |
| Ways to order | Online, by mail or in person. The state takes online orders only through VitalChek, a private company, which adds its own fee. By mail or in person costs only the state fee. At the state office in Raleigh by appointment only, with a $15 expedite fee, or at the Register of Deeds in the county where the death occurred, usually the same day. |
| How long it takes | About 2 business days for deaths from 2022 on and about 11 business days for deaths from 1930 to 2021, plus shipping time. |
Do funeral homes order the first copies?
Often, yes. The funeral director files the death certificate with the state, so ordering copies at the same time is common. The FTC lists death certificates among the cash advance items a funeral home may buy for you and add to its bill. Ask what it charges per copy.
For more copies later, order from the office above. How many copies do you need? Our calculator counts one for each bank, insurer and agency.
Questions people ask
- How much is a death certificate in North Carolina?
- $24 for the first certified copy from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, NC Vital Records, and $15 for each extra copy ordered at the same time. The $24 search fee is not refunded if no record is found. VitalChek adds a $13.95 fee, and expedited service costs $15 more. County Register of Deeds offices also issue copies.
- Who can order a death certificate in North Carolina?
- The spouse, sibling, direct ancestor or descendant, stepparent, or stepchild of the person who died, someone who needs it to settle personal or property rights, or an authorized agent, attorney, or legal representative. Anyone can get an uncertified copy, which is not valid for legal use.
- How do I order a death certificate in North Carolina?
- You can order online, by mail or in person. Online orders go through VitalChek, a private company the state uses, which adds its own fee. A legible copy of a photo ID, or two documents showing your current address if you have no photo ID.
Sources
- North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, NC Vital Records: vitalrecords.nc.gov/order.htm
- North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, NC Vital Records: vitalrecords.nc.gov/fees.htm
- North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, NC Vital Records: vitalrecords.nc.gov/faqs.htm
- North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, NC Vital Records: vitalrecords.nc.gov/processing-dates.htm
- CDC/NCHS: Funeral Directors' Handbook on Death Registration and Fetal Death Reporting, 2019
- FTC: Complying with the Funeral Rule (cash advance items)