Death certificates in Oregon
In Oregon, a certified copy of a death certificate costs $25 from the Oregon Health Authority, Center for Health Statistics, Oregon Vital Records. Each copy costs the same. You can order online, by mail or in person. The funeral home can often order the first copies for you.
Last checked on the Oregon Health Authority, Center for Health Statistics, Oregon Vital Records site. General information, not legal advice. Fees change, so confirm before you pay.
How to order in Oregon
| Office | Oregon Health Authority, Center for Health Statistics, Oregon Vital Records |
|---|---|
| First certified copy | $25 |
| Each extra copy, same order | $25 Online and phone orders through VitalChek add an expedite fee and a vendor fee. In-person orders add a $3 identity check fee. |
| Who can order | Death records are restricted for 50 years. Spouse or registered domestic partner, parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, legal guardian, legal or authorized representative, government agency, funeral home staff, the person in charge of disposition, or someone with a property right. Applicants must be 18 or older and may need to prove the relationship. |
| ID you need | Mail and drop box orders need a copy of a current photo ID or three other documents. Online, phone, and in-person orders use an identity quiz first. |
| 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. By appointment at the state office in Portland. The office also names local county health departments as a place to order. |
| How long it takes | Online and phone orders are usually processed within three workdays. Mail orders take about 3 to 5 weeks. Drop box orders take about 8 to 10 weeks. |
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.
Staff of the funeral establishment named on the certificate only need to show ID.
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 Oregon?
- $25 for the first certified copy from the Oregon Health Authority, Center for Health Statistics, Oregon Vital Records, and $25 for each extra copy ordered at the same time. Online and phone orders through VitalChek add an expedite fee and a vendor fee. In-person orders add a $3 identity check fee.
- Who can order a death certificate in Oregon?
- Death records are restricted for 50 years. Spouse or registered domestic partner, parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, legal guardian, legal or authorized representative, government agency, funeral home staff, the person in charge of disposition, or someone with a property right. Applicants must be 18 or older and may need to prove the relationship.
- How do I order a death certificate in Oregon?
- 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. Mail and drop box orders need a copy of a current photo ID or three other documents. Online, phone, and in-person orders use an identity quiz first.
Sources
- Oregon Health Authority, Center for Health Statistics, Oregon Vital Records: www.oregon.gov/oha/ph/birthdeathcertificates/pages/orderdeathcertificate.aspx
- Oregon Health Authority, Center for Health Statistics, Oregon Vital Records: www.oregon.gov/oha/ph/birthdeathcertificates/pages/vitalrecordsfees.aspx
- CDC/NCHS: Funeral Directors' Handbook on Death Registration and Fetal Death Reporting, 2019
- FTC: Complying with the Funeral Rule (cash advance items)