Death certificates in Pennsylvania
In Pennsylvania, a certified copy of a death certificate costs $20 from the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Division of 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 Pennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Records site. General information, not legal advice. Fees change, so confirm before you pay.
How to order in Pennsylvania
| Office | Pennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Records |
|---|---|
| First certified copy | $20 |
| Each extra copy, same order | $20 Online orders add a $10 service fee. The fee can be waived for members of the U.S. Armed Forces and certain family members. |
| Who can order | Applicants must be 18 or older. Spouse, parent or stepparent, sibling, child or stepchild, grandparent, great-grandparent, grandchild, or great-grandchild. Other relatives, an attorney or executor of the estate, or someone with a direct financial interest must send extra documents. |
| ID you need | An unexpired government-issued photo ID is required. If the certificate is mailed, the ID must also show your address. |
| 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 six Vital Records branch offices. |
| How long it takes | About 3 weeks for online and mail orders, not counting delivery 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.
The funeral home that filed the record can apply for the military fee waiver when the decedent was a veteran or the spouse is a service member or veteran.
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 Pennsylvania?
- $20 for the first certified copy from the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Records, and $20 for each extra copy ordered at the same time. Online orders add a $10 service fee. The fee can be waived for members of the U.S. Armed Forces and certain family members.
- Who can order a death certificate in Pennsylvania?
- Applicants must be 18 or older. Spouse, parent or stepparent, sibling, child or stepchild, grandparent, great-grandparent, grandchild, or great-grandchild. Other relatives, an attorney or executor of the estate, or someone with a direct financial interest must send extra documents.
- How do I order a death certificate in Pennsylvania?
- 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. An unexpired government-issued photo ID is required. If the certificate is mailed, the ID must also show your address.
Sources
- Pennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Records: www.pa.gov/services/health/request-a-death-certificate
- Pennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Records: www.pa.gov/agencies/health/programs/vital-records/death-certificates
- Pennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Records: www.pa.gov/agencies/health/programs/vital-records/processing-times
- CDC/NCHS: Funeral Directors' Handbook on Death Registration and Fetal Death Reporting, 2019
- FTC: Complying with the Funeral Rule (cash advance items)