Kentucky - Obtain a Death Certificate

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Procedure

Office of Vital Statistics

In Person

1. Visit the Office of Vital Statistics located at 275 E. Main St. in Frankfort between the hours of 8 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. EST, Monday-Friday.
2. Complete an application form.
3. Submit the completed form and present valid identification.
4. Pay the fee.

By Mail

1. Complete an application.
2. Enclose a check or money order payable (NO CASH) to the Kentucky State Treasurer to cover the cost of each certificate ordered and mail to:
   Office of Vital Statistics
   275 E. Main St. 1E-A
   Frankfort, KY 40621

Note: Include return address on envelope and application form. Funds must be in U.S. dollars and drawn on a U.S. bank.

Certificate Delivery Methods

• Regular Mail
• Self-Addressed Prepaid Courier Envelope
• Prepaid Expedited Shipping Fees
• Prepaid Pre-Arranged Pick-Up

Online, Phone, Fax (VitalChek)

To purchase a certified copy of a Kentucky vital record and pay with a credit card, whether online, by phone or fax, you may go through VitalChek's Online Ordering System.

• Order Online: Go online and simply follow the steps to place an order. An additional fee is charged by VitalChek for using this service and all major credit cards are accepted. You will receive an e-mail notification once your certificate is shipped. If your shipment is via UPS, you will also receive the UPS tracking number.
• By Phone: Call this toll free number, (800) 241-8322.
• By Fax: Fax your request to, Toll Free (866) 283-7477. Note: Check VitalChek's website to obtain fax applications under Order Methods.

UPS: For faster delivery, request delivery by UPS when placing orders for vital records, an additional fee is charged for this service.

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Required Documents

• Completed application
• Valid identification

Note: Contact OVS for accepted forms of identification.

Office Locations & Contacts

Office of Vital Statistics
275 E. Main St., 1E-A
Frankfort, KY 40621
Directions
Map

For information or to amend certificates, call (502) 564-4212

Office hours:
8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time,
Monday-Friday, excluding official state holidays.

Certificates may also be obtained from your local county. Use the contact information below to inquire.

Adair County : 424 Public Square Columbia, KY 42728-1451
Phone: 270.384.280

Allen County : PO Box 336 Scottsville, KY 42164
Phone: 270.237.3706

Anderson County : 151 S Main Street Lawrenceburg, KY 40342
Phone: 502.839.3041

Ballard County : 424 Court Street PO Box 145 Wickliffe, KY 42087-0145
Phone: 270.335.5168

Barren County : 1st Fl; Glasgow, KY 42141-2812
Phone: 270.651.3783

Bath County : PO Box 609 Owingsville, KY 40350
Phone: 606.674.2613

Bell County : Courthouse Square Floor FL 1 PO Box 156 Pineville, KY 40977
Phone: 606.337.614

Boone County : 2950 E Washington Square Burlington, KY 41005
Phone: 606.334.211

Bourbon County : 310 Main Street Paris, KY 40361
Phone: 606.987.214

Boyd County : Ashland-Boyd County Health Department
2924 Holt Street P.O. Box 4069
Ashland, KY 41105-4069
Phone: 606-329-9444

Boyle County : 321 W Main Street #123 Danville, KY 40422
Phone: 606.238.1110

Bracken County : 116 W Miami Street PO Box 147 Brooksville, KY 41004
Phone: 606-735-2952

Breathitt County : 1127 Main Street Jackson, KY 41339-1194
Phone: 606.666.3810

Breckinridge County : Courthouse Square; PO Box 538 Hardinsburg, KY 40143
Phone: 270-756-2246
Breckinridge County Archives : P.O. Box 538 - Courthouse Hardinsburg, KY 40143
Phone: 270-756-6112

Bullitt County : 149 N Walnut Street Shepherdsville, KY 40165
Phone: 602.543.2262

Butler County : 110 N Main Street Morgantown, KY 42261-0448
Phone: 270.526.5676

Caldwell County : 100 East Market Street Room 3 Princeton, Ky 42445-1675
Phone: 270.365.6754

Calloway County : 101 S 5th Street Murray, KY 42071
Phone: 270.767.0429

Campbell County : 340 York Street Newport, KY 41071
Phone: 606.292.3850

Carlisle County : W Court Street Bardwell, KY 42023
Phone: 270.628.3233

Carroll County : 440 Main Street Carrollton, KY 41008
Phone: 502.732.7036

Carter County : 300 W Main Street Grayson, KY 41143
Phone: 606.474.5188

Casey County : PO Box 310 Liberty, KY 42539-0310
Phone: 606.787.6471

Christian County : 511 S Main Street Hopkinsville, KY 42240-2300
Phone: 270.887.4105

Clark County : 34 S Main Street Rm 103 Winchester, KY 40391-2600
Phone: 606.745.0282

Clay County : 316 Main Street Suite 143 Manchester, KY 40962
Phone: 606.598.2544

Clinton County : 212 Washington Albany, KY 42602
Phone: 606.387.5234

Crittenden County : 107 S. Main Street Suite 202 Marion, KY 42064
Phone: 270.965.3403

Cumberland County : Burkesville, KY 42717-0275
Phone: 270.864.3726

Daviess County : 212 St Ann Street Owensboro, KY 42303
Phone: 270.685.8434

Edmonson County : Main & Cross Street Brownsville, KY 42210
Phone: 270.597.2624

Elliott County : 100 Court and Main Street PO Box 225 Sandy Hook, KY 41171-0225
Phone: 606.738.4462

Estill County : 130 Main Street Irvine, KY 40336-1098
Phone: 606.723.5156

Fayette County : Lexington-Fayette County Health Department
650 Newtown Pike
Phone: (859) 288-2404 or (859) 899-2226

Fleming County : Courthouse Square Flemingsburg, KY 41041-1399
Phone: 606.845.8461

Floyd County : 3rd Avenue Prestonsburg, KY 41653
Phone: 606.886.3816

Franklin County : PO Box 338 219 St Clair Street Frankfort, KY 40602-0338
Phone: 502.875.8702[1] / 502-564-7013 or 502-564-8380

Fulton County : 201 Moulton Street Hickman, KY. 40250
Phone: 270.236.2061

Gallatin County : 100 Main; PO Box 616 Warsaw, KY 41095-0616
Phone: 859.567.5411

Garrard County : Public Square Lancaster, KY 40444
Phone: 859.792.3071

Grant County : Courthouse Basement; PO Box 469; Williamstown, KY 41097- 0469
Phone: 859.824.3321

Graves County : 201 E College Street Mayfield, KY 42066
Phone: 270.247.1733

Grayson County : 10 Public Square Leitchfield, KY 42754
Phone: 270.259.5295

Green County : 203 W

Eligibility

Copies of death certificates may only be issued to immediate family members or to persons with a legal right to the certificate.

Fees

• Certified Copy of Death Certificate: $6 each
• Additional Copies: $6 each

An additional fee is charged by VitalChek for using their service and all major credit cards are accepted.

Office of Vital Statistics (OVS)
Accepted forms of Payment:

• Cash
• Check or money order made payable to the Kentucky State Treasurer.
• The Office of Vital Statistics DOES NOT accept credit card orders by phone EXCEPT for customers requesting emergency (emergency to be defined by OVS and VitalChek) expedited delivery or genealogy records (births prior to 1911). Accepted credit card payments:
  • American Express
  • Discover
  • MasterCard
  • Visa
  • All other credit card requests must go through either the VitalChek Call Center at 1-800-241-8322 or the VitalChek website

Notes: The Office of Vital Statistics will accept one order per customer per payment. An order consists of 20 or less requests for various certificates.

Validity

Explain the time until which the certificate/document is valid.
e.g. Birth Certificate Valid Forever

Documents to Use

Office of Vital Statistics:

• Application for a Certified Copy of Death Certificate

Sample Documents

Please attach sample completed documents which would help other people who would like to follow this procedure.    

Processing Time

In Person or Phone Orders (OVS):

• Ten or less requests per order of various certificates: May be processed on the same day received subject to workload and staffing. Note: Any orders received after 3:30 p.m. EST will be processed the next business day.
• More than ten requests: There is no guarantee that your certificates will be available on the same day. Delivery of certificate is based on availability of staff and resources, OVS will strive to accommodate orders in excess of ten requests within 5 business days.

By Mail (OVS):

• In most cases, orders are filled within five to seven business days. However, some orders may take longer; therefore, please allow up to 30 working days for processing of all type of certificates ordered through the mail.
• Orders will be shipped to one delivery address

Instructions

Kentucky's Office of Vital Statistics does not have records of births or deaths prior to 1911, except delayed records of births for those born before 1911 which have been established by affidavits and documentary evidence.

You may request for copies of a certificate in person, by mail, online, by phone, or by fax.

Note: Birth, Death, Marriage and Divorce Certificates, certified copies of each of these are only available through the State Office of Vital Statistics in Frankfort.

Required Information

• Full name of the deceased
• The month, day and year of death
• The county of death
• Name and address where the certificate is to be mailed.
• Phone number where you can be reached during the day from 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Eastern time.
• The number of copies being ordered.

Need for the Document

A Death Certificate is a document issued by a registrar of vital statistics that declares the date, location and cause of a person's death.

A copy of the death certificate is often necessary when you execute the will or make funeral arrangements.

Following are procedures on how you can obtain a death certificate in Kentucky.