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==Procedure==
===Bureau of Health Statistics Iowa===
'''By Phone (VitalChek)'''

You can request a certificate by calling this toll-free number 866-809-0290 from 6:00 am CST through 7:00 pm CST, Monday through Friday, except for holidays.

A VitalChek operator will take your information, screen your credit card, authenticate your identity and complete your order.

'''Online (VitalChek)'''

Go [https://www.vitalchek.com/ 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.

'''By Mail'''
#To obtain a certified copy of a vital record (birth, death, marriage) registered with the Iowa Department of Public Health, complete an 'Application for Copy of a Vital Record' form
#Mail the completed form along with a check or money order payable to the 'Iowa Department of Public Health,' and a clear photocopy of the applicant's current, government-issued photo identification: '''Iowa Department of Public Health''' Bureau of Health Statistics Lucas State Office Building, 1st Floor 321 E. 12th Street Des Moines, Iowa 50319-0075

'''In Person'''

To those who are in the Des Moines area, you may apply for a copy in person. You may submit your request at the state vital records office between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 4:45 p.m., Monday through Friday, except for state-observed holidays. The office is located at the address listed below, just inside the main north entrance and main lobby. The Lucas building is the first state office building east of the state Capitol building, on the south side of Grand Avenue.

#Complete and sign a written request.
#Submit the completed request and present a valid, current government-issued photo identification.
#Pay the record search fee.

==Required Documents==
*Completed 'Application for Copy of a Vital Record' form
*Written requests for certified copies of vital records will not be accepted if they do not include:
**The applicant's current government-issued photo identification; except if by mail, a clear photocopy of the I.D.; and
**The applicant's signature signed in front of a notary public or in the presence of an Iowa Registrar of Vital Records.

==Office Locations & Contacts==
'''Iowa Department of Public Health''' 
Bureau of Health Statistics 
Lucas State Office Building, 1st Floor 
321 E. 12th Street 
Des Moines, Iowa 50319-0075 
Phone: (515) 281-4944 

[http://www.idph.state.ia.us/webmap/default.asp?map=public_health_contacts County Public Health Contacts]

[http://www.idph.state.ia.us/Default.aspx Website]

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

Adair County : P. O. Box L Greenfield, IA 5089-1290 
Phone: 515-743-2445

Adams County : 500 9th St. Corning, IA 50841 
Phone: 515-322-4711

Allamakee County : 110 Allamakee St. P.O. Box 248 Waukon, IA 52172-1794 
Phone: 563-568-6351

Appanoose County : 201 North 12th Street Centerville, IA 52544 
Phone: 515-856-6101

Audubon County : 319 Leroy St. Audubon, IA 50025 
Phone: 712-563-4275

Benton County : 111 E. 4th St. P.O. Box 719 Vinton, IA 52349-1771 
Phone: 319-833-3012

Black Hawk County : 316 E. 5th St. Waterloo, IA 50703-4774 
Phone: 319-833-3012

Boone County : 201 State St. Boone, IA 50036 
Phone: 515-432-6291

Bremer County : 415 E. Bremer Avenue Waverly, IA 50677 
Phone: 319-352-5661

Buchanan County : 210 N. 5th Ave NE Independence, IA 50644-1959 
Phone: 319-334-2196

Buena Vista County : 215 E. 5th St. PO Box 1186 Storm Lake, IA 50588-1186 
Phone: 712-749-2546

Butler County : PO Box 325 Allison, IA 50602 
Phone: 319-267-2487

Calhoun County : PO Box 273Rockwell, IA 50579-0273 
Phone: 712-297-8122

Carroll County : 114 E. 6th St. Carroll, Iowa 51401 
Phone: 712-792-4327

Cass County : 7th St. Courthouse Atlantic, IA 50022 
Phone: 712-243-2105

Cedar County : 400 Cedar Street Tipton, IA 52772 
Phone: 563-886-2230

Cerro Gordo County : 220 North Washington Avenue Mason City, Iowa 50401 
Phone: 641-421-3056

Cherokee County : 520 West Main Cherokee, IA 51012 
Phone: 712-225-6735

Chickasaw County : 8 East Prospect St. P.O. Box 14 New Hampton, Iowa 50659-0014 
Phone: 641-394-2336

Clarke County : 100 S. Main Osceola, IA 50213 
Phone: 641-342-3313

Clay County : 215 W 4th Street Spencer, Iowa 51301 
Phone: 712-262-1081

Clayton County : 111 High St. SE Elkrader, IA 52043 
Phone: 319-245-2204

Clinton County : 1900 North 3rd Street P.O. Box 2957 Clinton IA 52733-2957

==Eligibility==
'''Who may obtain a certified copy of a vital record:''' The persons spouse, children, legal parents, grandparents, grandchildren, siblings, or legal representative or guardian. Legal guardians, legal representatives, and siblings must also provide additional proof of entitlement.

==Fees==
'''Vital records:''' A fee of $20.00 is required for the record search and includes one copy if a record is on file in the vital records office. Each additional copy of the record is also $20.00.

If the record is not located, the applicant shall receive a notification of the record search. The $20.00 fee shall be retained for the search.

'''Notes:'''
*You may pay the fee in check or money order made out to the Iowa Department of Public Health. In-person requests may also be paid in cash.
*Checks must be drawn from the applicant's account; money orders must be in the name of the applicant. Fees must be paid at the time of the application.
*The fee is for the search of the record and is non-refundable. No refunds will be made for overpayments of $5.00 or less.
*Fees must be paid in U.S. funds to the issuing registrar's office. In some instances, the local county registrar (County Recorder) may only accept cash or money orders for in-person requests and money orders for mail-in requests. All applications must be accompanied by a valid, current government-issued photo I.D. (legible photocopy if applying by mail) and all applicants must satisfactorily prove entitlement.

'''VitalCheck additional charges:'''
*Fee to screen your credit card and authenticate the caller: $13.00
*Group order, which consists of more than one Vital Event, i.e. Birth, Death or Marriage within one order: $3.00

Note: Credit cards currently being accepted by VitalCheck include American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa.

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

==Documents to Use==
Bureau of Health Statistics Iowa:
*[http://www.idph.state.ia.us/apl/common/pdf/vital_records/death_application.pdf Application for Copy of Death Certificate (PDF)]

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

==Processing Time==
*'''VitalChek:''' Processing time is currently about two (2) weeks depending on the amount of requests VitalChek is currently processing. UPS orders will be delivered within 7-10 business days after processing.
*'''By Mail:''' Mail requests will take an average of 5 to 7 business days to reach the Vital Records office, and 5 to 7 business days to be returned to you. Turnaround time may be 4 to 6 weeks, depending on seasonal demands. Genealogy requests are accepted by mail only and may require a minimum of 60 business days for processing, and will be mailed to the applicant by standard postal delivery only.
*'''In Person:''' Certificates are generally [Note] ready for pick up the next business day after 2:00 PM or mailed by standard postal service to an entitled person. Mail turnaround time may take 5 to 7 additional days. ''Note: Exceptions may occur for inaccurate or incomplete applications, or if further verification is required for entitlement or locating records.''

==Instructions==
*In Iowa, registration of births, deaths and marriages began July 1, 1880. No records of events prior to July 1, 1880, are on file in the office. All original records that have been registered are on file with the Iowa Department of Public Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics.
*You may obtain certified copies of vital records by telephone, in-person, or through a postal service.
*Statewide record searches are available from the state registrar.
*Local registrars are located in county recorders offices and maintain records of birth, death and marriages that have occurred in that county.
*'''County registrars''' do not have code authority to have the following on record:
**Single-parent births prior to July 1, 1995;
**Adoptions;
**Birth records after a legal change of name through Iowa Code chapter 674;
**Delayed records filed one year or more after the event;
**Any record ordered seal by a court of law;
**Birth, death, and marriage records between the years 1921 to 1941.
*All requests for certified copies of vital record events must be in writing and completely identify the record, as well as satisfactorily establish entitlement to the record being requested.

==Required Information==
*The Persons name as it appears on the record
*Date and place of event
*Fathers full name and Mothers full maiden Name
*Purpose for copy of the death certificate
*Relationship of person receiving the copy to the person named on the record
*Date of birth
*Name and address of the person who will receive the copy
*Applicant name
*Daytime phone number
*Applicant signature
*A legible/readable copy of your valid photo identification card.

''If not provided, unreadable or expired, the request will be returned unprocessed.''

==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 apply for administrative procedures, such as execution of the will or making funeral arrangements.

[[Category:Iowa]]

<seo title="Iowa - Obtain a Death Certificate" titlemode="append" keywords="Iowa Death Certificate" description="Iowa Death Certificate"></seo>

Iowa - Obtain a Death Certificate - Revision history

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