How to Get a Death Certificate in Maryland: Steps, Fees, and Copies

To get a death certificate in Maryland, you request a certified copy from the Division of Vital Records within the Maryland Department of Health. You can order online through VitalChek, by mail, or in person at the Division’s Baltimore office. The state fee is $10 for the first certified copy and $12 for each additional copy ordered at the same time.¹ In-person requests are handled the same day; mail orders take about six weeks.²

Who Can Order One

Maryland does not release death certificates to the general public. You must be a surviving relative of the deceased, an authorized representative of a surviving relative, or the funeral director responsible for the final disposition.³

If you are not an immediate family member, you’ll need to prove your authority. That means either a Letter of Administration signed by the Court Clerk or the Register of Wills, or a signed authorization from a surviving relative that includes a copy of the relative’s valid ID, the deceased’s name, and the relative’s relationship to the deceased. Requests tied to an insurance claim or another business purpose take different backup: a letter from the insurance company, a deed, or a vehicle title, depending on the reason.⁴

What to Gather Before You Apply

Have the following details about the deceased ready: full legal name, date and place of death (city and county), date of birth, and if you have them, Social Security number and parents’ names. You’ll also need to give your own full name, relationship to the deceased, mailing address, and phone number. Missing information is the most common reason mail orders stall, and stalls cost weeks.

You’ll also need to prove who you are. Maryland accepts a valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID that shows both an issue date and an expiration date, such as a driver’s license, state ID card, or passport. If you don’t have one, you can substitute two alternative documents, with at least one showing your current mailing address; the Division’s ID page lists what qualifies.⁵

On top of ID, you need entitlement documentation showing your right to the record. For a family member, a birth certificate or marriage certificate is usually enough. Legal representatives use a Letter of Administration or the signed relative authorization described above.⁴

The Three Ways to Order

Online Through VitalChek

Maryland’s authorized online vendor is VitalChek.³ You create an account, upload copies of your ID and entitlement documents, and pay by credit card. VitalChek adds its own service fee on top of the $10 state fee, so the total is higher than mail or in-person orders. Standard shipping runs about five weeks; expedited shipping about three.²

By Mail

Download the death certificate application from the Maryland Department of Health website.³ Send the completed form with photocopies of your ID and entitlement documents, a check or money order payable to the Division of Vital Records, and a self-addressed stamped envelope to:

Division of Vital Records
P.O. Box 68760
Baltimore, MD 21215-0036

Mail is the cheapest route because you pay only the state fee, but it is also the slowest at roughly six weeks. Send photocopies, not originals.

In Person

The Division of Vital Records lobby in Baltimore takes walk-ins by appointment only, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.⁶ Bring your original ID and original entitlement documents. When everything is in order, the certificate is issued the same day, making this the fastest way to get one.² Some local health departments across Maryland also process requests, though their fees and hours vary by jurisdiction and tend to run higher than the state office.

Fees and How Long It Takes

The Division charges $10 for the first certified copy and $12 for each additional copy in the same order.¹ Mail orders must be paid by check or money order. In-person and online orders accept credit cards.

Processing times by method:²

In person: same day
Online with expedited shipping: about 3 weeks
Online with standard shipping: about 5 weeks
Mail: about 6 weeks

Volume shifts these numbers seasonally. If timing matters for a probate deadline or insurance claim, check the Division’s processing time page before you send anything.

How Many Copies to Order

Most families order too few. Banks, insurance companies, pension funds, retirement account custodians, the DMV, the probate court, and title companies each generally want their own certified copy. Some return the copy after review. Many don’t.

A reasonable starting point is five to ten, scaled to how many financial accounts, insurance policies, and pieces of real property the deceased held. If several family members are handling different pieces of the estate in parallel, plan for each of them to hold copies. Adding extras to your initial order costs $12 apiece, versus $10 plus a fresh round of processing weeks if you have to come back for more.

Fixing an Error on the Certificate

A misspelled name, wrong date, or incorrect cause of death can hold up probate and insurance claims. Maryland allows amendments under Health-General Code Section 4-214.⁷

To request a correction, submit the Request for Correction/Amendment to Death Certificate form to the Division of Vital Records with a $10 fee by check or money order, along with supporting documentation that proves the correct information. Changing the cause of death, for example, calls for a letter from the attending physician or medical examiner. Corrections filed within the first year after the death are free.⁸¹

Amendments requested three or more years after the death generally require a court order. The exception is a cause-of-death change made by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, which can happen at any time without court involvement.⁷

Using the Certificate Outside the United States

If the certificate is going to be used in another country, for example to release foreign property or claim a foreign pension, you’ll likely need an apostille or authentication from the Maryland Secretary of State’s office. The fee is $5 per document, and the path depends on whether the destination country is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention. Hague countries need only the Secretary of State’s apostille. Non-Hague countries need the Secretary of State’s certification followed by additional authentication from the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C.⁹

Older Records Are Held Somewhere Else

The Division of Vital Records does not hold every Maryland death record. Older records sit with the Maryland State Archives, which holds county death records from the early registration period through roughly the early 1970s for most counties, and Baltimore City records through 2014. Records held by the Archives are restricted for ten years from the date of death. The Archives charges $25 per certified copy, considerably more than the Division’s fee.¹⁰ For a recent death, start with the Division of Vital Records. For a death that occurred decades ago, the Archives is likely your only option.

1
Maryland Department of Health. Vital Statistics Administration – Fees
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Maryland Department of Health. Vital Statistics Administration – Processing Time
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Maryland Department of Health. Request Death and Fetal Death Certificates
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Maryland Department of Health. Death Certificate Entitlement Documentation
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Maryland Department of Health. ID Requirements
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Maryland Department of Health. Locator
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Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Health-General 4-214 – Amendment of Certificate or Record
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Maryland Department of Health. Death Certificate Corrections
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Maryland Secretary of State. Certifications and Authentication
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Maryland State Archives. Certified Death Certificate Order Form