How to Get a Death Certificate in Virginia: Methods and Corrections

To get a death certificate in Virginia, submit an application to the Office of Vital Records with a copy of your photo ID and $12 per certified copy. You can apply by mail, online through VitalChek, or in person at the Richmond vital records office, a local health department, or a full-service DMV. Standard processing runs about two weeks; walk-in requests are typically handled the same day.

Who Can Request a Certified Copy

Virginia limits certified death certificates to people with a “direct and tangible interest” in the record. In practice, that covers:

The deceased’s parent, spouse, adult child, adult sibling, grandchild, or great-grandchild
An attorney for the deceased or the estate, a person holding power of attorney, a court-appointed guardian, or a court-appointed estate administrator
The licensed funeral director who handled arrangements
An insurance company that insured the deceased
A federal, state, or local agency acting on behalf of the deceased or their family

If you don’t fit one of those categories, you can still request a Verification of Death. It’s a limited document showing only the deceased’s name, date of death, place of death, date of birth, and the last four digits of their Social Security number. There’s no cause of death and no other detail, but it’s sometimes enough for a bank or agency. You still have to show a direct and tangible interest to receive one.¹

Requesting as a legal representative rather than a family member means bringing proof. An executor named in a will submits certified letters testamentary from the circuit court. A court-appointed administrator of an intestate estate submits certified letters of administration. An attorney provides documentation of representation, and a person with power of attorney submits a copy of the POA document. The application has a “Legal Representative” checkbox and tells you to attach proof.²

What to Gather Before You Apply

Virginia uses two application forms depending on where you file. Requests going to the Virginia Department of Health (mail, online, or walk-in) use form VS6D. Requests filed at a DMV customer service center use form DL 82. They ask for the same core information in slightly different layouts.

About the deceased, the form asks for:

Full legal name at the time of death
Date and place of death (city or county in Virginia)
Age at death
Sex
Hospital name, if the death occurred at one
Full names of both parents, including the mother’s or birth parent’s maiden name

About you, the form asks for your full name, mailing address, daytime phone number, and your relationship to the deceased. You also submit an enlarged, legible photocopy of a valid government-issued photo ID. A U.S. driver’s license or state-issued photo ID works, either current or expired for no more than one year.²

Ordering online through VitalChek is different. Instead of a photocopied ID, the system runs electronic identity verification through LexisNexis, and you answer personal verification questions at checkout.

The Four Ways to Submit

By Mail

Download form VS6D from the Virginia Department of Health website. Include a legible photocopy of your ID and a check or money order payable to “The State Health Department.” Send everything to:³

Office of Vital Records
P.O. Box 1000
Richmond, VA 23218-1000

Standard processing is about two weeks from the date the office receives your request. High-volume periods can add time.⁴

Online Through VitalChek

Virginia contracts with VitalChek for online orders. It’s the fastest option if you can’t visit in person, with delivery typically in two to five days, but it costs more. You pay $20.80 per certified record plus a non-refundable $12.70 VitalChek service fee. The fastest shipping (UPS Air) adds another $19.50. A single expedited copy runs about $53, compared with $12 by mail.⁵

In Person at the Office of Vital Records

Walk-in requests go to the Office of Vital Records at 8701 Park Central Drive, Suite 100, Richmond, VA 23227. The lobby is open Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and requests are usually processed the same day. You can pay by check, money order, credit or debit card, mobile pay, or cash.⁴

At a Local Health Department or DMV

Any local health department in Virginia and any full-service DMV customer service center will also accept requests. At DMV locations, use form DL 82 instead of VS6D. This is often the most convenient option if you don’t live near Richmond, though processing times vary by location.³

Fees and How Many Copies to Order

A certified copy costs $12, whether it’s a full certified copy or a Verification of Death. There are no volume discounts, and Virginia does not refund the fee if no matching record is found. The fee pays for the search.⁴

For mail requests, make your check or money order payable to “The State Health Department.” Walk-in customers in Richmond can pay by check, money order, credit or debit card, mobile pay, or cash. VitalChek orders require a major credit card and carry the added service and shipping fees noted above.³

Order all the copies you need at once. Banks, insurance companies, and government agencies commonly require an original certified copy rather than a photocopy, and people settling an estate often need three to five copies moving through different institutions in parallel.

Correcting Errors on a Death Certificate

Mistakes on death certificates are common, especially with spellings, dates of birth, and demographic details. Virginia has two correction pathways depending on timing.

Within 45 days of the original filing, the State Registrar can amend the certificate on receipt of a sworn affidavit and supporting evidence. That’s the simpler route and handles most corrections that surface soon after a death.⁶

After 45 days, corrections to factual details like spelling of names, sex, age, date of birth, Social Security number, or place of death can still go through the State Registrar with an affidavit and documentation. Changes beyond that list require a petition in the circuit court in the jurisdiction where the deceased lived, or in the Circuit Court of the City of Richmond. Only surviving spouses, immediate family, the attending funeral service licensee, or the original reporting source can file those petitions.⁶

Virginia charges a $10 administration fee for amendments. If you also want a corrected certified copy, the total is $22: the $10 amendment fee plus the standard $12 copy fee.³

Using a Virginia Death Certificate Abroad

To present a Virginia death certificate to authorities in another country, you’ll usually need an apostille or an authentication certificate attached. Which one depends on the destination.

Countries in the Hague Apostille Convention (most of Europe, much of South America, many Asian countries) require an apostille from the Virginia Secretary of the Commonwealth. The fee is $10 per document. Submit by mail to the Authentication Division at 1111 East Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219 (USPS) or 400 East Cary Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219 (FedEx, UPS, or DHL). Include a cover letter, payment to “Secretary of the Commonwealth,” and a self-addressed stamped return mailer.⁷

Countries not in the Hague Convention require a federal authentication certificate instead. That process goes through the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Authentications using Form DS-4194. Walk-in drop-offs are accepted Monday through Thursday from 7:30 to 9:00 a.m.⁸

1
Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Administrative Code 12VAC5-550-470 – Individual Requests
2
Commonwealth of Virginia. Application for Certification of a Death Record
3
Virginia Department of Health. Frequently Asked Questions
4
Virginia Department of Health. Office of Vital Records
5
Virginia Department of Health. Express Delivery through the VitalChek Network
6
Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 32.1-269.1 – Amending Death Certificates
7
Secretary of the Commonwealth. How to Submit
8
U.S. Department of State. Authenticate Your Document