Massachusetts Death Certificate: Ordering, Uses, and Corrections

To get a Massachusetts death certificate, you order a certified copy from the state Registry of Vital Records and Statistics (RVRS) or from the clerk in the city or town where the death was filed. Fees run from $20 for an in-person copy at the state registry to $54 for the first copy ordered online, and turnaround ranges from same-day to about six weeks depending on the channel you pick.¹ Death records in Massachusetts are unrestricted, so any member of the public can request one.²

What You Need Before You Order

Have the decedent’s full name, the date of death, and the place of death ready. You’ll also need a valid photo ID such as a driver’s license or another government-issued ID.² The Social Security number that appears on the certificate is restricted; access is limited to individuals with a “legitimate need” as defined by the Department of Public Health.³

The RVRS holds records from 1936 to the present.⁴ If the death happened before 1936, see the older-records section below.

Ordering From the State Registry

The RVRS offers three ordering channels, each with its own price and speed.

In Person

Walk into the RVRS public counter at 150 Mount Vernon Street in Dorchester and copies are typically processed the same day. The fee is $20 per copy, payable by cash, check, or money order.¹

Online or by Phone

The state uses VitalChek as its authorized online vendor. The first copy is $54, which includes a $12 processing fee, and each additional copy is $42. Standard orders ship within 7 to 10 business days, with next-day expedited service available.¹

By Mail

Mail requests cost $32 per copy, payable by check or money order, and the registry processes them within 30 business days of receipt.²

Ordering From the City or Town Clerk

You can also order directly from the clerk in the municipality where the death was filed. Municipal fees are typically lower than the state registry’s prices, and an in-person visit can be the fastest route for local residents. Fees and accepted payment methods vary, so call the specific clerk’s office before you go.

How Many Copies to Order

Most families settling an estate need between five and ten certified copies. Each institution that requires proof of death generally wants its own copy with a raised seal, and many claims move on overlapping timelines, so ordering too few upfront usually costs more in reorder fees and delays than buying extras from the start. If the decedent owned real estate, held retirement accounts, or carried more than one insurance policy, lean toward the higher end.

What You’ll Use the Death Certificate For

A certified death certificate is the document that unlocks nearly every step of closing out someone’s affairs. Without it, institutions will not release funds, close accounts, or transfer ownership.

Probate

Filing for probate in the Massachusetts Probate and Family Court requires a certified copy, whether the proceeding is formal or informal. If the certificate isn’t yet available, the court will accept an affidavit, but you’ll still need to submit the certificate once it’s issued.⁵ The personal representative also needs copies to manage estate assets, pay debts, and distribute property.

Life Insurance, Banks, and Financial Accounts

Life insurance companies require a certified copy before paying benefits. Banks, brokerages, retirement plan administrators, credit card companies, and other creditors each run their own verification and each want their own original. Photocopies won’t substitute.

Social Security

Deaths must be reported to the Social Security Administration so payments stop. The funeral director usually makes the initial report, but the SSA will need the death certificate to finish processing.⁶ Surviving spouses and minor children may qualify for survivor benefits, and the one-time lump-sum death payment of $255 also requires a certificate.⁷

Vehicle Title Transfers

Transferring a vehicle the decedent owned means a trip to an RMV Service Center. A surviving spouse submits the death certificate along with an Affidavit of Surviving Spouse and the decedent’s certificate of title. A personal representative or court-appointed representative can also handle the transfer.⁸

Veterans’ Burial Benefits

If the decedent was a veteran, survivors can apply for VA burial and plot allowances using VA Form 21P-530EZ. A non-service-connected burial allowance claim must be filed within two years of the burial or cremation. There is no time limit for service-connected burial allowances, plot or interment allowances, or claims based on a VA-hospitalization death.⁹

Contracts and Recurring Bills

Utility companies, landlords, subscription services, and cellphone carriers all require proof of death to cancel or transfer accounts. Certified copies stop recurring charges against the estate.

Digital Accounts: A Boundary

A death certificate is often not enough to get into the decedent’s email, social media, or cloud storage. Massachusetts has not adopted the Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act, so no state statute grants a personal representative automatic access. Most platforms will release data only if the user set up a legacy contact in advance or if you obtain a court order. If the decedent used Google’s Inactive Account Manager, for example, the designated contact needs both the access key and a copy of the death certificate.

Records Before 1936

For deaths that occurred between 1841 and 1935, the Massachusetts Archives holds the records. Digital copies for 1841 through 1930 are free on FamilySearch.org. Certified copies from the Archives cost $3 each and take four to six weeks.¹⁰

Statewide collection did not begin until 1841. For anything earlier, contact the clerk in the city or town where the death occurred.¹⁰

Correcting an Error on the Certificate

Mistakes happen, and catching them early matters. A misspelled name or a wrong date of birth can stall insurance claims, probate filings, and property transfers. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 46, Section 13 governs corrections.¹¹

You file an affidavit with either the local clerk where the death occurred or the state registrar. The affidavit must include the corrected information and documentary evidence supporting the change beyond a reasonable doubt, such as a birth certificate or marriage license.¹²

Not everyone can request an amendment to a death record. The law limits requests to the surviving spouse, next of kin, the informant listed on the record, or the funeral director (or person in charge of the funeral home) who originally filed it.¹¹ The registry charges a separate amendment fee, and that fee does not include a copy of the corrected certificate. Order the corrected copy separately.

Using a Massachusetts Death Certificate in Another Country

If the certificate has to be recognized outside the United States, you’ll likely need an apostille (for countries in the 1961 Hague Convention) or an authentication certificate (for non-member countries).¹³

Because a death certificate is a state vital record, the apostille comes from the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth’s Commissions Section, not the federal government. The fee is $6 per document. You can submit in person at One Ashburton Place in Boston, where up to three documents are processed while you wait, or by mail, which takes two to three weeks. Mail requests must include a check payable to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and a prepaid return envelope.¹⁴ The certificate must carry the original signature of the Registrar of Vital Records; photocopied signatures aren’t accepted.

1
Mass.gov. Vital Records Service Fees
2
Mass.gov. Order a Birth, Marriage, or Death Certificate
3
General Court of Massachusetts. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 46 Section 1
4
Mass.gov. Registry of Vital Records and Statistics
5
Mass.gov. Instructions for Formal Probate With or Without a Will (MPC 963)
6
USAGov. Report the Death of a Social Security or Medicare Beneficiary
7
Social Security Administration. Lump-Sum Death Payment
8
Mass.gov. Surviving Spouse/Heirship/Inheritance
9
Department of Veterans Affairs. Notice of Evidence Necessary to Substantiate a Claim for Burial Benefits
10
Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth. Researching Vital Records at the Massachusetts Archives
11
General Court of Massachusetts. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 46 Section 13 – Correction of Records
12
Mass.gov. Massachusetts Code 46 13 – Correction of Records
13
USAGov. Authenticate an Official Document for Use Outside the U.S.
14
Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth. Apostilles and Certifications