To get a Virginia death certificate, you submit an application to the Virginia Department of Health’s Office of Vital Records, show a valid ID, and pay $12 for each certified copy. For the first 25 years after a death, only immediate family and certain legal representatives can order one. After that, the record is public.
Who Can Order a Certificate
Virginia law closes death records for 25 years. During that window, the Office of Vital Records can only release a certified copy to people the statute or Board of Health regulations specifically authorize.1Virginia Code Commission. Code of Virginia 32.1-271 – Disclosure of Information in Records
Immediate family, for this purpose, means the deceased person’s current spouse, adult children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, mother, father (if his name appears on the certificate), and adult siblings.
Legal representatives who can order a certificate include the deceased person’s attorney, someone holding power of attorney, an insurance company that insured the deceased, a federal or state agency acting on behalf of the family, and a court-appointed guardian or estate administrator.2Virginia Department of Health. Vital Records – Birth, Death, Marriage and Divorce Certificates
Once 25 years have passed since the date of death, the record is public and anyone can request it, unless a court order or law enforcement request blocks release.1Virginia Code Commission. Code of Virginia 32.1-271 – Disclosure of Information in Records If you don’t fit any of the eligible categories but have a legitimate reason to need the record, you can petition a Virginia circuit court for an order directing the office to release it.
What You Need to Apply
Fill out the Application for Certification of a Death Record (Form VS6D), which you can download from the Virginia Department of Health website. You’ll need the decedent’s full legal name, date of death, and the county or city where the death occurred. The decedent’s Social Security number is optional but helps staff locate the file faster.
The form also asks for your relationship to the deceased and your reason for the request. Settling an estate, filing a life insurance claim, and applying for survivor benefits are typical reasons. Complete every field. Incomplete applications get held up or sent back.
Acceptable ID
Bring a valid government-issued photo ID such as a Virginia driver’s license, state ID card, or U.S. passport. If you don’t have current photo ID, Virginia accepts two secondary documents instead, drawn from a broad list that includes a voter registration card, a health insurance card, military discharge papers, a utility bill from the past six months, or a driver’s license or passport that expired within the last five years.3Virginia Department of Health. ID Requirements The full list is posted on the VDH site; check it before you go if you’re unsure about what you have.
Three Ways to Order
In Person
Any Virginia DMV customer service center will process a death certificate request and hand you the certified copy the same day.4Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Vital Records at DMV Local health departments across the Commonwealth also take requests in person. This is the fastest route.
By Mail
Send your completed Form VS6D, a copy of your ID, and your payment to:
Office of Vital Records
P.O. Box 1000
Richmond, VA 23218-1000
Pay by check or money order made out to the State Health Department.5Virginia Department of Health. Contact Us – Vital Records Current processing runs about eight business days from the date the office receives a complete package.6Virginia Department of Health. Online Application for a Vital Record Include a self-addressed stamped envelope for the return.
Online
Virginia uses VitalChek Network, Inc. for expedited online orders. VitalChek typically delivers a certified copy in roughly two to five days after you clear identity verification.7Virginia Department of Health. Express Delivery Through the VitalChek Network The VDH also offers its own standard online application, with normal processing of about two weeks.8Virginia Department of Health. Office of Vital Records
What It Costs
A certified copy costs $12, whether you order in person, by mail, or through the VDH’s own online application.8Virginia Department of Health. Office of Vital Records In-person locations take checks, money orders, credit and debit cards, mobile payment, and cash.
Ordering through VitalChek costs more. The certificate itself is $20.80, plus a nonrefundable $12.70 service fee. Shipping is extra: UPS Next Day Air is $19.50, UPS 2nd Day Air is $18.00, and regular U.S. mail is free.7Virginia Department of Health. Express Delivery Through the VitalChek Network A VitalChek order with overnight shipping can run over $50, versus $12 at a DMV counter. You’re paying for speed.
Fixing an Error on a Certificate
If a certificate has a mistake in the name, date, cause of death, or any other field, you can request an amendment through the Office of Vital Records. Submit a written request explaining what needs to change and include supporting documentation. Mail it to the Office of Vital Records in Richmond at the P.O. Box 1000 address, attention Special Services Department.
The amendment fee is $10. If you want a corrected certified copy issued with the amendment, the combined cost is $22 ($10 to amend, plus $12 for the new certificate).9Virginia Department of Health. Frequently Asked Questions – Vital Records You can also start an amendment through the VDH’s online system. Staff will review your request and contact you if they need more information to complete the correction.
Older Records for Genealogy
Because the 25-year restriction drops away, older Virginia death records are open to anyone. The Library of Virginia holds death registers on microfilm from 1853 to 1896, death certificates from 1912 to 1939, and some city records covering 1897 to 1911.10Library of Virginia. Birth, Marriage, and Death Records (1853-Present) Home The microfilm is available through interlibrary loan, so you don’t have to travel to Richmond.
For digital access, Virginia residents can search collections through Ancestry for Virginians, free through the Library of Virginia’s partnership with Ancestry.com. FamilySearch hosts some 19th- and 20th-century Virginia death records as well, with a free account.10Library of Virginia. Birth, Marriage, and Death Records (1853-Present) Home Library staff cannot search records for you, so plan to do the research yourself.
For a certified copy of any Virginia death record from 1853 to 1896 or 1912 to the present, you still order through the Office of Vital Records, not the Library.