In New York City, certified death certificates are issued by NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Office of Vital Records (Bureau of Vital Statistics). The state fee is $15 for the first certified copy and the same for each additional copy.
Here is who can order a certified copy, how to order it, and how long it takes, taken from the office’s own pages. Fees and times change, so check the office’s page before you pay.
How much a death certificate costs in New York City
| Item | State fee |
|---|---|
| First certified copy | $15 |
| Each additional copy | $15 |
'Each certificate costs $15, along with the processing fees': online (VitalChek) $9.30 processing fee; premium mail $7.50; in person $2.75; non-premium mail has no processing fee. $3 for each extra year searched. UPS Express delivery +$21.
Who can order a certified copy
Death certificate plus cause of death: spouse or domestic partner, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, and the person in control of disposition; Death certificate only (no cause of death): niece, nephew, aunt, uncle, great-grandchild, great-great-grandchild, grandniece, grandnephew; Attorneys retained by an entitled party (not paralegals or couriers); Anyone else must document their right to the certificate; Online orders: only spouses, domestic partners, parents, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, or the person in charge of the disposition (informant).
How to order
- Online (official vendor: VitalChek)
- In person
Single city office at 125 Worth Street, Manhattan, by appointment only, Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
How long it takes
NYC fees and processing page: online 'Two to three weeks (delivery by regular mail can take an additional two weeks)'; premium mail 'Approximately two to three weeks'; non-premium mail '8 to 12 week processing time'. Allow two more weeks for deaths from 1951 to 1970.
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The funeral home’s role
NYC Health: 'When a funeral home is involved, the quickest way to get a death certificate is to order it from the funeral director who made the funeral arrangements. The funeral director can order death certificates for you up to one year after the death.'.
Mail applications must be signed in front of a notary. If the cause of death shows 'pending', the certificate can be exchanged within 90 days of issue without paying the $15 again. VitalChek is 'the only vendor authorized' by the NYC Health Department.
How many copies to order
Most banks, insurers, pension plans and government agencies each want their own certified copy. Count the accounts and policies before you order, because ordering more later means another application and fee. How many death certificates you need has a worksheet.
Who decides the funeral in New York
State law sets who has the right to make funeral arrangements. See who has the right to make funeral decisions in New York.
New York City’s Human Resources Administration pays up to $1,700 toward the funeral bill of a low-income New York City resident; the application is due within 120 days of the death (NYC HRA, Burial Assistance).
Related guides
- What to do when someone dies: the first 24 hours
- Who to call when someone dies, and in what order
- How much a funeral costs, line by line
- Help paying for a funeral: Social Security, VA and FEMA
- Official funeral resources for every state
Sources
- NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Office of Vital Records (Bureau of Vital Statistics)
- CDC: Where to Write for Vital Records (New York City)
- NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Office of Vital Records (Bureau of Vital Statistics)
- NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Office of Vital Records (Bureau of Vital Statistics) (PDF)
Checked 2026-09-24. General information, not legal advice.