In the District of Columbia, vital records, including death certificates are held by the Department of Health. The records may also be ordered online from a website which offers this type of information for a fee.
– Who Can Order D.C. Death Records
D.C. death records for events which occurred within the last 50 years may only be ordered by the deceased’s family members. Death records which are over 50 years old are part of the public record and may be ordered by anyone who would like to access this information.
District of Columbia Death Records
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Records which are less than 50 years old may be ordered by the following people:
- Deceased’s spouse
- Deceased’s parent
- Child of the deceased
- Brother or sister of the deceased
- Executor of the deceased’s estate or a personal representative
– ID Required to Order District of Columbia Death Records
All orders for a death certificate in D.C. must be accompanied by a copy of your valid photo ID. If you do not have government-issued photo ID, you will need to provide at least three documents which can establish your identity. The following documents may be used for this purpose:
- Employment ID card (with photo) and a pay stub or W-2
- University, college or school ID card (with photo), and a report card or other proof of current enrollment
- Social Security Card (signed)
- Vehicle Registration card (with current address)
- Voter’s Registration card
- US Selective Service card
- Federal tax form (filed, indicating current address and signature)
- Recent bank statement or utility bill (current address)
- Court documents indicating current address
- Department of Corrections identification card, along with probation or discharge documents
– Fee for Ordering D.C. Death Records
The fee for each copy of a District of Columbia death record is $18.00. The state accepts checks or money orders payable to “DC Treasurer.”