Iowa Death Records

Iowa death records are available from the Department of Public Health as well as from local registrars in County recorder offices. All another option for obtaining Iowa death records is to go online and place an order with a website which is linked to an online database and can provide this information for a fee.

---

Who Can Order Iowa Death Records

Iowa death records may only be ordered by people entitled to receive this information by law. The following people are included in this category:

• – Deceased’s spouse
• – Children of the deceased
• – Deceased’s parents and grandparents
• – Deceased’s grandchildren
• – Legal guardian of the deceased

 

A legal representative acting on behalf of the deceased’s estate may also order an Iowa death record. A person acting in his capacity who wishes to order a record, as well as the deceased’s siblings, will need to provide additional documentation to prove their relationship to the person who has passed away before the information will be released.

---

Fee for Ordering Iowa Death Records

The fee to order Iowa death records is $15.00 per copy. This amount is payable in advance and is non-refundable if no record can be found.

The search fee may be paid by check or money order made payable to, “Iowa Department of Public Health.” In-person orders may be paid in cash. Along with the required fee, applications for Iowa death records must also include a copy of the applicant’s government-issued photo ID. Records ordered in person may be picked up in two business days or forwarded by mail.

---

Order Iowa Death Records in Person

Records can be ordered in person Monday-Friday between the hours of 7 a.m.-4:45 p.m. at:

Iowa Department of Public Health
Bureau of Health Statistics
Lucas State Office Building, 1st Floor
Des Moines, Iowa

---

Order Iowa Death Records by Mail

To place an order by mail, send the request, the required search fee and a copy of your government-issued photo ID to:

Iowa Department of Public Health
Bureau of Health Statistics
Lucas State Office Building, 1st Floor
Des Moines, Iowa 50319-0075

Requests for vital records received by mail must include the applicant’s relationship to the deceased and why the information is being requested. These orders may take 30-45 days to fill, depending on the number of requests to be filled and the postal service.

---

Order Iowa Death Records Online or by Phone

The state does not accept online or phone orders for death records directly. Instead, it has entered into a service agreement with an independent company to process payments made by credit card. An additional fee is charged for this service, and major credit cards are accepted (American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa). Requests made for vital records using these methods may take between seven and 21 days to process.

If you want to place an order for Iowa death records but don’t want to wait up to several weeks to receive the information, keep in mind that you have the option of visiting a website which can deliver it to you promptly for a fee.