Are Death Certificates Public Record in PA? The 50-Year Rule

Death certificates in Pennsylvania are not fully public records. For the first 50 years after a person dies, the certificate is confidential, and only certain family members and people with a direct interest in the record can order a certified copy. After 50 years, the record moves to the Pennsylvania State Archives and becomes available to anyone.¹

The 50-Year Rule

Pennsylvania’s Vital Statistics Law keeps death certificates under the Department of Health for 50 years from the date of death. During that window, the state treats them as confidential rather than open records, and the Department will deny requests from people who don’t fit its list of eligible applicants.¹

Once the 50 years pass, the records transfer to the Pennsylvania State Archives. Digitized versions are available through Ancestry.com, and Pennsylvania residents can use the Ancestry.com Pennsylvania collection for free through a partnership with the State Archives. That’s the route for genealogy work and for any death certificate old enough to have cleared the restriction.¹

Who Can Request a Death Certificate Less Than 50 Years Old

You have to be at least 18 and fit one of the categories the Department of Health recognizes. The list is broader than many people expect, but it isn’t open-ended.²

Spouse or ex-spouse. An ex-spouse must show a direct interest in the record.
Parent or step-parent. A step-parent needs the marriage certificate linking them to the deceased’s biological parent.
Children and stepchildren. Stepchildren must also provide that marriage certificate.
Siblings and half-siblings.
Grandparents, great-grandparents, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
A person holding power of attorney.
An attorney or the legal representative of the estate, with supporting documentation such as letters testamentary or letters of administration.
Anyone with a direct financial interest, including beneficiaries named in a will or on a life insurance policy, with documentation of that interest.
A government agency handling the estate, with an official letter.
Other extended family, who should expect to provide additional documentation.

If you don’t fit one of these categories, the application will be denied. The state cites the sensitivity of the information on the certificate, which includes the Social Security number and, on the medical version, cause and manner of death.

Two versions are issued. The copy “with medical information” includes cause and manner of death and is the version insurers, attorneys, and courts usually want. The copy “without medical information” works for routine tasks like closing bank accounts, ending utility service, or transferring a title. If you’re unsure, the version with medical information covers every use.²

What You’ll Need to Apply

Gather the deceased’s full legal name, date of death, Social Security number, and county of death before you start. The name and date are required; the Social Security number and county help the Department locate the record faster. You’ll also state your reason for the request, such as settling an estate or filing an insurance claim.³

Every applicant must present unexpired, government-issued photo ID. If you’re asking for the copy to be mailed, the ID has to show your current address. The Application for a Death Certificate is a downloadable PDF on the Department of Health website.²

How to Submit and How Long It Takes

Three options are available, and none is meaningfully faster than the others right now.

Online through VitalChek, the state’s only approved online vendor, at mycertificates.health.pa.gov. Payment is by credit card and the order can be tracked electronically.²
By mail to the Division of Vital Records, Death Certificate Processing Unit, PO Box 1528, New Castle, PA 16103, with a copy of your photo ID.³
In person at various state offices, with your completed application and valid ID.

Online and mailed applications currently take about three weeks to process. Once the Department verifies the application and payment, the certified copy is mailed to the address on your application.⁴

Each certified copy is $20. Ordering online through VitalChek adds a $10 service fee, for a total of $30 per copy.²

Veterans’ Fee Waiver

Veterans discharged under conditions other than dishonorable can receive up to 10 free copies. The waiver also applies to the spouse or surviving spouse of an eligible veteran, and it covers certificates for the veteran, their spouse, and dependent children. Documentation of military status has to be submitted with the application.⁵

1
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Birth and Death Certificates – Genealogy at the State Library of Pennsylvania
2
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Request a Death Certificate
3
Pennsylvania Department of Health. Death Certificates
4
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Processing Times – Vital Records
5
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. More Veterans Now Eligible for Free Birth and Death Certificates