Death Certificates

A Certified Death Certificate is necessary before anything can be done.  A death certificate can be obtained through a Funeral Director.  It is a good idea to obtain multiple copies of a death certificate as most agencies require a certified certificate and not a photocopy.


Where To Obtain a Certified Copy of Death

  • Local Registrar of Municipality Where Death Occurred
  • State Registrar Where Death Occurred

NEW JERSEY

The State Registrar or a local registrar may only issue a certified copy of a death record to a person who satisfied the following requirements:

  1. The person is able to identify the record;
  2. The person provides, at a minimum, all of the information requested on the Vital Statistics and Registration form entitled "Application for a Certification or a Certified Copy of a Vital Record," available from the Department upon request by calling (609) 292-4087 and at http://nj.gov/health/vital/vital.shtml; and
  3. The person produces documentation verifying that he or she is:
  • The parent of the subject of the death record
  • The subject's legal guardian or legal representative
  • The subject's spouse or domestic partner
  • The subject's child, grandchild or sibling, if of legal age
  • A State or Federal agency requesting the record for official purposes
  • A person requesting the record pursuant to a court order 
  • A person requesting the record under emergent circumstances, as determined on a case-by-case basis by the Commissioner.