How to Find Virginia Death Records

United States US Vital Records How to Find United States Deaths Virginia Vital Records Virginia Deaths

Statewide registration of deaths began in June 1912 in Virginia. The State and Counties have copies of these records.

Next Step: When did the death occur?	Choose a time period to search for your ancestor's death record: Deaths before 1853 Deaths from 1853 thru June 1912 Deaths from June 1912 to the Present I don't know when the death occurred

Learn more about U.S. Death Records

Deaths before 1853

Before 1853, no deaths were recorded by the county or state. You must search substitute records to locate your ancestor’s death date and place.

Records that give death information:
Cemetery Records Newspapers Probate (wills, etc) Tax Records	Church Records Census Bible Records

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Deaths from 1853 thru June 1912

In 1853, Virginia law required counties to record deaths, although records are incomplete. No deaths were recorded between 1896 and 1912.

If you cannot locate your ancestor in the databases below try searching for death information in other records.

For deaths that occurred during this time period, try the following databases. Try each link.

Virginia Deaths Databases - Includes Index Only
Try 1st:
	1853-1896 At Library of Virginia	Free; Virginia, Death Index, 1853-1896: dates vary by county; list of county coverage (scroll down)
Try 2nd:
	1853-1912 At FamilySearch.org	Free; Virginia Deaths and Burials, 1853-1912: dates vary by county; list of county coverage.
Try 3rd:
	1853-1917 at Ancestry.com	($); 1853-1917 Free at FamilySearch Centers and Libraries; Virginia, Deaths and Burials Index, 1853-1917: Find your local FamilySearch Center OR use your own Ancestry subscription.
Try 4th:
	1853-1896 at Ancestry.com	($); Free at FamilySearch Centers and Libraries; Virginia Deaths by county: Index to various county death records. Incomplete for all counties. Dates vary by county. Find your local FamilySearch Center OR use your own Ancestry subscription.
	Can't search the index listed above?	Try searching other records for death information.
Can't find your ancestor in the index?		Tips for searching indexes
No death record for your ancestor?		Other records with death information

Obtain the Record

Presently there are no death record images online. Death records from 1853 to 1896 are available on microfilm through the Family History Library and from the Library of Virginia.

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Deaths from June 1912 to the Present

The state of Virginia began recording deaths in June 1912. Records are housed at the Virginia Department of Health State Office and in the county where the death occurred.

For deaths that occurred during this time period, try the following database.

Virginia Deaths Databases
Try 1st:
	Virginia, Death Records, 1912-2014 at Ancestry.com	($) free access at family history centers. Index for all years, image for those older than 25 years, for other Death Certificates, see Obtain the Certificate
Try 2nd:
	United States Social Security Death Index, 1935-2017 at FamilySearch.org	Free; Index to the Social Security Death Index for the United States
or
	U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014 at Ancestry.com	($) free access at family history centers. Index to the Social Security Death Index for the United States
or
	U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry.com, incomplete	($) free access at family history centers. Provides more detail than Social Security Death Indexes
Can't search the index listed above?		Try searching other records for death information.
Can't find your ancestor in the index?		Tips for searching indexes
No death record for your ancestor?		Other records with death information

Obtain the Certificate

You can order a copy of the death record for a fee from the following locations:

To Order Death Certificates
From County of Death		From VA Dept. of Health State office
Pros	Cons	Pros	Cons
May be less expensive and faster than ordering from the state	County websites can be more difficult to use		May be more expensive than ordering from the county

Restrictions for persons who died within the last 25 years:
To obtain a copy of the death certificate for those who died within the last 25 years, you must be:

• The parent or grandparent of the person on the certificate
• The current spouse of the person on the certificate
• The child of the person on the certificate
• The sibling of the person on the certificate
• The legal guardian of the person on the certificate
• Anyone who has legal interest in the certificate

NOTE: A copy of the death record cannot be obtained by anyone except those listed above until 25 years have passed from the date of the death.

If you do not want to order the death record, there are other records with death information you can search.

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Related Wiki Articles

• How to Find United States Birth Records
• Learn more about U.S. Death Records
• United States Record Finder
• U.S. Vital Records Overview
• United States Vital Records
• Locating United States Vital Records
• United States Birth Records
• United States Marriage Records

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