The paperwork · Alabama
Almost everything that comes after a death, from the bank to the life insurance company, asks for a certified copy. Here is what a copy costs in Alabama, where to order it, and how many to get.
Order about 10 certified copies at the start. It costs less to buy them together than to come back for more later, and nearly every office will want an original, not a photocopy.
From the state vital records office
Cost of a certified copy: $15.00
Mail requests to: Alabama Center for Health Statistics Alabama Department of Public Health P.O. Box 5625 Montgomery, AL 36103-5625
State office has records since January 1908. Death records less than 25 years old are restricted. Additional copies of the same record ordered at the same time are $6.00 each. Personal check or money order should be made payable to Center for Health Statistics. Please do not send cash. Written applications and requests must include the applicant’s signature, the correct fee, and if the death is less than 25 years old, the relationship to the person named on the death record and a photocopy of a valid form of the applicant’s identification (usually a driver’s license). To print an application and find more information on requesting certified copies, restrictions, identification requirements and current fees, please visit the Alabama Department of Public Health, Vital Records website, or call (334) 206-5418. This is a recorded message with an option to speak to a customer service representative.
If the family cannot afford a funeral, call the county burial assistance program before signing anything with a funeral home. Find your county on the Alabama help page, and see what else is owed to you in the first 48 hours checklist.
Questions families ask
The state vital records office lists the cost of a certified copy as: $15.00 Fees can change, so confirm on the official site before you send payment.
Most families need about 10. Banks, life insurance, Social Security, the vehicle title office, retirement accounts, and property transfers each tend to want an original certified copy, and many will not accept a photocopy.
Yes. Funeral homes file the death record for you and can usually order certified copies at the same time. If you are using a county burial program instead, ask the caseworker how copies are ordered.
Eligibility rules are set by Alabama. Spouses, children, parents, and the executor named in the will are commonly eligible, and you may be asked for photo ID and proof of your relationship. The state office confirms the exact rules.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Costs and rules come from the official Alabama vital records listing and can change; confirm with the office before you send payment.
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Reviewed by the Final Steps Help research team.
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