The paperwork · Colorado
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 Colorado, 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: $20.00
Mail requests to: Vital Records Section Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment 4300 Cherry Creek Drive South HSVRD-VS-A1 Denver, CO 80246-1530
State office has death records since 1900. Additional copies of the same record ordered at the same time are $13.00 each. Personal check or money order should be made payable to Vital Records Section. To verify current fees, the telephone number is (303) 692-2200. This will be a recorded message. Information on how to obtain certified copies is also available via the internet at Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Certificates and Vital Records website. A request for a death record must be accompanied by a photo copy of the requestor’s identification before processing.
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Certificates and Vital Records website
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 Colorado 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: $20.00 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 Colorado. 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 Colorado vital records listing and can change; confirm with the office before you send payment.
Verified against official sources
Reviewed by the Final Steps Help research team.
Last verified via official source.
See something outdated? Tell us and we will fix it.
Every step for the first two weeks, personalized to where you are, with the exact numbers to call. Three short emails, then nothing else, ever. No signup, no card, and we will never call you.
More help nearby