The paperwork · Massachusetts
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 Massachusetts, 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: In person: $20.00 Mail request: $32.00 State Archives: $3.00
Mail requests to: Registry of Vital Records and Statistics 150 Mount Vernon Street 1st Floor Dorchester, MA 02125-3105
State office has birth records from 1931 to the current year, all years prior are located at the State Archives. For earlier records, write to The Massachusetts Archives at Columbia Point, 220 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, MA 02125 (617) 727-2816. Personal check or money order should be made payable to Commonwealth of Massachusetts. To verify current fees, the telephone number is (617) 740-2600. This will be a recorded message. Information on how to obtain certified copies is also available at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Registry of Vital Records and Statistics website.
Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Registry of Vital Records and Statistics 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 Massachusetts 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: In person: $20.00 Mail request: $32.00 State Archives: $3.00 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 Massachusetts. 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 Massachusetts 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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