The paperwork · New Hampshire
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 New Hampshire, 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; Additional copies ordered at the same time are $10.00 each.
Mail requests to: Division of Vital Records Administration Archives & Records Building 9 Ratification Way Concord, NH 03301-2455
State office has records since 1654. Copies of records may be obtained from State office or from City or Town Clerk in place where death occurred. Records (death since 1965) may be obtained from ANY City or Town running the Vital Records Automated software called NHVRIN _plus_. Applicant must submit a written request and a photo ID with signature of the requestor or notarized assignment of access from registrant authorizing non-direct or tangibly related individual access and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Personal check or money order should be made payable to Treasurer, State of New Hampshire. To verify current fees, the telephone number is (603) 271-4651. This will be a recorded message. Information on how to obtain certified copies is also available via the New Hampshire, Department of State, Division of Vital Records Administration website.
New Hampshire, Department of State, Division of Vital Records Administration 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 New Hampshire 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; Additional copies ordered at the same time are $10.00 each. 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 New Hampshire. 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 New Hampshire 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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