The paperwork · Oregon
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 Oregon, 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: $25.00 Additional copies of the same record ordered at the same time are $25.00 each. Short form death certificates without cause of death data available for the same fee. Information on how to obtain certified copies and current fees are available via the internet at the Oregon Health Authority website. To speak with an Oregon Vital Record operator please call 971-673-1190 Monday-Friday, 8:30 am-4:30 pm. The Oregon State Archives can provide non-certified copies of Death records that are more than 50 years old. The telephone number for the Oregon State Archives is (503) 373-0701. Information on how to obtain copies is also available via the internet at the Oregon State Archives website.
Mail requests to: Oregon Vital Records P.O. Box 14050 Portland, OR 97293-0050
State vital records office has death records starting from 1903. The City of Portland has death records from 1862 to 1902 and statewide death records from 1903 to 1955. Address: Oregon Vital Records P.O. Box 14050 Portland, OR 97293-0050 Address: Oregon State Archives 800 Summer Street, NE Salem, OR 97310
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 Oregon 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: $25.00 Additional copies of the same record ordered at the same time are $25.00 each. Short form death certificates without cause of death data available for the same fee. Information on how to obtain certified copies and current fees are available via the internet at the Oregon Health Authority website. To speak with an Oregon Vital Record operator please call 971-673-1190 Monday-Friday, 8:30 am-4:30 pm. The Oregon State Archives can provide non-certified copies of Death records that are more than 50 years old. The telephone number for the Oregon State Archives is (503) 373-0701. Information on how to obtain copies is also available via the internet at the Oregon State Archives website. 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 Oregon. 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 Oregon 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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