Idaho Death Records Online

The privacy laws surrounding Idaho death records are less restrictive than for with birth records, so you will be able to access any death record more than 50 years old with no relationship restrictions. For records more recent than that, you will have to be an immediate relative (that covers a spouse, sibling, parent, child, grandparent or grandchild).

The state has been recording death information since July 1911, though some counties have their own records that have earlier information than that. You will have to contact each county's own registrar's office to do that, with some records going back to the 1870s though the records from that far back are usually incomplete. Another source of older Idaho death records is the Idaho State Historical Society. They have a collection of microfilm archives for the years between 1911 and 1954.

In order to access the main vital records collection for the state, you will have to put in an application by mail. They don't have any counter service for these types of requests. The mailing address is the Idaho Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistic, PO Box 83720, Boise ID 83720-0036 USA. You have to send in the completed application form along with the relevant fee.

If you are requesting an Idaho death record that is newer than 50 years old, you will also have to include a clear photocopy of your identification. It must be government issued ID with a photo, such as a passport or a driver's license.

You can download the request form from the state office website (http://www.healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=UpAs24CKx1o%3d&tabid=82). It's the same form for many kinds of vital records requests, so make sure you are filling out the right spots for death records. Information required is the usual vital statistics for these sorts of requests, including the deceased's name, date of birth, date of death, and place of death.

The fee for an Idaho death record is currently $14 USD for a copy that is generated from their computer, and $19 for a photocopy of the actual document. Both are certified by the state. You can indicate which type of record you want on the form. Add an extra $5 if you want rush delivery. Normal delivery time will only be about a week as it is. If the record you want is not located, they will send you notice that it was not found. No refunds are issued.

You can also do online research for the years between 1911 and 1956. The Brigham Young University website (http://abish.byui.edu/specialCollections/famhist/Death/searchForm.cfm) has a searchable index of deaths for those years as part of their Special Collections and Family History.

Standard death records will contain information such as the full name of the deceased, their date of birth and death, their residence and possibly also their occupation and marital status. The specifics will depend on the county and year they died as not all records are identical, particularly the really old ones.

Idaho Death Certificates