This midwestern state was settled much later than most others, with Europeans not arriving until 1848. About 20 years later, they become the 37th state in the United States.
There are some privacy rules surrounding the acquisition of a Nebraska death record but they are not too strict and you shouldn't have that much difficulty finding what you need.
Recent records (within 50 years) are held confidential and can only be requested if you are the child, parent or spouse of the deceased person on the record. They will also be released if you are acting in an official capacity and require the death record for some kind of legal proceeding.
Nebraska death records date generally back to 1904, though some counties have their own registrations that can go back as far as the 1870s. For pre-1904 records, you will have to contact the registrar's office for the county where the death occurred. For all other records, you can make your request through the central Vital Records office in Lincoln.
You can visit the office in person to drop off your request forms, at the DHHS office at Suite 130, 1033 O Street, Gold's Galleria. They are open for counter service during regular business hours, Money to Friday. Otherwise, you'll have to mail it to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, Vital Records, PO Box 95065, Lincoln NE, 68509-5065 USA.
The forms themselves are at the Health and Human Services website (http://www.hhs.state.ne.us/ced/death.pdf) where they can be filled out and printed. The form is fairly simple and straight-forward, asking for details about the deceased as well as contact information for yourself. Identify the Nebraska death record you are seeking by the person's full name, place and date of death (as close as you know), and their parent's or spouse's names as well. If you do not supply enough information to locate the death certificate, you won't get your fees refunded so be as accurate as you can.
You will have to also include a clear photocopy of your own ID, regardless of whether you are asking for recent records or 50+ year ones. For more recent ones, you will also have to add in documentation showing your immediate relationship with the deceased.
Next to be added is the fee. Search fees are not refundable, as mentioned above and it can change without notice so double-check on the form itself before completing your application package. Currently it will cost you $11 USD to have a Nebraska death record retrieved. and additional copies will cost the same each. They don't take orders with credit cards, so you will have to include a check or money order that has been made out to Vital Records.
You can also look for older death records through the Nebraska State Historical Society (http://www.nebraskahistory.org/). They have a number of archived documents in their collection, many with indexes that can be searched online. Church and cemetery records are of particular importance when searching for death information.
If you are interested in making a request for Nebraska death certificates, the steps are as follows:
Step 1.
To request a Nebraska death certificate, you will need to fully complete a Nebraska Death Certificate application.
Step 2.
A copy of your government-issued, photo ID will need to accompany your request. Make sure that the copy is large enough and legible enough that all of the information can be read.
Step 3.
Once you have obtained a copy of your ID and completed the application, you can mail them to the Vital Records office. You will need to include a check or money order for the $11 fee with all requests.
For more information on accessing Nebraska birth records, you can contact the Department below:
Nebraska Department of Health
Vital Records
P.O. Box 95065
Lincoln, NE 68509-5065
(402) 471-2871
Ordering Nebraska Death Records
If you fall under the definition of proper purpose and need a copy of Nebraska death records, then you can contact the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. Nebraska death records since 1904 are available through the department.
Ordering Options
There are two main ways that you can order Nebraska death records: by person and by mail. You will need a copy of your government-issued photo ID for all requests.
Who Has Proper Purpose?
In order to request Nebraska death records, you must be able to prove proper purpose. Generally speaking, the only persons authorized to request Nebraska death records are a spouse, parent, next of kin, or a legal representative. Appropriate documentation is needed to process all requests.
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