New York Death Records

To begin, add a death record or view a list of locations and resources for New York death records.

New York death records are as important as those from any other state, but they can be a bit more complicated to find. The major obstacle in finding New York death records is New York City. Whereas most other states file their records with a single agency, the size of New York City necessitates that it keep its own records separate from those of the state.

While records requests for New York City should be referred to the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, records regarding the rest of the state are kept by the Vital Records Section of the New York State Department of Health. This dual system also makes it hard to determine how far back coverage extends, although all records stretch back to at least 1900, with most dating back to the 1880s.

Requests for records can be filed through the mail, but they may take several months to be processed. For those needing fast results and a solution to the maze of different record holding agencies, one easy solution is to use an online public records search to check multiple databases at essentially the same time.

To receive a death record fill out the New York Death Records Certificate Mail-in Form. Mail your application to: