How to Find a Cause of Death in Alabama (2026)

To find someone's cause of death in Alabama, look at the death certificate, where a physician, county medical examiner, or coroner certifies the cause. That record is restricted for 25 years and released only to eligible relatives or legal representatives, while the autopsy report from the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences is a public record.

How Do You Find Someone's Cause of Death in Alabama?

You find a cause of death in Alabama by reading the death certificate or the autopsy report. The certificate carries a medical certification line stating the immediate cause of death, while a full autopsy report describes the cause and manner in detail.

If you are an eligible family member or legal representative, you can order a certified death certificate from the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) Center for Health Statistics. The cause of death is printed on that certified copy.

When the death was sudden, violent, or unexplained, the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences (ADFS) likely performed an autopsy. The ADFS report is a public record, so any person may request it once the investigation is closed.

For everyday situations, families also learn the cause from an obituary, a newspaper account, the hospital or hospice, or the funeral home that filed the certificate.

Is the Cause of Death Public in Alabama?

Partly. The death certificate that carries the cause of death is not fully public for 25 years, but the separate autopsy report usually is.

Alabama is a closed-record state. Under Alabama Code Section 22-9A-21, a death certificate is a confidential record for 25 years from the date of death, so the cause it lists is released only to eligible requesters during that window, as the Alabama Department of Public Health confirms. This matches our parent guide on Alabama death records.

After 25 years have passed, the statute makes the record a nonrestricted public record, and any person may obtain a copy along with the cause of death it shows.

The autopsy report follows a different rule. Under Alabama Code Section 36-18-2, reproductions of ADFS investigation reports are public records open to inspection, so the autopsy cause of death is generally available to anyone once the case is complete. The Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences handles these requests. For the national picture, see Are Cause of Death Records Public?.

Where the Cause of Death Is Recorded

The cause of death lives in two main places: the medical certification on the death certificate and the autopsy report.

On the Death Certificate

Every Alabama death certificate has a medical certification section. Under Alabama Code Section 22-9A-14, the physician who last cared for the deceased completes and signs this section, listing the immediate cause and any underlying conditions.

When no physician was in charge, the county medical examiner, the State Medical Examiner, or the coroner determines and certifies the cause instead. This is the single-line summary that appears on the certified copy.

In the Autopsy Report

An autopsy report is a separate, fuller document. The ADFS forensic pathologist describes findings, toxicology results, and the cause and manner of death.

Because the certificate gives only a brief summary, the autopsy report is often the best source when a family wants to understand exactly how someone died.

How to Request Records That Show the Cause of Death

You request the cause of death by ordering whichever record fits your situation: the death certificate or the autopsy report.

To order a certified death certificate, apply to the ADPH Center for Health Statistics by mail, in person at any county health department, or online through the state vendor. The fee is $15.00 for the search and first certified copy and $6.00 for each additional copy ordered at the same time. See our step-by-step guide to the Alabama death certificate.

If the certificate is less than 25 years old, you must be an eligible requester: the spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandchild, a legal representative, or the informant named on the certificate. You will need valid photo identification.

To order an autopsy report, request it from the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences. The legal next of kin receives the first copy free, while other requesters pay a fee, and ADFS holds reports until the case and any criminal investigation are complete. See our guide to Alabama autopsy reports.

Finding the Cause of Death for Older or Historical Deaths

For older Alabama deaths, the cause of death becomes easier to obtain once the 25-year confidentiality window closes.

After 25 years, the death certificate is a public record under Section 22-9A-21, so any person may order a copy and read the certified cause of death. This is the simplest route for deaths from the more distant past.

For genealogy and historical research, the Alabama Department of Archives and History holds older statewide death records and can help locate them once they are public.

To confirm only the fact and date of death, the federal Social Security Death Index is a useful free tool. The Social Security Administration's Death Master File underlies the SSDI, but note it records the fact of death, not the cause. You will still need the certificate or autopsy report to learn how the person died.

Disclaimer: This page is general information, not legal advice. Access rules, fees, and processing times can change. Confirm the current requirements with the Alabama Department of Public Health or the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences before you rely on them.

Sources

This article cites the Alabama Code, the Alabama Department of Public Health, the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences, and the Social Security Administration; verify current rules with the issuing office before you rely on them.