How to Get a Michigan Death Certificate (2026)

You can get a Michigan death certificate from the MDHHS Division of Vital Records and Health Statistics or from the county clerk where the death occurred. Anyone may request a certified copy with a written application. The first certified copy costs $34, and each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time is $16.

How Do You Get a Death Certificate in Michigan?

You get a Michigan death certificate from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Division of Vital Records and Health Statistics, or from the county clerk in the county where the death occurred. Both issue certified copies.

The state office holds Michigan death records dating back to 1867. For a recent death, the local county clerk is often the fastest option because copies are usually available there within a few days of the death being registered.

There are several ways to request a copy. You can order online, by mail, or in person.

Order online through VitalChek, the state-authorized vendor linked from the MDHHS vital records website. A credit or debit card is required, and expedited shipping options are available.

Order by mail by sending a completed Application for a Certified Copy (Michigan Death Record), a copy of your photo ID, and a check or money order for the fee to the state office in Lansing.

Order in person by dropping your sealed application, ID copy, and payment in the drop box in the main lobby at 333 S. Grand Ave., Lansing, MI 48933, open Monday through Friday. You can also visit the county clerk where the death occurred.

Who Is Eligible to Request a Michigan Death Certificate?

Anyone is eligible to request a certified copy of a Michigan death record. Death records in Michigan are treated as public for certified-copy purposes, so you do not need to prove a family relationship or a specific legal interest.

To complete the request, you must submit it in writing on the proper application and prepay the required search fee. You also need to provide a copy of valid government-issued photo identification, such as a driver license or state ID.

This open access is one way death records differ from Michigan birth records, which are restricted and generally available only to the person named, a parent, an heir, a legal guardian, or a legal representative.

Michigan Death Certificate Cost and Processing Time

The first certified copy of a Michigan death certificate costs $34, which includes the search of the records. Each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time costs $16.

The $34 search fee is non-refundable even if no record is found, because it pays for the staff search rather than the document itself. Order extra copies up front to save money, since families often need several copies to settle an estate, close accounts, and claim benefits.

Regular processing at the state office takes roughly 4 to 5 weeks. Expedited (rush) service is available for an additional $12 and takes about 2 to 3 weeks. Neither timeframe includes mailing time or the few days needed for payment processing.

County clerks generally process certified copies much faster for deaths that occurred in that county, often the same day or within a few days when you order in person.

Certified vs Informational Copy in Michigan

Michigan issues certified copies of death records, which are official documents bearing the state or county seal. A certified copy is what banks, insurers, courts, and the probate process accept as legal proof of death.

Unlike some states, Michigan does not publish a separate informational or non-certified death certificate for general public use. When you order from the state or a county clerk, you receive a certified copy.

If you only need to confirm details for genealogy, older historical death records may be searched, but for any legal or financial purpose you will want the certified copy.

How to Get Additional or Replacement Copies

To get additional or replacement copies, submit a new written application to MDHHS Vital Records or the county clerk and pay the applicable fee. There is no special process for replacements; each copy is ordered the same way as the first.

If you order extra copies at the same time as your original request, you pay the discounted $16 rate per additional copy. If you come back later for more, you pay the full $34 first-copy fee again because it triggers a new search.

For a lost certified copy, order a fresh certified copy the same way. Michigan does not reissue a previously printed certificate; it prints a new certified copy from the registered record.

Disclaimer: This page provides general information, not legal advice. Fees, processing times, and procedures can change. Confirm current details with the MDHHS Division of Vital Records and Health Statistics or the appropriate county clerk before ordering.

Sources

This page is based on the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Division of Vital Records and Health Statistics and the federal CDC where-to-write vital records guidance.

Related: Michigan Death Records and Death Records by State.