Ohio Death Records: Are They Public + How to Get Them

Ohio is an open-record state for death certificates. Death records filed in Ohio are public records under state law, so any member of the public may request and buy a certified copy from the Ohio Department of Health. There is no waiting period before a certificate becomes available, although the Social Security number is shielded from non-authorized requestors for five years.

Are Death Records Public in Ohio?

Yes. Ohio is an open-record state, and death certificates are public records. Under Ohio Revised Code Section 3705.23 and the state public-records law (R.C. 149.43), the Office of Vital Statistics must issue a certified copy of a death record to any applicant who submits a signed application and the fee.

You do not need to prove a family relationship or a legal interest to buy a certified Ohio death certificate. Unlike closed-record states, Ohio does not limit certified copies to relatives or representatives.

There is one narrow limit. For five years after a death, the decedent's Social Security number is removed from copies issued to the general public. Only the requestors listed in R.C. 3705.23(A)(5), such as the spouse, a lineal descendant, the executor of the estate or its attorney, certain government officials, licensed private investigators, and news-media employees gathering news, receive the number during that window.

Ohio also treats its electronic database of death information differently from individual certificates. In Ludlow v. Ohio Dept. of Health, 2024-Ohio-1399, decided April 17, 2024, the Ohio Supreme Court held that a decedent's name and address, once combined with that decedent's cause of death, is protected health information exempt from the Public Records Act, so the Ohio Department of Health did not have to release the identifiable database. Individual certified copies remained available to anyone under R.C. 3705.23. You can read more about how states handle cause-of-death access in our overview of whether cause of death records are public.

Who Can Request an Ohio Death Record?

Anyone can request an Ohio death record. Because the certificate is a public record, the state does not require you to be a family member, executor, or person with a tangible interest to order a certified copy.

To complete an order you submit the Application for Certified Copies along with the fee. Mail and online orders generally require a copy of a valid government-issued photo ID, such as a driver's license, state ID, or passport.

The only request that triggers an eligibility check is one that includes the Social Security number within five years of death. For that, you must be one of the requestors named in R.C. 3705.23(A)(5) and show proof of your identity:

• The decedent's spouse.
• A lineal descendant of the decedent.
• The executor or administrator of the decedent's estate, or an attorney representing the executor or administrator.
• A county veterans service officer, an official authorized under R.C. 9.15 to order a burial or cremation, or an agent of either one.
• A person holding a class A or class B private investigator license.
• A federal, state, or local official charged by law with detecting or prosecuting crime.
• A person employed by or connected with a media organization for the purpose of gathering, editing, or publishing news.
• An agent acting under a power of attorney the decedent created.
• The representative named in the decedent's written declaration of the right of disposition under R.C. 2108.70.
• A licensed funeral director, or that director's employee or agent, requesting on behalf of one of the people above.
• Anyone else authorized by law to act for the decedent or the decedent's estate.

Two categories people often assume are on that list are not. A parent or other ascendant of the decedent is not enumerated, and neither is a guardian; guardians appear in the separate birth-record provision at R.C. 3705.23(A)(4)(a).

How to Get an Ohio Death Certificate

You order an Ohio death certificate from the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) Office of Vital Statistics. The fee is $21.50 per certified copy as of January 1, 2025. This is a search fee, so it is charged whether or not a record is located.

You have several ways to order:

Order online

The fastest option is to order online with a credit card (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, or American Express). ODH processes online orders within about five business days, then mails the certificate.

Order by mail

Mail a completed Application for Certified Copies, a copy of your photo ID, and payment to:

Vital Statistics, Ohio Department of Health, P.O. Box 15098, Columbus, OH 43215-0098.

Order locally

You can also obtain a death certificate in person at the local health department or registrar in the city or county where the death occurred. Local offices often issue certificates faster than the state, and many counties offer their own online ordering.

Because vital-records fees and processing times change, confirm the current amount and turnaround on the ODH website before you mail payment.

Is the Cause of Death Public in Ohio?

Yes. In Ohio the cause of death is recorded on the standard death certificate, and because the certificate is a public record, the cause-of-death information is released with a certified copy ordered by the general public.

This makes Ohio more open than states that issue a separate "informational" copy or redact the medical cause for non-family requestors. For broader context, see our guides on whether autopsy reports are public records and how birth certificates compare.

Note that records created by a county coroner, such as full autopsy and toxicology reports, follow their own rules under Ohio law and may be requested separately from the coroner's office.

How Far Back Do Ohio Death Records Go?

The Ohio Department of Health holds statewide death records dating from 1971 to the present. For deaths registered in 1971 or later, order directly from ODH.

For deaths before 1971, the records are in the custody of the Ohio History Connection (the former Ohio Historical Society); statewide registration began December 20, 1908. You can also obtain certified copies of pre-1972 records by contacting the local health department in the jurisdiction where the death occurred. Deaths before late 1908 are generally found in the probate court of the county where the death took place.

There is no national death-records database. The CDC's National Center for Health Statistics confirms that vital records are issued and held by each state, not the federal government. The Social Security Administration publishes a public Death Master File, but the public version excludes deaths within the most recent three calendar years under the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013.

Disclaimer: This page provides general legal information about public-records access in Ohio, not legal advice. Vital-records rules, fees, and processing times change, and individual situations vary. Verify current requirements with the Ohio Department of Health or your local registrar before relying on this information.

Sources

This page is based on the Ohio Department of Health Office of Vital Statistics, the Ohio Revised Code, the CDC National Center for Health Statistics, and the Social Security Administration, listed below.

Death Records by State