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

Vermont is an open-record state for death records. Under state law there are no general restrictions on public access to vital records, so anyone may obtain a noncertified copy of a Vermont death record. A certified copy, which can be used for legal purposes, is limited to family members and other eligible parties. There is no waiting period before records become available.

Are Death Records Public in Vermont?

Yes. Vermont is an open-record state for vital records, including death records. State law under Title 18, Chapter 101 of the Vermont Statutes places no general restriction on public access to these records.

This makes Vermont unusually open compared with many states that seal death records for decades. A member of the public can request a noncertified copy of a death record without proving a family relationship or other qualifying interest.

The key distinction is between a noncertified copy and a certified copy. A noncertified copy is printed on plain paper with a watermark and is available to anyone, but it cannot be used for legal purposes such as settling an estate or claiming benefits.

A certified copy is printed on engraved security paper with a raised seal and is accepted for legal use. Access to certified copies is limited to the eligible parties described below.

The CDC National Center for Health Statistics confirms there is no national death-records database, because death certificates are issued at the state level.

Who Can Request a Vermont Death Record?

Anyone may request a noncertified copy of a Vermont death record, but only eligible parties may obtain a certified copy. Vermont defines eligible parties in 18 V.S.A. 5016.

Eligible parties for a certified death certificate include:

• The decedent's spouse, child, grandchild, parent, sibling, grandparent, or guardian
• A person petitioning to open the decedent's estate
• A court-appointed executor or administrator, or the legal representative of any eligible party
• The individual with authority for final disposition under 18 V.S.A. 5227, or a funeral home or crematorium acting on that individual's behalf
• The Social Security Administration, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, or the decedent's insurance carrier
• A person acting under a court order finding that a noncertified copy is not sufficient for a legal purpose
• An authorized employee of a public agency designated by the State Registrar

Authority for final disposition is set by 18 V.S.A. 5227, which begins with an individual appointed under an advance directive, then the surviving spouse, then the decedent's children. That person is eligible in their own right even if they are not a listed relative.

Applicants for a certified copy must present valid identification. Because Vermont is an open-record state, no eligibility test applies to a noncertified copy.

For related access rules, see Are Birth Certificates Public Records?.

How to Get a Vermont Death Certificate

You can order a Vermont death certificate from the Vermont Department of Health Vital Records Office, a Vermont town or city clerk, or the state online service. Town and city clerks act as issuing agents for the Department of Health and are often the fastest and least expensive option for residents.

The state vital-records office is the Vermont Department of Health, Vital Records Office, located at 280 State Drive, Waterbury, VT 05671-8300. The general phone line is 802-863-7275 or 800-439-5008 within Vermont.

Your ordering options are:

• In person or by mail through a Vermont town or city clerk
• By mail to the Vital Records Office using the Application for a Certified Copy of a Vermont Birth or Death Certificate
• Online through the state service at secure.vermont.gov, operated in partnership with the Vermont Department of Health

A certified copy costs $10 per certificate. Ordering online adds a $2 processing fee. A noncertified copy is available at no charge. Processing times vary by method, and mail or online orders generally take longer than an in-person town-clerk request.

To learn how cause-of-death information is treated nationally, see Are Cause of Death Records Public?.

Is the Cause of Death Public in Vermont?

Yes. Because Vermont treats vital records as open, the cause of death recorded on a death certificate is not separately sealed or restricted. The cause-of-death field appears on both certified and noncertified copies issued by the Vital Records Office.

This differs from many states, where the cause of death is withheld from informational copies or released only to family members. In Vermont, the open-record framework means the recorded cause of death is generally accessible.

Underlying medical records, autopsy reports, and investigative files are governed by separate rules and are not part of the death certificate itself. For how autopsy findings are handled, see Are Autopsies Public Records?.

How Far Back Do Vermont Death Records Go?

The Vermont Department of Health Vital Records Office holds death records from 1909 to the present and maintains a searchable index for that period. Records from 1908 and earlier may be held by the office if they were filed there.

Older historical records are managed by the Vermont State Archives and Records Administration (VSARA), which is also an issuing agent for the Department of Health. VSARA holds and helps researchers locate earlier vital records, and most town and city clerks keep local copies as well.

For genealogical research that crosses state lines, the Social Security Death Index can help locate a death year. Under the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013, the Social Security Administration's public Death Master File excludes deaths within the most recent three calendar years, so very recent deaths will not appear there.

Vermont Death Records at a Glance

Disclaimer: This page provides general legal information about public-records access in Vermont and is not legal advice. Rules, fees, and processing times change. Confirm current requirements with the Vermont Department of Health Vital Records Office or a Vermont town clerk before relying on this information.

Sources

This article is based on official Vermont state statutes and the Vermont Department of Health and Secretary of State vital-records resources, along with federal guidance from the CDC and the Social Security Administration; full citations are listed below.

Death Records by State