Indiana Death Records

Are Death Certificates Public in Indiana?

Yes. Indiana death certificates are public records, but only individuals with direct interest can request certified copies. Not everyone can conduct a public death record search in the state. Only individuals with authorized financial and legal interest (legal representative) or an immediate direct kinship (decedent's spouse, birth parents, adult child, sibling, or grandparent) to the record holder can access the death certificate in Indiana. Indiana death certificate search can be done online, by mail, by phone, and through the local health departments. Search results reveal the decedent’s social security number, age, cause of death, date of death, place of death, birth records, and burial information.

What Shows Up on Death Records in Indiana?

In Indiana, a death record is a legal proof of death filed by a funeral director or a physician after a person dies in the state. Indiana death records are maintained by the state Vital Statistics Department along with other Indiana Vital Records. Some of the information a death record contains are the deceased’s full name, sex, and birth records (including information on birth parents), as well as the deceased social security number and other identifying information. The Indiana State Department of Health and the Local Health Department in each county maintain records of deaths that occurred in the state. This makes it possible for a record seeker to conduct a death record search to obtain certified copies of death certificates (if they satisfy the state's eligibility requirements). Indiana started keeping records of deaths that occurred within the state from January 1900. In Indiana, a death certificate can be used for the following purposes:

• To claim pensions of the deceased
• To claim life insurance benefits
• To settle the propriety and estates of the deceased
• For compiling mortality rates and for tracking disease trends in the state
• To set public health goals and policies
• To maintain and evaluate public health statistics

In addition, informational copies/non-certified copies are used for genealogical research purposes.

In Indiana, the state requires that information regarding deaths be registered in the Indiana death registry. Subsequently, they are registered in the United States death registry or the National Center for Vital Statistics.

How are Death Records Created in Indiana?

In Indiana, a death record is created when a person dies within the state. When a death occurs, it must be formally registered with the Indiana State Department of Health within five days of the death. A funeral director, physician, coroner, medical examiner, or the person in charge of the deceased’s interment may prepare a death record.

The funeral director initiates the creation process of the death certificate by obtaining personal information on the deceased from family members. Afterward, the funeral director or the person in charge of the interment electronically submits the certificate to the attending physician.

The physician then verifies the cause of death on the certificate and files it electronically with the local health department in the county where the death occurred no later than five days after the process was initiated. The local health officer in the health department must submit a report to the Indiana State Department of Health within 5 days of receiving the death certificate from the attending physician.

The Indiana Code 16-37-1-3.1 establishes the requirement of using the electronic Indiana Death Registration System (IDRS) to register deaths in the state. After registration, the death certificate is filed with the Indiana State Department of Health. Subsequent to its registration, authorized persons may conduct an Indiana death certificate search via the State Department of Health Vital Records Division (ISDH) website. Alternatively, a death record can be created using the United States death registry. This allows individuals to access the United States death records of citizens who die in any state, county, or city.

What is the Difference Between a Death Certificate and Other Death Records?

A death certificate in Indiana is an official document that proves that a person is dead. It contains comprehensive information regarding the deceased. The following is information that can be found in Indiana death certificates:

• Decedent’s full name, including first, middle, last names, and maiden first name (if female)
• Decedent’s social security number
• Age
• Place of death
• County of death
• Birth records, including date of birth and birthplace
• Marital status at the time of death
• Decedent spouse’s name
• Occupation
• Cause of death
• Decedent’s education
• Residential information, including state, county, city, street, and number
• Place of disposition, including method, place, and location of disposition
• Name and complete address of the funeral facility
• Signature of Indiana Funeral Service licensee

Other public death records provide information regarding a deceased person, but their information may not be as comprehensive as that of a death certificate. A death record search in Indiana can be done online, by mail, by phone, or in person by visiting the local health department where the death occurred. Alternatively, a death record search by name can be on the Indiana State Library website. Note that the information from birth, death, marriage, and divorce records forms public health statistics.

How to Find Death Records Online in Indiana

Record seekers can find death records online via the Vital Records Online Order Management System at a low cost of $15.48. Alternatively, the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) provides a third-party website where requesters can order death records online. To use the online tool, a requester must provide some of the deceased’s personal information, such as name, date of birth, and address. Persons ordering online must also have the following information:

• Proof of identification e.g. driver’s license, passport
• Proof of relationship to the deceased
• Purpose of requesting the death certificate
• Personal information of the deceased such as the full name of the deceased, date of birth, race, and date of death
• Place of death

The Indiana State Library also provides online access to death records via the Indianapolis Commercial Newspaper Death Index and Indiana Newspaper Indexes. All that is needed is to type the decedent’s name on the search box provided, and the requested information will be generated. A record seeker who is unable to find an Indiana death record online can check the United States National Vital Statistics System (NVSS). The NVSS maintains the United States death records.

Interested requestors may also order online through a vendor or third-party aggregate site. Considered open to citizens of the United States, public Records are available through both traditional, government sources, and through third-party websites and organizations. In many cases, third-party websites make the search easier as they are not limited geographically or by technological limitations. They are considered a good place to start when looking for a specific record or multiple records. In order to gain access to these Records, interested parties must typically provide:

• The name of the person listed in the record. Juveniles are typically exempt from this search method.
• The last known or assumed location of the person listed in the record. This includes cities, counties, and states.

While third-party sites offer such services, they are not government sponsored entities, and record availability may vary on these sites when compared to government sources.

Death Record Search by Name in Indiana

Indiana death record search by name is available on the Indiana State Library website. A record seeker must provide the decedent's name on the search box available, and the result of persons bearing the name will be displayed. The search results reveal the descendant’s full name, age, place, and cause of death.

Death Record Search by Address in Indiana

There are no options for death record search by address in Indiana. Therefore, the only available way of obtaining death information is to conduct a death record search by name online or by making in-person or mail-in requests to the record custodian.

How to Find Death Records for Free in Indiana

The ISDH Vital Records Office does not offer free services for finding death records, therefore to access death records in the state, requesters must pay the required fees. Note that both certified and uncertified/informational copies require the payment of fees. Alternatively, the IState Library provides a free death record search in Indiana where a record seeker can view the decedent's full name, age, cause, and place of death.

How to Obtain Death Records in Indiana

Requesters may obtain death records in Indiana from the Indiana State Department of Health Vital Records Division (ISDH) or the Local Health Departments located in each county in the state. The ISDH does not provide walk-in services, therefore, the only way to conduct an Indiana death certificate search is to request from the department by mail, online, or over the phone. To apply for a death certificate from the ISDH by mail, a requester should send the Application for Search of Certified or Non-Certified Copy of Death Record Form along with a check or money order and photocopy of a Valid ID to:

Indiana State Department of Health
Vital Records Division
2 North Meridian Street
Indianapolis, IN 46204

To apply over the phone, requesters should call the state vital records office at the toll-free number (866) 601-0891 Note that this service is available 24 hours a day and seven days a week. All requests require proper identification.

Local Health Departments

A requester may also find a death record in the Local Health Department in the county where the death occurred. For example, if the death occurred in Blackford County, the requester may send the completed Application for Certified Death Record Form, a copy of an acceptable ID, along with a check or money order, and submit it in person or send by mail to the county’s local health department at:

Blackford County Health Department
506 E Van Cleve Street
Hartford City, IN 47348
Phone: (765) 348-4317

Note that certified copies of death records requested from County Health Departments can only be obtained for deaths that took place in the county in question. Also, ensure to confirm the office hours, fees, and mode of operation for a County Health Department before visiting. Walk-in services are currently suspended in most County Health Departments in Indiana.

The acceptable IDs required by the department before access is granted to death records from the Vital Records Division or the County Health Departments include any of the following:

• Driver’s license (address must match requester’s address on application)
• Current state-issued non-driver photo ID card (address must match requester’s address on application)
• Current passport or visa (must include a photo)
• Current U.S. military ID
• Current Department of Corrections photo ID card dated within the last year
• Government agency photo ID card (for persons requesting certificates as part of that agency’s business)
• Current student ID card with a copy of the transcript

Can Anyone Get a Copy of a Death Certificate in Indiana?

In Indiana, Death records can be accessed by members of the public. However, only authorized persons who have direct and tangible interests can request certified copies. As a prerequisite for the issuance of death records, an authorized requester must provide evidence of a relationship to the deceased.

Requesters must have a direct legal interest in the death records they seek to obtain. This means that the requester must be an immediate direct relative or a person with legal authority to access the record. Some authorized persons are:

• Birth parents
• Decedent's spouse
• Adult siblings
• Adult Grandchildren
• Aunts/Uncles
• Adult Niece/Nephew
• Grandparents

Persons with legal Interest:

• Assigned funeral home director (Must furnish an explanation of direct interest on a letterhead)
• Persons seeking information for legal determination of personal or property rights (Must provide evidence of legal interest, e.g., contracts, agreements, titles, court order)
• Persons requesting for genealogy or research purposes (Research must be based on a deceased who is 75 years or older)

How Much Does a Death Certificate Cost in Indiana?

The Indiana Department of Health Vital Records Office charges $8 for each two-year period search. If the record is found, a death certificate will be provided without charge. Additional Indiana death certificates ordered at the same time are $4 each. The search fees are non-refundable, even if the record is not found.

Shipping fees apply based on the method of shipping selected when requesting online. Requesters should contact the state vital records office for the cost of expedited shipping, if ordering death records by mail or phone. For regular mail shipping, the cost of shipping and the death certificate is $15.48.

Payment for a mail order can be made by sending a money order or personal check payable to “Indiana State Department of Health” to the state Vital Records Office. If requesting over the phone, requesters can pay using credit cards.

If ordering from a County Local Health Department, different fees may apply. For example, in Brown County, the cost of a certified copy of a death certificate is $10. In Daviess County, a death certificate costs $15 for each copy and $10 for each genealogy record. Note that most counties accept payment via a money order or cashier’s check if ordering by mail or in person. Cash is only accepted if requested in person. Personal checks are not accepted.

How Long Does It Take to Get a Death Certificate in Indiana?

It takes between 6-8 weeks for the ISDH Vital Records Office to process a death certificate. When the death certificate is ready, interested persons may get the certificate via standard or expedited shipping. Persons making requests by mail or phone should contact the ISDH for information on expedited shipping services. Each local health department has different processing times, depending on the county. Note that same-day walk-in services are currently suspended in most County Health Departments due to the COVID-19.

How Long to Keep Records After Death

The ISDH does not specify how long death records should be kept after death. However, it is necessary to keep a death record permanently, as it is used as legal evidence of the deceased’s death.

How to Expunge Death Records in Indiana

Generally, expungement is a process where a person applies to the court to have their criminal record removed or sealed. In Indiana, expungement of records only applies to legal convictions. There are no provisions for the expungement of death records in the state.

How to Seal Death Records in Indiana

In Indiana, only certain convictions can be sealed. Hence, there are no statutory provisions on the sealing of death records in Indiana.

How to Unseal Death Records in Indiana

There are no statutory provisions on the unsealing of death records in Indiana.

How to Use the Indiana Death Registry

The Department of Health has an Indiana death index where record seekers can obtain information regarding residents who die in the state. Additionally, the Department allows eligible individuals like funeral directors and medical examiners to register deaths that occur in the state via the Indiana Death Registration System (IDRS). To be able to access IDRS, eligible individuals would have to complete and submit an IBRS/IDRS/IFDRS Application Form to the Department. Then, register for the Access Indiana account, where an email will be required, and a code will be delivered.

After receiving the code, the user can proceed to set up a password and enter their personal information. Once the Access Indiana account has been created, the user should register for a Database for Registering Indiana’s Vital Events (DRIVE) account. The registration can be done by simply clicking on the DRIVE icon available within the Access Indiana account. Below are the steps required to use the IDRS:

• Log in to the IDRS account using the username and password
• Select the appropriate location
• Click on the “Death” option on the processing menu on the left bar. Note that the icons appearing on the death menu screen differ by location.
• Click on the Death Menu toolbar to select the specific information to register, like the cause of death or general date entry (GDE).
• If the user selects GDE, the screen will open, and they can click on a NEW record to initiate or continue a record.
• Enter the decedents’ information, such as name, place of death, date of birth, gender, and presumed date of death.
• Click on the “FIND RECORD” button to know if the record is available on the system.
• The IDRS will issue a “New Record” notice if a new record should be created or a “Match Found” notice if it finds a record that is similar to the information provided.
• Click OK to continue the GDE on a new record or to accept the matching record.
• Type the LFN and file date listed on the paper form after the record is displayed in the GDE fields tab.
• Complete all the necessary information and save the record by clicking the “Save” icon in the Death Menu toolbar.

It is important to note that registering people’s death is not the equivalent of an Indiana death notice. The decedent’s family members would have to reach out to their preferred newspaper agency to notify the public about the individual's death. Authorized users who do not know the state of residence of a deceased person can register the death on the United States Death Registry website. With the information on the website, record seekers can retrieve such death certificates when performing a United States death records lookup.

How to Find an Obituary for a Specific Person in Indiana

An individual can find an obituary for a specific person by conducting an Indiana obituary search on the Indiana State Library website via the Indiana Newspaper Indexes. The requestor may enter the specific person’s name on the search tool available on the website. The search result will reveal a list of everyone bearing that name. No fees are charged to conduct an Indiana obituary search. Additionally, this free obituary search is available to the general public.

How to Conduct a Free Obituary Search in Indiana

A free obituary lookup can be done on the Indiana State Library website. A record seeker can perform a free Indiana obituary search by either typing the name of the decedent or the word “obituary” on the search box available, and the result of persons bearing the name or obituaries that have taken place in the state will be displayed. This free obituary search is not time-consuming, and it is available to all.

What is Considered a Death Notice in Indiana?

Indiana death notices are short publications that give details of a person’s death. Such announcements are usually made in newspapers by family members.

What is the Difference Between Death Notices and Obituaries?

Death notices are paid announcements made by family members to notify the public about a person's death. It usually contains information about the deceased, like minor biological information, funeral services, and where donations can be made. In contrast, obituaries provide detailed biological information about the deceased. Unlike death notices, obituaries are usually written by newspaper reporters or editors. The Indiana State Library website allows a record seeker to conduct a free obituary search on their website.