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Death Certificates 

Agencies will only accept certified copies of death certificates and not photocopies.  Copies of certified death certificates can
be obtained by:

  • Contacting the funeral home that filed the death certificate
  • Pennsylvania Department of Vital Statistics, by visiting www.vitalcheck.com or by phone at 866-712-8238
    (credit cards accepted).
  • You may order in person at a Pennsylvania Vital Records branch office in Erie, Harrisburg, New Castle, Philadelphia,
    Pittsburgh or Scranton. (Delivery ranges from same day to five days based on public office processing time.)
  • You may order by mail: Send application, identification and payment to:
                                                                      Department of Health
                                                                     Division of Vital Records
                                                                     PO Box 1528
                                                                     New Castle, PA 16103           

Applications are available upon request at the funeral home.

  • Certified copies are $20.00 each and only available locally up until 90 days from the date of death. 
  • After 90 days the certificate is filed with the state of Pennsylvania and certified copies may take four to six weeks to obtain. 

ORGANIZATIONS REQUIRING A LEGAL COPY OF THE DEATH CERTIFICATE.

  • Bank accounts
  • Certificates of Deposit
  • Credit Unions
  • Executor/Executrix of the estate to probate the will
  • Federal, State and Estate Tax Returns
  • Fraternal Organizations Burial Benefits
  • Life Insurance Policies
  • Motor Vehicle Bureau(MV-39 Notification of Assignment/Correction of vehicle title upon death of owner can be obtained by the funeral home and used in place of a certified death certificate.)
  • Preneed Trust
  • Pension Plans or IRA Funds
  • Sale of jointly owned property
  • Stocks, Bonds and Government Bonds
  • Union Benefit Plans
  • Veteran’s Benefits