Maryland Death Records
Maryland death records are official documents held by county health departments, the state Division of Vital Records, and the Maryland State Archives. You can search and request certified death certificates for deaths that occurred in Maryland depending on the year and county where the death was filed. This guide covers where to look, how to request copies, what you need to bring, what fees apply, and where to turn when a record is hard to find.
Maryland Death Records Overview
Where Maryland Death Records Are Kept
Maryland death records are divided between two main state offices, and knowing which one has what you need saves time. The Maryland Division of Vital Records (DVR) holds certified copies of death certificates for deaths that occurred from 1969 to the present. The Maryland State Archives, located at 350 Rowe Boulevard in Annapolis, holds older records: county death records from 1898 to 1972, and Baltimore City records going back to 1875. If you are not sure which office has the record you need, the year of death is your best guide.
County health departments also issue certified copies of death certificates for deaths on or after January 1, 2015, in most cases. The cutoff year varies slightly. Allegany County and Anne Arundel County both use January 1, 2015 as the cutoff. Talbot County references 2012 as the year from which the Division of Vital Records holds records. Always confirm with the specific county health department before making a trip. For deaths before the county cutoff, go directly to the DVR or the State Archives depending on the year.
The DVR is at 6764-B Reisterstown Road, Baltimore, MD 21215. Mail requests go to P.O. Box 68760, Baltimore, MD 21215-0036. Phone: 410-764-3038 or 1-800-832-3277. In-person visits require an appointment. The State Archives can be reached at 410-260-6400 or toll-free at 800-235-4045. Email: msa.helpdesk@maryland.gov.
The VSA has issued warnings about phone scams. The Division of Vital Records will never call and ask for your Social Security number or credit card PIN. If a caller does this, hang up and report it to local police. You should also only use VitalChek when ordering Maryland death records online. The VSA does not partner with any other online vendors, and third-party sites cannot guarantee the confidentiality of the data you submit.
The page above is from the official Maryland Vital Statistics Administration, the central source for modern Maryland death certificates. The Archives research guide at guide.msa.maryland.gov provides detailed help for records that are hard to find, including pre-registration deaths and missing index entries.
How to Request Maryland Death Certificates
There are three main ways to get a certified Maryland death certificate from the state Division of Vital Records. Online through VitalChek at vitalchek.com is the fastest option for most people. VitalChek adds a service fee on top of the state fee. All major credit cards are accepted. The state fee is $24 for the first copy and $12 for each additional copy ordered at the same time.
Mail requests take 4 to 6 weeks. You will need to download the Death Certificate Application form from the Maryland Department of Health. Include a completed application, a copy of your government-issued ID, entitlement documentation proving your relationship to the deceased, and payment by check or money order payable to the Division of Vital Records. Add a self-addressed stamped envelope. Mail the complete packet to P.O. Box 68760, Baltimore, MD 21215-0036. Do not send cash.
In-person visits require an appointment at the Reisterstown Road Plaza office. Call 410-764-3038 to schedule a time. Same-day service may be available when appointment slots are open. Bring a valid, unexpired, government-issued photo ID that includes both an issue date and an expiration date. An expired ID will not be accepted. You also need to bring proof of your legal right to the record, which is called entitlement documentation.
County health departments offer a local alternative for deaths from January 2015 forward. Many counties provide same-day service and charge fees ranging from $16 to $25 for the first copy. Some counties, like Cecil, take cash and credit cards only -- no checks. Others, like Montgomery County, accept Apple Pay. Call the county health department ahead of time, as a statewide system transition has caused delays at many offices.
Note: A bilingual Spanish-language death certificate application is available from the Maryland Department of Health for Spanish-speaking requestors.
What Maryland Death Records Contain
Maryland death certificates contain several categories of data about the person who died and the circumstances of the death. The personal information section includes the full legal name, sex, race, date of birth, city and state of birth, Social Security number, occupation, years of education, veteran status, and home address. The family section records the father's full name, the mother's full name with maiden name, the name of the spouse, and next of kin. Death information includes the date and place of death by county or Baltimore City, cause of death, funeral home name, place of burial or disposition, and the attending physician's name and contact details.
Historical death certificates collected less detail. Records from 1898 to 1911 listed name, age, sex, race, date and place of death, marital status, birthplace, cause of death, duration of illness, and the name and address of the attending physician. Occupation, birth date, and place of burial were added after 1911. After 1931, the deceased's residence and the name of their spouse were added. Baltimore City records from 1875 onward include a unique field: ward number, street address, and house number, which makes them particularly useful for genealogy.
Cause of death on older certificates uses ICD codes -- the International Classification of Disease system. For example, ICD code 987 means "falling from a high place." If you are reading an early death certificate and the cause of death is listed as a code rather than plain text, the Maryland State Archives can help you decode it.
Historical Maryland Death Records
Maryland has one of the country's longest histories of death registration. The Maryland General Assembly required reporting of all burials as early as 1654. Church records took over from 1695 to 1864, when the Protestant Episcopal Church maintained burial documents. Counties began recording deaths in 1865. Statewide registration became law in 1898, though full compliance across all 23 counties was not achieved until around 1914.
Baltimore City operated under its own separate legislation beginning in 1875 and kept a distinct death registration system until 1972. That year, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene became the single statewide recording agency. Because of this split history, Baltimore City death records from 1875 to 1972 are stored separately from county records at the Maryland State Archives and include unique fields like ward number and exact street address. The online Baltimore City Death Index covers 1875 to 1972 and is searchable at the Archives. County death records from 1898 to 1972 are also at the Archives, along with an online death index covering 1686 to 1958, though that index is incomplete.
There is no index for the years 1968 to 1994. For that period, researchers must submit a request directly to the Archives and pay the applicable fee. Certified copies by mail from the Archives cost $25. Uncertified copies made in person cost $1.00 each. The Archives' Death Certificate Index 1973-2014 (series SE151) is a key tool for more recent historical research.
When standard searches fail, the Archives research guide for hard-to-find death records offers specific strategies. For deaths before 1898 in counties or before 1875 in Baltimore City, the Archives recommends religious records through their special collections. Most of these records are not online. Probate records are another source -- wills and estate accounts filed close to the death date can confirm an approximate year. Some counties have voluntary pre-state death registrations that supplement the official record. The Archives staff can assist with searches for these records.
Note: Maryland only holds records for deaths that occurred on Maryland soil. For Maryland military members who died overseas, contact the Department of Defense. For civilians who died abroad, contact the U.S. Department of State.
Who Can Request Maryland Death Records
Maryland law restricts who may obtain a certified death certificate. The state requires entitlement documentation that proves your right to the record. This applies both at state offices and at county health departments. The four categories of eligible requestors are: a surviving relative of the deceased, an authorized representative of a surviving relative, the funeral director who handled final disposition, and an individual with a proven legal need for the record.
A surviving relative must prove their relationship to the deceased. Accepted documents include a birth certificate showing you are the child of the deceased, a marriage certificate, or an obituary. Authorized representatives acting on behalf of a family member must provide a letter of administration signed by the Court Clerk or Register of Wills, or an authorization of release signed by the surviving relative. That release must include a copy of the relative's valid ID, the name of the deceased, and the relationship of the relative to the deceased. For legal or business needs such as insurance claims, a letter from the insurance company, a deed, or a vehicle title may be used.
Veterans and active military members are entitled to one free copy of their own death certificate. A surviving spouse or child of a veteran may request a free copy when it will be used for a dependency or beneficiary claim. Proof of military service is required in all cases. Wicomico County and several other counties also offer free services to homeless individuals with a written statement from a homeless service provider.
Maryland Death Records at County Health Departments
Each of Maryland's 23 counties and Baltimore City has a health department that can issue certified copies of death certificates for recent deaths. Most use a January 1, 2015 cutoff, meaning they hold local records only for deaths on or after that date. Fees and hours vary widely by county.
Montgomery County's vital records office is located at Dennis Avenue Health Center, 2000 Dennis Avenue, Suite 27, Silver Spring, MD 20902 -- not at the county seat in Rockville. The office uses a mix of walk-in slots and scheduled appointments. Walk-ins are accepted Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings from 8:00 to 11:00 a.m. Montgomery County accepts cash, credit card, Apple Pay, and checks payable to "Montgomery County, MD." Fees are $18 for the first death certificate and $20 for each additional copy. A new registration system has caused slower processing times statewide, and same-day service is not guaranteed when the system is slow.
Howard County is an exception worth noting. At the county health department, in-person death certificates are issued to funeral directors only. The general public must use the state's online system through VitalChek. This is different from most other counties in Maryland. The Howard County office at 8930 Stanford Blvd, Columbia, is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. for funeral directors. The phone number for death certificate inquiries is 410-313-6530.
Allegany County issued 4,453 death certificates in fiscal year 2024 and offers walk-in same-day service at its Cumberland office at 12501 Willowbrook Road SE. Fees are $18 for the first copy and $20 for additional copies. The Anne Arundel County Department of Health in Annapolis serves the Annapolis area by appointment only, with a 2.2% surcharge for credit card use. The St. Mary's County Health Department in Leonardtown has a defined processing schedule: applications received before noon are ready after 4:00 p.m. the same day; those received at 1:00 p.m. or later are ready the following business day.
Correcting Maryland Death Certificates
Errors on death certificates can be corrected under certain circumstances per Maryland Health General Code Ann. ยง 4-214. The process requires a Request for Correction/Amendment to Death Certificate form. The fee is $10, payable by check or money order to the Division of Vital Records. Supporting documentation is required and varies based on the type of error being corrected. Contact the Division of Vital Records at 410-764-3038 for guidance on what to submit for a specific correction.
Corrections are handled at the state level, not at the county. Even if you obtained the original certificate from a county health department, amendment requests go to the state office. St. Mary's County specifically notes this in their online guidance for death certificate services.
Browse Maryland Death Records by County
Each Maryland county health department handles death records for deaths that occurred in that county. Select a county below to find local contact information, office hours, fees, and procedures specific to that area.
Maryland Death Records in Major Cities
Residents of Maryland's larger cities obtain death records through the health department serving their county. Select a city below for specific guidance on where to go, what to bring, and how to request records.