Somerset County Death Records Search

Somerset County death records are available through the county health department for recent deaths and through the Maryland Division of Vital Records and Maryland State Archives for older records. Somerset County also holds some of the oldest vital records in the United States, with court-recorded births, deaths, and marriages going back to 1649. This page covers how to request death certificates, who can get them, what they cost, and how to access the county's extraordinary historical record collections.

Somerset County Health Department Vital Records

The Somerset County Health Department in Princess Anne handles death certificate requests for deaths that occurred in Maryland on or after January 1, 2015. Princess Anne is the county seat of Somerset County and is home to the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Contact the health department for current hours, fee information, and to confirm what documentation you need for your specific request before making the trip.

Somerset County is an Eastern Shore county on Maryland's lower Eastern Shore. It borders Wicomico County to the north, Dorchester County to the north and west, the Chesapeake Bay to the west, and Virginia (via the Pocomoke River) to the south. The county is largely rural, and the health department in Princess Anne is the only local office for vital records in the county. For deaths before 2015, all requests go to the Maryland Division of Vital Records in Baltimore.

The local health department follows all statewide eligibility and documentation rules. You must prove your relationship to the deceased or demonstrate a legal need for the record before a certified copy will be issued. Call the office ahead of your visit to confirm hours and current procedures.

How to Request Somerset County Death Certificates

There are three ways to request a death certificate for a Somerset County death: in person at the county health department, by mail through the Maryland Division of Vital Records, or online through VitalChek.

In-person requests at the Somerset County Health Department in Princess Anne are the fastest option for deaths from 2015 forward. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID. The ID must have both an issue date and an expiration date. A current driver's license, state ID card, passport, or military ID all work. If your ID is expired, call ahead to ask what additional documents are acceptable. You must also bring entitlement documentation that proves your relationship to the deceased.

Mail requests for deaths after 2015 can be sent to the county health department or to the Maryland Division of Vital Records at P.O. Box 68760, Baltimore, MD 21215-0036. For deaths before January 1, 2015, all requests go to the state office. The state office phone is 410-764-3038 or toll-free 1-800-832-3277. In-person visits at the state level require an appointment and the office is at 6764-B Reisterstown Road, Baltimore, MD 21215. Mail processing at the state level takes four to six weeks. Plan ahead for any legal deadlines.

Online orders go through VitalChek, the only authorized online vendor for Maryland vital records. The state warns against using any other internet vendors. Other sites have no relationship with Maryland's vital records system, and the state cannot guarantee the confidentiality of personal data you provide to them. VitalChek processes orders through the state and mails certificates directly to you.

Who Can Request Somerset County Death Records

Maryland law restricts access to certified death certificates. You must be in one of the eligible categories before a copy will be issued. This applies at both the local county level and the state level.

Eligible requestors are: a surviving relative of the deceased, an authorized representative acting on behalf of a surviving relative, a licensed funeral director, or a person with a documented legal need. Surviving relatives generally include spouses, parents, children, siblings, and other direct family members. If you fall into one of these categories, you still need to provide documentation to prove it.

For surviving relatives, bring one entitlement document along with your valid photo ID. Acceptable entitlement documents are a birth certificate showing your relationship to the deceased, a marriage certificate if you are a surviving spouse, or an obituary that lists you as a surviving family member. Both the entitlement document and the photo ID are required. Missing either one means the office cannot issue the certificate that day.

Authorized representatives need a letter of administration signed by a court clerk or register of wills, or an authorization of release form signed by a surviving relative. That form must include a copy of the relative's valid photo ID, the name of the deceased, and the relationship of the surviving relative to the deceased. For legal or financial needs, bring the relevant document: a court order, letter from an insurance company, property deed, or vehicle title depending on your situation. Call the health department or the DVR before submitting if you are unsure what documentation applies to your request.

Death Certificate Information and Uses

A Maryland death certificate is a legal document that records the facts of a person's death. It is required by many institutions when settling the affairs of a deceased person.

The certificate contains the full legal name of the deceased, their date and place of birth, the date and place of death, the cause of death and manner of death, the name of the certifying physician or medical examiner, the funeral director who filed the record, the deceased's last known residence, their Social Security number, and information about surviving family members. The burial or cremation location is also recorded. All of these details are established at the time of filing.

Order more than one certified copy when you first request a certificate. You typically need separate copies for the bank, the life insurance company, the probate court, the Social Security Administration, and potentially for vehicle title transfers or property transactions. Getting several copies at once is more efficient than returning multiple times. Additional copies ordered at the same time cost $12 each through the state system, compared to the $24 for the first copy.

Maryland Division of Vital Records Fees and Access

The state fee for a certified death certificate from the Maryland Division of Vital Records is $24 for the first copy and $12 for each additional copy ordered at the same time. These fees apply whether you request by mail, in person at the state office (appointment required), or online through VitalChek. The Maryland Division of Vital Records website has current forms, fee schedules, and appointment availability.

Below is a screenshot of the Maryland Division of Vital Records page, which handles requests for Somerset County and all other Maryland counties for deaths before 2015 and for statewide mail and online requests.

Use the state website to download application forms and to check for any changes to hours or appointment requirements before you submit a request by mail or plan an in-person visit to Baltimore.

Somerset County's Colonial-Era Death Records

Somerset County holds one of the most remarkable historical vital records collections in the United States. The Somerset County Court Births, Deaths and Marriages record covering 1649 to 1720 (MSA CM956) is among the oldest colonial vital records in American history. These records predate Maryland's formal civil registration system by more than two centuries. They were kept by the county court, which served as the administrative center of life in early colonial Maryland, and they capture vital events during the first decades of European settlement on the lower Eastern Shore.

The significance of these records cannot be overstated for genealogical research. If your family has roots in Somerset County going back to the colonial period, this collection may contain direct ancestors. The 1649 start date means these records are over 375 years old. Few American counties have comparable primary source documentation from this era. Researchers studying early Maryland, the colonial Chesapeake, or the origins of families on the Eastern Shore should start with this collection.

The Maryland State Archives in Annapolis holds these collections and can assist with research inquiries. The Archives is at 350 Rowe Boulevard, Annapolis, MD 21401. Phone: 410-260-6400. Appointments are strongly encouraged. Certified copies from the Archives cost $25 by mail; uncertified copies accessed in person cost $1.00. Staff archivists can help locate specific records and identify related sources that complement the death records.

Beyond the colonial records, the Archives also holds early voluntary death registrations for Somerset County and an Eastern Shore vital records collection that spans multiple counties. These sources together make Somerset County one of the richest counties in Maryland for historical vital records research.

Death Certificate Index and Hard-to-Find Records

The statewide Death Certificate Index covering 1973 to 2014 is searchable through the Maryland State Archives guide. This index lets you confirm that a record exists and identify the correct year and county before ordering a certified copy. It does not include the full certificate text, but it provides enough information to guide your request.

For records that are difficult to locate through standard channels, the Archives maintains a guide to hard-to-find death records. This resource explains alternative sources when formal death registrations are missing or incomplete. For Somerset County, that might mean looking at the colonial court records, early church registers, or probate documents. Somerset's deep historical record collection means there are often multiple ways to confirm a death even when a formal certificate does not exist.

Correcting Somerset County Death Certificates

Corrections to death certificates are handled by the Maryland Division of Vital Records, not by local county offices. Corrections are governed by Md. Health General Code Ann. § 4-214. Submit a completed Request for Correction/Amendment form to DVR along with a $10 fee by check or money order payable to DVR. The required supporting documents depend on the type of correction. Name and date corrections require identifying documents; corrections to cause of death require a physician or medical examiner statement. Contact DVR at 410-764-3038 before submitting to get specific guidance for your request.

Cities in Somerset County

Somerset County does not have any cities that meet the population threshold for a dedicated death records page. Princess Anne is the county seat and serves as the main service center for the county, but it falls below the threshold. All county residents use the Somerset County Health Department in Princess Anne for local vital records requests.

Nearby Counties

Somerset County is bordered by Wicomico County to the north and Dorchester County to the northwest. Both have their own county health departments for death certificate requests.