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The End of Life Plannerby Valoren

General information · not a substitute for the advice of an attorney.

Free · general informationAlabama

Death certificates in Alabama

What a certified copy of the death certificate costs in Alabama and how one is ordered, in the official words. No figure on this page is ours; each is the office’s or the statute’s, with the date it was checked.

  • Every fact dated, in the official words
  • Each state’s own law

Every quotation checked October 24, 2026

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Every quotation on this page is the official body’s own words, as they stood on the day we read them. The date is beside each one.

Filing the death certificate: who files it, and how soon

(a) A certificate of death for each death which occurs in this state shall be filed with the Office of Vital Statistics, or as otherwise directed by the State Registrar, within five days of the death and shall be registered if it has been completed and filed in accordance with this section.

(b) The funeral director or person acting as the funeral director who first assumes custody of the dead body shall file the certificate of death.

within 48 hours after receipt of the certificate

Alabama · general information · checked October 24, 2026 · Code of Ala. §22-9A-14(a)–(c)

What a certified copy costs, each additional copy, the fee to expedite, and the online service’s own fees

The fee to search for a death certificate is $15.00, which includes one certified copy of the record

Additional copies of the same record ordered at the same time are $6.00 each. There is an additional fee of $15.00 to expedite a request.

Note that there are additional fees for using this service and for upgrading to UPS shipping.

Alabama · general information · checked October 24, 2026 · ADPH Center for Health Statistics

Who may get a death certificate while the record is restricted, and for how long it is

By Alabama law, death certificates are confidential records with restricted access for 25 years from the date of death.

Death certificates less than 25 years old may be obtained by the following persons, upon payment of the proper fee:

Mother or father of person named on certificate

Husband or wife of person named on certificate

Son or daughter of person named on certificate

Sister or brother of person named on certificate

Grandchild of person named on certificate when demonstrating entitlement

Legal representative of family or estate

Informant listed on death certificate as providing information

Alabama · general information · checked October 24, 2026 · ADPH Center for Health Statistics

Where to order: any county health department, or online, and the identification needed

In Person in Alabama: You may go to any county health department in the State of Alabama to obtain a certified copy of an Alabama death certificate. Most death certificates can be issued while you wait.

You may order certificates online through the service provider VitalChek using a major credit or debit card.

Identification will be required to obtain a restricted death certificate.

Alabama · general information · checked October 24, 2026 · ADPH Center for Health Statistics

The same page for other states

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FAQ

Common questions

The fee to search for a death certificate is $15.00, which includes one certified copy of the record

Additional copies of the same record ordered at the same time are $6.00 each. There is an additional fee of $15.00 to expedite a request.

Note that there are additional fees for using this service and for upgrading to UPS shipping.

Alabama · general information · checked October 24, 2026 · ADPH Center for Health Statistics

By Alabama law, death certificates are confidential records with restricted access for 25 years from the date of death.

Death certificates less than 25 years old may be obtained by the following persons, upon payment of the proper fee:

Mother or father of person named on certificate

Husband or wife of person named on certificate

Son or daughter of person named on certificate

Sister or brother of person named on certificate

Grandchild of person named on certificate when demonstrating entitlement

Legal representative of family or estate

Informant listed on death certificate as providing information

Alabama · general information · checked October 24, 2026 · ADPH Center for Health Statistics

In Person in Alabama: You may go to any county health department in the State of Alabama to obtain a certified copy of an Alabama death certificate. Most death certificates can be issued while you wait.

You may order certificates online through the service provider VitalChek using a major credit or debit card.

Identification will be required to obtain a restricted death certificate.

Alabama · general information · checked October 24, 2026 · ADPH Center for Health Statistics

In Person in Alabama: You may go to any county health department in the State of Alabama to obtain a certified copy of an Alabama death certificate. Most death certificates can be issued while you wait.

You may order certificates online through the service provider VitalChek using a major credit or debit card.

Identification will be required to obtain a restricted death certificate.

Alabama · general information · checked October 24, 2026 · ADPH Center for Health Statistics

(a) A certificate of death for each death which occurs in this state shall be filed with the Office of Vital Statistics, or as otherwise directed by the State Registrar, within five days of the death and shall be registered if it has been completed and filed in accordance with this section.

(b) The funeral director or person acting as the funeral director who first assumes custody of the dead body shall file the certificate of death.

within 48 hours after receipt of the certificate

Alabama · general information · checked October 24, 2026 · Code of Ala. §22-9A-14(a)–(c)

For anyone who would rather their family found it all in one place than went looking.

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