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The End of Life Plannerby Valoren

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

Free · general informationMontana

Death certificates in Montana

What a certified copy of the death certificate costs in Montana 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, where, and how the deadline is set

The person in charge of disposition shall obtain the completed certification of the cause of death from the physician, the advanced practice registered nurse, or the coroner and shall, within the time that the department may prescribe by rule, file the death or fetal death certificate with the local registrar in the registration area where the death occurred

Montana · general information · checked October 24, 2026 · MCA 50-15-403(2)

How soon the certificate is filed, and who usually files it, in the department’s words

Death certificate filed with local registrar Within 10 days of notification of death Certificate filed by the person in charge of the final disposition of the body Typically completed by a funeral home.

Montana · general information · checked October 24, 2026 · DPHHS presentation to the SAVA Interim Committee, 17 Nov 2025

Who may order a certified copy, and the copy without the cause of death

Complete copies of a certified death certificate will be issued to anyone who submits a completed application, establishes their identity, and lists the reason for needing the copy.

a certified copy which has the cause of death information removed will be issued.

Montana · general information · checked October 24, 2026 · DPHHS, Death Certificate Application

Where to order: any county clerk and recorder, the two contracted vendors, or by mail, and the office closed to walk-ins

You may visit any local County Clerk & Recorder’s office in Montana to purchase a birth or death certificate, regardless of which Montana county the event occurred in.

VitalChek and VRO are the only third-party vendors officially contracted and approved by the State of Montana.

Montana Vital Records PO Box 4210 Helena, MT 59604

Our office is now closed to the public for walk-in services.

Montana · general information · checked October 24, 2026 · DPHHS, Birth and Death Certificates

What each kind of certificate costs, and the fee for paying by card

All certificates cost $16. This includes birth and death certificates, certified and informational copies, and abstract and long form versions.

Please note that additional service fees will apply for credit card transactions

Montana · general information · checked October 24, 2026 · DPHHS, Birth and Death Certificates

The same page for other states

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FAQ

Common questions

CERTIFIED COPIES OF A DEATH CERTIFICATE: Effective September 21, 2024 the cost is $16.00 each

Montana · general information · checked October 24, 2026 · DPHHS, Death Certificate Application

All certificates cost $16. This includes birth and death certificates, certified and informational copies, and abstract and long form versions.

Please note that additional service fees will apply for credit card transactions

Montana · general information · checked October 24, 2026 · DPHHS, Birth and Death Certificates

Complete copies of a certified death certificate will be issued to anyone who submits a completed application, establishes their identity, and lists the reason for needing the copy.

a certified copy which has the cause of death information removed will be issued.

Montana · general information · checked October 24, 2026 · DPHHS, Death Certificate Application

You may visit any local County Clerk & Recorder’s office in Montana to purchase a birth or death certificate, regardless of which Montana county the event occurred in.

VitalChek and VRO are the only third-party vendors officially contracted and approved by the State of Montana.

Montana Vital Records PO Box 4210 Helena, MT 59604

Our office is now closed to the public for walk-in services.

Montana · general information · checked October 24, 2026 · DPHHS, Birth and Death Certificates

The person in charge of disposition shall obtain the completed certification of the cause of death from the physician, the advanced practice registered nurse, or the coroner and shall, within the time that the department may prescribe by rule, file the death or fetal death certificate with the local registrar in the registration area where the death occurred

Montana · general information · checked October 24, 2026 · MCA 50-15-403(2)

Death certificate filed with local registrar Within 10 days of notification of death Certificate filed by the person in charge of the final disposition of the body Typically completed by a funeral home.

Montana · general information · checked October 24, 2026 · DPHHS presentation to the SAVA Interim Committee, 17 Nov 2025

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

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