North Carolina Death Records

North Carolina records approximately 106,044 deaths each year and has a mortality rate of 860 per 100,000 residents, lower than the national average of 793.7 per 100,000 people. In some cities, death events recordings date back to 1855. However, statewide registration and recording of death did not start until 1913, with general compliance around 1920.

The primary form of death record in North Carolina is the death certificate. It contains important details about a deceased person, including their name, cause of death, place of death, and date of death. Some counties in the state also keep death indexes, which are typically summaries of information contained in death certificates. In North Carolina, a death event is medically certified by the physician in charge of a patient's care for the condition or illness that leads to their death unless the death qualifies for cases described in Section 130A-383 of the state's General Statutes.

Once a death is certified in North Carolina, the certifying personnel prepares an original death certificate, which is then filed with the Office of Vital Records in the state. Afterward, anyone interested and eligible may obtain certified copies of the original death certificate from the Office of Vital Records. A certified copy of a North Carolina death certificate can be used for several administrative and legal purposes as it usually bears the government seal.

How Do I Get a Certified Copy of a Death Certificate in North Carolina?

Certified copies of North Carolina death certificates from 1930 to the present may be obtained from the state's Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) through the Office of Vital Records in any of the following ways:

• Order By Mail - Take the following steps to request a certified copy of a North Carolina death certificate by mail:

  • Fill out the Application for a Copy of a North Carolina Death Certificate Form and sign it

  • Submit the completed application form by mail along with a non-refundable payment of applicable fees to the Vital Records Office at:

    North Carolina Vital Records Office

    Attn: VC Certificate Orders

    1903 Mail Service Center

    Raleigh, NC 27699-1900

    The cost of obtaining a certified copy of a North Carolina death certificate includes a non-refundable $24 fee for the first copy, $15 for each additional copy of the certified death certificate, and the VitalChek processing fee indicated on the application. Payment can be made to VitalChek by money order, personal check, or credit card. The average processing time for mail orders is about 3 months.

• Order In Person - Anyone intending to request certified copies of a North Carolina death certificate in person must make an appointment using the NC Vital Records appointments calendar or by contacting the office at (984) 236-7268. Appointments are available Monday to Friday, between 8:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., and they are usually for 30 minutes, during which a staff at the Vital Records Office will attend to the requester. In-person requests are considered expedited applications. As such, requesters are required to pay a $15 expedited processing fee in addition to standard fees.

  Alternatively, interested persons may obtain certified copies of a death certificate in North Carolina by visiting the Register of Deeds office (ROD) in the county where the death occurred. Typically, requests submitted are processed and fulfilled on the same day.

Are North Carolina Death Records Public?

Yes, North Carolina death records are public records. Per Section 130A-99 of the state's General Statutes, death certificates and indexes are public documents that are open to inspection and examination. In addition, interested persons may obtain copies of these records upon request, while certified copies of death certificates may only be provided to eligible persons.

Who Can Request an Original Death Certificate in North Carolina?

Original death certificates in North Carolina are not issued to the members of the public. They are held by the State Office of Vital Records, where interested and eligible persons may only request copies. Typically, death certificates are considered public documents anyone may obtain uncertified copies upon request. Uncertified copies of a death certificate are issued for informational purposes only. However, only certain individuals may request and get certified copies of the certificates.

Per Section 130A-93(c) of the North Carolina General Statutes, the following individuals and entities may obtain certified copies of death certificates in the state with proof of identity and evidence of eligibility:

• The deceased persons' sibling, spouse, stepchild, stepparent, or descendant.
• Any authorized attorney, agent, or legal representative of the deceased person.
• Any individual seeking information for a legal determination of property or personal rights.
• Any agency serving as a confidential intermediary as described in Section 48-9-104 of the North Carolina General Statutes.
• A licensed funeral director or funeral service

How Long Does It Take to Get a Death Certificate in North Carolina?

How long it takes to get a copy of a death certificate in North Carolina varies based on the ordering method. Generally, it takes about 3 months for the state Vital Records Office to fulfil an order made by mail. Anyone looking to obtain a copy urgently should consider ordering from the Register of Deeds in the county of the death event. While it typically takes a while before someone can get a death certificate in North Carolina, it may even take longer if a death took place under an unusual circumstance and a full investigation or autopsy is necessary.

When an autopsy is required in North Carolina, the timeline to obtain the reports may take up to four months, which ultimately impacts how long it takes for the original death certificate to be prepared. When an initial examination does not disclose enough information to identify the cause of death, additional investigations or laboratory tests are often required. Pathologists may have to take blood samples (blood tissues or body fluids) for further studies to identify the manner and cause of death. It may take several months to finalize the results of these tests, thereby delaying the availability of the original death certificate.

Can I View North Carolina Death Records online for free?

According to North Carolina laws and rules, death certificates in the state are not free, searchable public records. Generally, death certificates for deaths that occurred in the state between 1909 and 1976 and death indexes between 1908 and 2004 are available to Ancestry.com subscribers. Some historical North Carolina death records may also be available on FamilySearch.org. Furthermore, the State Archives also hold death certificates and statewide indexes between 1013 and 1979.

Interested persons may also view North Carolina death records online through reliable third-party sites like NorthCarolinapublicrecords.us for a small fee. These sites typically serve as databases for records of deaths that have taken place in the state for many years. In cases of deaths with no official records in North Carolina, it is possible to find information about such events through substitute records like tax records, obituaries, newspapers, and cemetery records. Others include family bible records, probate records, and census mortality schedules.

When Would You Require A Death Certificate in North Carolina?

A death certificate is required for various purposes in North Carolina, including the following:

• Notify agencies like Veterans Affairs, Social Security Administration, and Internal Revenue Service about someone's death to stop benefits.
• Applying to certain agencies for several benefits as survivors of the decedent.
• Transferring decedent's financial accounts, real estate, vehicles, and other assets.
• Filing life insurance claims.
• Receiving Medicaid benefits and pension.
• Genealogical research.
• Notifying utility services to cancel decedent's accounts.

How Many Death Certificates Do I Need in North Carolina?

Obtaining between 8 and 12 copies of a death certificate in North Carolina is ideal and should be enough to help address various legal and financial issues after a person's death. However, the actual number of copies needed may vary by case, depending on the decedent's accounts, assets, and the number of government services enjoyed before passing away. While some agencies or entities are comfortable collecting photocopies of certified copies, others will ask for true certified copies. This can greatly influence the number of certified copies of a death certificate an individual needs to obtain.