Connecticut Death Records

As one of the states with relatively low death rates in the United States, the age-adjusted mortality rate in Connecticut is 717.7 deaths per 100,000 residents. This is lower than the national death rate average of 793.7 per 100,000 of the country's total population. The state's life expectancy is about 78.4 years, which is approximately 1.4 years higher than the life expectancy in the U.S. overall. Each year, Connecticut records about 33,948 deaths, and heart disease accounts for the most death events.

Statewide registration of deaths started on July 1, 1987, in Connecticut. However, records of deaths before 1987 were documented and maintained by the Vital Records Offices in the towns where the events occurred. Currently, each of the 169 towns in the state has a Vital Records Office that issues death records (certificates) for death events that took place within the town's limits. In addition, they retain copies of certificates of death events happening in Connecticut to individuals who resided in that town at the time of the death events.

Death records are usually issued as certificates in Connecticut. A death certificate is an official document that reveals the place, time, cause of death of a person, and other important details like the deceased individual's personal information. Its uses range from legal to administrative purposes.

The funeral director must ensure to file the completed original death certificate with the town clerk of the town where the death occurs when someone dies in Connecticut. Typically, a licensed funeral director or embalmer (or a designated employee) completes the death certificate while a physician pronounces death, certifies, and signs the original death certificate. Once this is done, the completed death certificate is filed with the clerk of the town.

While an original death certificate in Connecticut is filed locally with the clerk of the town where the death took place or where the deceased person resided at the time of death, the state's Department of Public Health (DPH) keeps a statewide registry of death certificates. Certified copies of original death certificates in the state may be accessed at the DPH. These are verified or true copies of death certificates with a government seal, and they are as good as the original documents.

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

Anyone aged 18 years or older may obtain a certified copy of a Connecticut death certificate from the Vital Records Office of the state's Department of Health or the Vital Records Office in the town of death.

Interested persons may take the following steps to get a certified copy of a death certificate from the State Vital Records Office by mail or in person:

• Complete the Request for a Certified Copy of a Death Certificate from the State Vital Records Office.
• Provide a photocopy of proof of identity and relationship to the decedent (for someone requesting a certified copy of a death certificate with the decedent's Social Security number).
• Pay a $20 fee per copy of the certificate requested. Payment can be made by money order made out to the Treasurer, State of Connecticut. Personal checks and credit cards are not accepted for mail-in requests.
• Submit the completed form, payment, and the necessary documents by mail or in person to the DPH at:

Mail Address

Physical Address (For in-person submissions)

The State Vital Records Office provides walk-in services on the following days and between certain hours:

• Monday - 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
• Wednesday - 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• Friday - 11:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The processing time for death certificate requests at the State Vital Records Office varies depending on the situation and may take up to 12 weeks.

It is also possible for someone to request a certified copy of a Connecticut death certificate from the Vital Records Office of the town where the death occurred or where the deceased person lived at the time of the death event. The application may be submitted in person or by mail by taking the following steps:

• Fill out the Request for a Certified Copy of a Death Certificate from the Town of Death Vital Records Office.
• Provide a copy of a valid ID and proof of relationship to the deceased person if requesting a copy of the death certificate with the decedent's social security number.
• Pay a $20 fee per copy of the requested certificate by money order made payable to the town. Personal checks are not allowed.
• Submit the completed form, required documents, and fee to the appropriate Local Town Vital Records Office in person or by mail.

Death certificate requests submitted to the local vital records offices are generally processed more quickly than those done at the State Vital Records Office.

Are Connecticut Death Records Public?

Yes. Per Section 7-51a of the state's General Statutes, death records are generally considered public records in Connecticut and may be accessed by anyone who is at least 18 years old. Anyone intending to access a death record in the state must be able to provide basic information, such as the decedent's name, town of event, and the approximate date of death, that can help identify such records.

Who Can Request an Original Death Certificate in Connecticut?

No individual may request or obtain an original death certificate in Connecticut. Once filed by the funeral directors, original death certificates are permanently maintained at the offices of the clerks of towns in the towns where such death events occur. However, anyone who is 18 years or older may request a certified copy of a death certificate in the state.

Nevertheless, only the surviving spouse or next of kin of a deceased person in Connecticut may purchase a death certificate with the decedent's social security number. Anyone who wishes to obtain this must provide valid proof of identity and evidence of relationship to the deceased person.

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

After the death of a person in Connecticut, the original death certificate is prepared and filed with the clerk of the town in the town where the death occurs. This typically takes a few days or weeks for a death that happens naturally. Once the original death certificate is filed, anyone may obtain a certified copy of the certificate, and how long it takes to get it depends on the source. Connecticut death certificates requested from the State Vital Records Office typically take up to 12 weeks to process. However, those requested from the local Vital Records Offices are generally processed quickly.

However, when foul play is suspected in a death event, an autopsy may be required to ascertain the cause and manner of death. In this case, there is usually a delay in preparing the final death certificate and filing it at the appropriate quarters. If the case is a complex one, further investigations and toxicology testing may be required to determine the cause of death and for death certification. Until a completed autopsy report is available, the medical examiner will not be able to prepare the final death certificate. This usually takes several weeks. Sometimes beyond 8 weeks.

Can I View Connecticut Death Records online for free?

The Connecticut State Library provides an index of deaths that allows interested persons to view the name, date of death, and place of death of individuals who passed away in the state between 1897 to 2001. Other online sources like Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org also have digital records of death events that occurred in the state at varying times in the past.

Furthermore, interested persons may look up Connecticut death records online through credible third-party sites like Connecticutpublicrecords.us. These sites collate records of deaths at different times and keep them in their database, where they remain accessible at any time, although at a small fee. Several substitute records are also good sources of information regarding death events in the state. For instance, cemetery records, newspapers, obituaries, church records, tax records, probate records, and city directories may provide information about death events for free, especially for those without an official record.

When Would You Require A Death Certificate in Connecticut?

In Connecticut, a death certificate serves as the official proof of a person's death, and it is critical in handling several financial, legal, and administrative matters, including the following:

• Making funeral arrangements.
• Closing the decedent's financial or bank accounts and releasing funds from such accounts to authorized persons.
• Canceling the decedent's credit cards and notifying creditors or mortgage companies.
• Executing and settling the estate of the deceased person. This includes the transfer of property titles, the distribution of assets to beneficiaries, and paying taxes and debts.
• Updating the decedent's driver's license records and voter registration.
• Claiming certain benefits, including pension, veteran benefits, and retirement funds from the decedent's employer.
• Informing government agencies like the SSA and IRS of an individual's death.
• Canceling the deceased person's subscriptions to utility services like electricity and telephone services.

How Many Death Certificates Do I Need in Connecticut?

Typically, obtaining about 8 to 12 copies of a Connecticut death certificate is advised to ensure there is enough to handle all pressing legal and administrative matters after the passing of a loved one. However, the actual number required varies and largely depends on the size of the deceased person's assets and the number of agencies and/or institutions requiring a certified copy of the death certificate. To ascertain the actual number of certified copies required, list the matters that require copies and each agency that needs one.