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Death Certificates

A certified death certificate is a legal document that is issued by the State Office of Vital Records in the county in which the death occurred.  Certified death certificates are required to take care of final details related to any accounts, insurance policies, to transfer property, and to make official notifications.  Many organizations require certified copies of the death certificate for survivors to receive benefits; photocopies are not considered legal documents.

In order to obtain certified death certificates in the State of Arizona, you must be 18 years old or older and provide the following:

• Valid government issued picture I.D. that shows your signature 
• Completed and signed application 
• Appropriate payment ($20.00 per copy) 
• A paid and signed receipt from the funeral home (also known as the statement of funeral goods and services). 
• OR Provide proof of legal interest (proving legal interest could include the applicant being named beneficiary on Decedent’s insurance policies, Will or Trust) or proof of your relationship (for example, a BIRTH CERTIFICATE that links the applicant to the deceased or a MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE that links the surviving spouse to the deceased.  All documents must be originals.

THE DEATH CERTIFICATE PROCESS

In Arizona, death certificates are completed electronically.  Once we have received all vital statistics information from the family, we start the electronic death record by faxing the death certificate to the doctor.  The doctor will sign, provide the cause of death and then fax to the Maricopa County Office of Vital Statics (MCOVR). (By law, the doctor has up to 72 hours to complete this).

MCOVR will then approve the cause of death.  If MCOVR does not approve the cause of death, they will have to contact the doctor for additional information. 

Once the cause of death is approved, the funeral home will apply for a permit for either burial or cremation. (Burial permits are approved by MCOVR, cremation permits are approved by the Medical Examiner).  

If the Medical Examiner does not approve the cremation permit/cause of death, they will complete an investigation. This could take anywhere from 2-5 business days.  In some cases, they may even need to have the decedent’s body transported to their office for further exams, toxicology tests, etc.

Once the burial/cremation permit is approved by the appropriate party, we send the completed death certificate to County Vitals for certification. Once certified, death certificates are ready to be printed and picked up.  The Maricopa County Office of Vital Records offers same day service for eligible applicants requesting certified death certificates. 

HOW MANY DEATH CERTIFICATES DO I NEED?

Sonoran Skies Mortuary is commonly asked for advice on how to determine the right amount of death certificates families should order.  So we have put together a list of the most common uses for death certificates so families know how many they need to order.

Some companies or institutions will not require a certified copy, but will instead want to see a certified copy, and then will scan or photocopy the document while you wait and return it to you.

We have put together a brief list of the most common uses for copies of death certificates so families know how many death certificates they need to order.

The following list will require an original certified copy of the death certificate:

_____ Insurance Claims (Life Insurance) 1 for each company

_____ Social Security (Arizona issues 1 free death certificate to the surviving spouse or dependent child only)

_____ Veteran's Benefits (Veterans will receive 1 free copy for Veteran's Benefits)

_____ Probate of Will, Trusts

_____ Union Benefits, 401K, Employee Benefits, Pension, IRA, or other Retirement Benefits

_____ Filing of all taxes – Federal & State

_____ Attorneys, CPA, Financial Advisor

_____ Title & Deeds to Property

_____ Stocks, bonds, mutual funds, investment accounts

_____ Home Mortgage(s)

_____ Closing a corporation, LLC etc.

_____ Personal requests from family members

_____ When forwarding human remains to another country, many consulates require an original for their records.

_____ TOTAL # TO PURCHASE

The following list will most likely only require a photocopy of the original certified death certificate:


_____ Bank Accounts, Safe Deposit Boxes & Credit Unions
_____ Credit Cards (fax them and keep the fax confirmation sheet for your records)
_____ Vehicle Registration and Title Changes (Auto, RV, Boat, Cycle, etc.)
_____ Service Providers (cable TV, lawn care, pest control, newspapers, rental storage space, etc.)
_____ Utility Companies
_____ Social Media Accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.)
_____ Cell Phone Accounts (fax them and keep the fax confirmation sheet for your records)

Because each family’s needs are unique, this list may not be complete.  We encourage you to seek professional guidance and consult with specialists on your specific circumstance.

Important: Ultimately, it is up to the company or institution to determine whether a copy of a death certificate will be accepted or if they require an original death certificate. Although not common, you may need to provide multiple death certificates if there are different accounts. We recommend you check with the organization for their specific policy. Unfortunately, the only way to know for sure is to contact the organization directly.

As a rule of thumb, anytime you will be getting funds back, you will in most cases require an original death certificate.

One last note, if your loved one passed away in Maricopa County, you have up to one year from the date of death to visit any of the four Maricopa County Office of Vital Records offices (listed below) to order, pay for, and pick up (same day) certified death certificates.  After that one year is up, you will have to go to the State Office in Phoenix to pick up certified death certificates.  They currently cost $20 each. 


If you have any more questions, please do not hesitate to contact us directly (480-985-4900) or you may visit Maricopa County’s Vital Statistic’s website here: https://www.maricopa.gov/1012/Death-Certificates

LOCATIONS TO OBTAIN CERTIFIED COPIES OF THE DEATH CERTIFICATES

Maricopa County Office of Vital Registration Office Locations


EAST VALLEY
4419 E. Main Street, Ste. 105, Mesa, AZ 85208
(SE Corner of Greenfield & Main Street, next to the 99 cents store)


CENTRAL VALLEY
3221 N.16th Street, Ste. 100, Phoenix, AZ 85016


NORTH VALLEY
2423 W. Dunlap Ave Ste #110, Phoenix, AZ 85021


WEST VALLEY
1850 N. 95^th Ave Ste. 182, Phoenix, AZ 85037



Pinal County Office of Vital Registration Office Locations

MARICOPA

41600 W. Smith-Enke Road, Bldg. 15, Maricopa, AZ 85138

SAN TAN VALLEY

36235 N. Gantzel Road, San Tan Valley, AZ 85142