Search New York City Death Index
New York City death index records span more than two centuries of vital records across all five boroughs. The Municipal Archives and the NYC Department of Health both hold death records, with the split falling at 1948 for historical files and 1949 onward for more recent ones. Searching these records means knowing which office to contact based on the year of death, and each office has its own rules for access, fees, and eligibility. This guide walks through every step so you can find what you need with the least amount of back and forth.
New York City Death Index Overview
Counties That Handle New York City Death Index Records
New York City spans five counties, each tied to a borough. New York County covers Manhattan. Kings County covers Brooklyn. Bronx County is the Bronx. Queens County is Queens. Richmond County covers Staten Island. All five boroughs share the same central vital records offices, so you do not need to contact each county separately for death records.
Municipal Archives Death Index
The NYC Municipal Archives at 31 Chambers St, Room 103, New York, NY 10007 holds historical death records. This is the main source for older files. The archive is open by appointment Monday through Thursday from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM, and Friday from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
Call 311 or (212) 639-9675 for help. You can also email familyhistory@records.nyc.gov to ask about records or set up a visit.
Death records at the Municipal Archives cover the following ranges. Manhattan has deaths from 1795, plus 1802 through 1804, 1808, 1812, and then continuous through 1948. Brooklyn holds death records from 1847 to 1853, then 1857 to 1948. The Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island all have death records from 1898 through 1948. These year ranges reflect when each borough began filing vital records with the city.
The city is digitizing over 13.3 million historical vital records. Free online access is at a860-historicalvitalrecords.nyc.gov. Not all records are up yet. The project is still in progress. Check back if you do not find what you need on the first try.
NYC Department of Health Death Records
For deaths from 1949 to the present, contact the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. The office is at 125 Worth St, CN-4, Room 133, New York, NY 10013. Hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM. Call 311 or (212) 788-4520.
The fee is $15 per certified copy. Only eligible people can order. Eligible requesters include the spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, or grandchild of the person named on the record. You must show proof of your relationship and a valid photo ID.
Certified copies come with a raised seal. They work for legal use. If you need a Letter of Exemplification for court or foreign use, that is also available from the Department of Health. Processing times vary based on demand and how you submit your request.
How to Search the New York City Death Index
Start with the year of death. If the death was in 1948 or before, go to the Municipal Archives. If 1949 or later, go to the Department of Health. This is the most important step. The wrong office will not have the file.
For online searches, try the free digital portal at the Municipal Archives site. You can search by name, year, and borough. Results vary since not all files have been scanned yet. If the online portal turns up nothing, an in-person visit may help. Staff can search indexes that are not yet online.
For genealogy work, the Municipal Archives is your best bet. Staff there can help with older death index records. The Department of Health does not typically handle genealogical requests for recent records due to privacy laws.
Ordering Death Certificates in New York City
You have three ways to get a certified death copy. In person is the fastest. Bring a government photo ID to either office during their open hours. Payment methods include cash, money order, Mastercard, and Visa.
By mail, send a written request with the full name of the deceased, date of death, borough, your relationship, a copy of your photo ID, and a money order for $15. Mail it to the appropriate office based on the year of death.
Online ordering is possible through VitalChek for Department of Health records. Extra processing fees apply. This service is for certified copies only. It does not work for genealogy research or dual citizenship requests.
Who Can Get a Death Record in New York City
Eligibility rules are strict. The following people can request a certified death record:
- Spouse or domestic partner of the deceased
- Parent or child of the deceased
- Sibling of the deceased
- Grandparent or grandchild of the deceased
If your last name does not match due to a name change, bring legal proof. A marriage certificate or court order works. Attorneys may request records on behalf of eligible parties with proper documentation. No third-party or general public access is allowed for recent certified copies.
New York State Death Index Resources
Beyond city offices, the New York State Department of Health keeps death records from 1914 onward for the entire state, including New York City. If you hit a wall with city offices, the state may have a copy. Contact them at (518) 474-3077. The state office handles mail requests but does not offer walk-in service for NYC records.
For very old records, the New York Public Library and the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society hold microfilm copies of early death indexes. These can fill gaps when the digital portal comes up short. The FamilySearch.org website also has some New York City death index records available for free browsing.
Tips for Searching NYC Death Index Records
Spelling matters. Old records used many name variants. Try different spellings if your first search fails. A common issue is that clerks wrote names by sound, not by the correct spelling. This is normal for records from the 1800s and early 1900s.
Know the borough. Each borough kept its own records before consolidation in 1898. If you are looking for a Brooklyn death before 1898, it was filed under the old city of Brooklyn, not under New York City. The same goes for parts of Queens and Staten Island that were separate towns.
Keep notes on every search. Write down what you looked for, where you searched, and what you found or did not find. This helps avoid repeating the same dead ends and gives you a clear trail if you need to ask staff for help later on.
Nearby Cities
These cities also have death index resources and pages on this site.