Access White Plains Death Index
White Plains death index records are held by the City Clerk, who serves as the local registrar of vital statistics. As the county seat of Westchester County, White Plains is home to many county offices including the Westchester County Clerk at 110 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. However, the county clerk does not issue death certificates. That job falls to the city clerk for deaths that happened in White Plains, or to the NYS Department of Health for state-level copies. This guide explains both routes and what you need to know before you start your search.
White Plains Death Index Overview
Westchester County and White Plains Death Records
White Plains is in Westchester County and serves as the county seat. The Westchester County Clerk's office is at 110 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, White Plains, NY 10601. This office handles court filings, property records, and other county documents. It does not handle death certificates.
The Westchester County Archives at 2199 Saw Mill River Rd in Elmsford hold some historical records, including marriage records from 1908 to 1935. Death records from the county archives are limited, but it is worth checking if you are doing genealogy work and need older documents that might relate to a death search.
For actual death certificates, you need the White Plains City Clerk for local deaths or the state DOH for any death in New York from 1880 onward.
White Plains City Clerk Death Index
The City Clerk holds death records for events in White Plains. This office is your best first stop if you know the death took place here. The clerk maintains a death index that can be searched by name and date.
Visit in person for the quickest results. Bring your government-issued photo ID. If you are asking for a certified copy, you must prove your relationship to the person on the record. Close family members and legal representatives are the only people who can get certified copies under New York law.
You can also send a mail request. Include the deceased person's full name, date of death, your name and address, a copy of your ID, your relationship to the deceased, and payment by money order. The clerk will search the death index and mail you a copy if the record is found and you are eligible.
New York State Death Index for White Plains
The NYS Department of Health keeps death records from 1880 to the present for all of New York State. If you cannot find what you need through the White Plains city clerk, the state is your next option. Mail your request to NYS DOH, PO Box 2602, Albany, NY 12220. Phone: 855-322-1022.
The state charges $22 for a search and one certified copy. Processing times are long. Expect eight months or more. The state handles thousands of requests and works through them in the order they come in. There is no way to speed up the process.
For death records older than 50 years, the state archives may have indexes available for research. These older records can sometimes be accessed with fewer restrictions, which makes them useful for genealogy work.
How to Search the White Plains Death Index
Start with what you know. The name of the deceased and the year of death are the two most important facts. If you have both, the clerk can usually find the record quickly. If you only have a name, the search may take longer since there could be multiple people with the same name over the years.
Online resources can help narrow your search before you contact the clerk. FamilySearch.org has some free New York death index records. Ancestry.com has more but costs money. Check local libraries for free access to these databases. The White Plains Public Library may offer Ancestry access on their computers.
Old newspapers are another good source. Obituaries published in local papers can tell you the exact date and place of death. This information makes the official record request much easier. The Westchester County Historical Society may also have relevant materials.
Death Index Eligibility and Access
New York State regulates who can get certified death records. Under 10 NYCRR 35.4, the following people are eligible:
- Spouse or domestic partner of the deceased
- Parent or child
- Sibling of the deceased
- Grandparent or grandchild
- Attorney or authorized representative
These rules apply at both the local and state level. If you do not qualify for a certified copy, you may be able to get an uncertified or informational copy for genealogy purposes. The rules on uncertified copies depend on the age of the record and the office you are dealing with.
Additional Death Record Resources
The Westchester County Archives at 2199 Saw Mill River Rd, Elmsford, NY hold historical county records. While their death record collection is limited, they may have related documents like probate files, cemetery records, or court records that mention a death date.
The White Plains Historical Society and the Westchester County Historical Society are both worth contacting for older records. They may have death notices, church records, or other documents that predate the state's 1880 vital records requirement.
For federal death records, the Social Security Death Index covers deaths from 1962 onward. It is free to search on several genealogy websites and can help confirm a death date and location before you request the official state or local record.
Nearby Cities
These nearby cities also have death index resources on this site.