Search Franklin County Death Index
The Franklin County death index contains records of deaths that occurred in this North Country region of New York State. Franklin County was formed in 1808 from Clinton County and named for Benjamin Franklin. The county seat is Malone. Death records here are filed with local town clerks and with the New York State Department of Health. As a rural county along the Canadian border, Franklin County's vital records are spread across small town offices, each acting as its own registrar for births, deaths, and marriages in its jurisdiction.
Franklin County Death Index Overview
Where to Find Franklin County Death Records
Death certificates in Franklin County are held by the town clerk of the town where the death took place. There is no central county office for death records. The Franklin County Clerk in Malone keeps court records and land records, but not death certificates.
Contact the town clerk in the community where the death occurred. Malone, the largest town, has a town clerk who handles vital records for events within its borders. Smaller towns like Tupper Lake, Saranac Lake (partly in Franklin County), and Chateaugay each have their own clerks.
The New York State Department of Health holds Franklin County death records from 1880 forward. Write to PO Box 2602, Albany, NY 12220-2602, or call 855-322-1022. The state office covers all of New York outside New York City.
How to Search the Franklin County Death Index
The state death index is your main tool for older records. Records more than 50 years old are public. The index shows the name, death date, place, and a state file number. That number lets you order a copy of the full certificate.
The New York State Archives in Albany has microfiche copies of death indexes. You can view them at no charge. This works well for genealogy searches where you need to scan through multiple years.
Town clerks can also search their own local records. Call the clerk in the town where you think the death happened. Give them the name and a rough time frame. Small town offices in Franklin County may have limited hours, so calling ahead is smart.
Vital records are not subject to FOIL requests in New York. Under 10 NYCRR 35.4, death records follow their own set of access rules separate from general public records law.
Franklin County Death Certificate Fees
Town clerks charge about $10 per certified copy. This is standard across New York. Genealogy copies from local clerks may cost less.
The state DOH has a tiered fee system. One to three years costs $22 to search. Wider ranges go higher. An 81 to 90 year search costs $202. State genealogy copies are marked "For genealogical purposes only" and carry no legal weight for estate or insurance claims.
Expect long waits from the state. Genealogy requests take eight months or more to process. Town clerks in Franklin County are quicker, often responding in a few weeks.
Genealogy Research in Franklin County
Franklin County's North Country location and its proximity to the Canadian border give it a unique genealogy profile. Many families in this area had ties to French-Canadian communities across the border. Church records from Catholic parishes in Franklin County can be a rich source of death and burial information that predates civil registration.
The Franklin County Historical and Museum Society in Malone holds local history collections. Cemetery records from towns across the county have been transcribed by genealogy volunteers and are available online through sites like FindAGrave and BillionGraves.
Local registrars can issue uncertified copies for genealogy under New York regulations. Contact the town clerk where the death happened. These copies come faster than state requests and work fine for family history purposes.
FamilySearch has some indexed Franklin County records available for free online. The Adirondack Genealogical-Historical Society may have additional resources specific to this region.
Death Record Access Laws
Death records are restricted for 50 years in New York. Only qualified applicants can get certified copies during that time. Qualified applicants include close family members and legal representatives. After 50 years, the death index becomes public.
These rules apply to all town clerks in Franklin County and to the state DOH. Genealogy copies of older records have fewer restrictions and can be obtained by anyone with a legitimate genealogical interest.
Ordering Franklin County Death Records by Mail
You can request death records by mail from either the local town clerk or the state. For town clerks, write a letter that includes the full name of the deceased, the date of death (or approximate range), the town where the death occurred, and your relationship to the person. Include a check or money order for the fee. Mail it to the town clerk's office in the town where the death happened.
For state requests, use the NYS DOH application form. You can download it from their website. Fill in as much detail as you have. The more specific you are, the better the chances of a quick match. Send it with your fee to the Albany address. State requests go through a central processing center and take much longer than local requests.
In-person requests at Franklin County town clerk offices are also an option. Bring a photo ID and be prepared to fill out a short form. For genealogy copies of records over 50 years old, you do not need to prove a family relationship. Just state that the request is for genealogy purposes.
Nearby Counties
Franklin County borders several North Country and Adirondack counties. If you cannot find the record you need, try searching in these adjacent areas.