How to get a death certificate in Oklahoma
Certified copies come from the Oklahoma State Department of Health, Vital Records. Each copy is $15. Online and phone orders add a convenience fee, so the first copy costs $20 that way. Only close family or a legal representative can order.
Fees and where to order in Oklahoma
- Agency: Oklahoma State Department of Health, Division of Vital Records. Phone (405) 426-8880. Email AskVR@health.ok.gov.
- Fee: $15.00 per certified copy. Online or phone adds a $5.00 convenience fee for Oklahoma residents ($12.95 for non-residents). The FAQ states $20.00 for the first copy and $15 for each additional copy online or by phone.
- Online and phone orders (through VitalChek) take 1 to 2 business days to process and can be picked up at Will Call in Oklahoma City, Tulsa or McAlester.
- Mail: Vital Records Service, OSDH, PO Box 248964, Oklahoma City, OK 73124-8964. The page says mail may take 6 weeks; the form says processing may be 7 to 10 business days.
- Lobbies are not open to walk-ins.
- Eligibility: immediate family or a legal representative. Anyone other than a parent, spouse or the informant on the certificate must send proof of relationship or legal need. Funeral directors use a separate portal.
Sources: OSDH, Vital Records FAQ; OSDH, Death Certificates; OSDH, Death Certificate Request Form (May 2025)
How the death certificate fits the cremation timeline
Yes. Every cremation in Oklahoma needs a permit from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, which investigates and signs off first. The current permit fee is $200, with a $25 late fee for permits over 30 days. The funeral home usually handles this and lists it as a cash advance item.
- Form: an application-permit form provided by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, completed by the person legally responsible for disposition and filed by the funeral director.
- Each valid permit carries a number assigned by the OCME.
- Fee: $200.00 for a cremation permit; $25.00 cremation late fee (over 30 days), per the medical examiner fee rule posted by the Funeral Board. Statute allows $200 to $275.
- Cremating without a licensed crematory and a special permit is a felony (59 O.S. 396.33).
- Cremation also requires a cremation authorization signed by the next of kin (Funeral Board FAQ).
Sources: 63 O.S. 1-329.1 (OSCN); OAC 445:10, Medical Examiner Fees (Funeral Board); 63 O.S. 948.1 (OSCN)
What to use the certified copies for
Social Security pays a one-time $255 death payment to a surviving spouse. If there is no spouse, some children may get it. You must apply within 2 years of the death, by phone or online after signing in.
Banks, insurers, pension plans, the VA and the county recorder each usually want their own certified copy, so ask the funeral home how many to order at the start. Extra copies ordered at the same time often cost less.
- A spouse who lived with the person may qualify. A spouse living apart may qualify if they can get benefits on the deceased's record.
- If there is no spouse, eligible children include those 17 or younger, 18 to 19 in school (K to 12) full time, or any age if disabled before age 22 ("at age 21 or younger").
- Apply within 2 years of the death.
- Phone: 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), weekdays 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.; tell the representative you want to apply for a lump-sum death payment. The page also offers an online application after signing in to an account.
Source: SSA, Lump-sum death payment
Common questions
How much is a death certificate in Oklahoma?
Certified copies come from the Oklahoma State Department of Health, Vital Records. Each copy is $15. Online and phone orders add a convenience fee, so the first copy costs $20 that way. Only close family or a legal representative can order.
Does the funeral home order death certificates?
Usually yes. The funeral home files the death certificate and can order certified copies for the family as part of its service; the fee is passed on at cost or listed on the General Price List. You can also order more copies yourself later.
Do I need a death certificate before cremation?
Yes. Every cremation in Oklahoma needs a permit from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, which investigates and signs off first. The current permit fee is $200, with a $25 late fee for permits over 30 days. The funeral home usually handles this and lists it as a cash advance item.