Oklahoma Death Records
Oklahoma death records are kept by the Oklahoma State Department of Health through its Vital Records Service. You can search for death records going back to 1908 and get certified copies through three state offices or by mail. The free OK2Explore database lets you check if a death record is on file before you pay a search fee. For a certified death certificate, you need to fill out an application, show a valid photo ID, and pay the $15 state fee. This page covers all the ways to find and get Oklahoma death records, what you need to bring, who can ask for them, and how the process works at the state and county level across all 77 Oklahoma counties.
Oklahoma Death Records Overview
Where to Find Oklahoma Death Records
The Oklahoma State Department of Health runs the Vital Records Service. This is the main office for all death records in Oklahoma. They hold death certificates for every death that took place in the state from October 1908 to now. The office sits in Oklahoma City at 1000 Northeast 10th Street. You can call them at (405) 271-4040 or send an email to AskVR@health.ok.gov.
Oklahoma death records are state level records. That means the county health departments do not issue death certificates. This is a key point. No matter which of the 77 counties you live in, you get your death certificate from the state office. The county health departments can point you in the right direction but they do not hand out copies. Some people call their local county clerk first. The clerk keeps land records and court records but not death records. For a death certificate in Oklahoma, you go to the state.
There are three Vital Records offices in Oklahoma where you can pick up death certificates. The main office is in Oklahoma City. The Tulsa office is at the James O. Goodwin Health Center at 5051 S. 129th East Ave. A third satellite office is at the Pittsburg County Health Department in McAlester at 1400 East College Avenue. All three offices are open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM.
The OK2Explore database is a free tool from the state health department. It lets you search death records that are more than five years old. You can look up a name, date, county, or sex. The index tells you if a record is on file. You can not view the actual death certificate online. But it saves you time and money because you can check before you pay.
Note: Death certificates will not be faxed. Priority mail is handled the same as regular mail. For the fastest service, use USPS Express Mail or order through VitalChek for will call pickup.
The Oklahoma State Department of Health main portal provides links to all vital records services including death certificates, ordering options, and office locations.
From this portal you can find application forms, check office hours, and learn about the ordering process for Oklahoma death records.
How to Get Oklahoma Death Records
There are three ways to get a death certificate in Oklahoma. You can apply in person, by mail, or online. Each method has its own steps and time frames. The fee is $15 no matter which way you order. That fee covers one certified copy if the record is found. It is not refundable if the record does not come up.
To apply in person, you download the application for a death certificate from the state health department website. Fill it out all the way. Bring your photo ID and the $15 fee in cash, check, or money order. Then visit one of the three Vital Records offices. The main office in Oklahoma City, the Tulsa office at the Goodwin Health Center, or the satellite office in McAlester. Allow at least one hour for processing. Arrive early in the morning for the best service. Under Title 63 O.S. Section 1-323, death records filed with the state are not open for public inspection, but qualified applicants can get certified copies.
To apply by mail, fill out the same application. Make a clear copy of your photo ID. Do not send your original ID. Write a check or money order to OSDH or Vital Records Service for $15. Mail it all to Vital Records Service, Oklahoma State Department of Health, PO Box 53551, Oklahoma City, OK 73152. Allow at least four weeks for mail requests.
The state does not take online orders on its own. Instead they work with VitalChek, a private company. You can order through VitalChek at 877-817-7364 or on their site. They take all major credit cards. VitalChek adds a service fee on top of the $15 state fee. Orders placed online get sent to the state the next business day. You can pick up your certificate at one of the three will call locations within about two business days.
The death certificate page on the state health department site explains all ordering options and required forms.
Check this page for the latest application forms and fee information before placing your order.
Who Can Get Oklahoma Death Records
Oklahoma law says death records are not open for public inspection. That does not mean nobody can get them. It means you have to meet one of the eligibility rules. Getting a death certificate for fraud is a crime.
You can get a death certificate if you are a surviving spouse, parent, child, grandparent, or sibling of the person who died. A legal guardian also qualifies. So does a legal representative of the estate if they have a court order. An individual who can show a family relationship with the deceased can also apply. Funeral directors of record can get copies as part of their work. A person with a court order from any court works too. If you were a co-owner or joint tenant on property with the person, you qualify. If you are listed in the will and it is in probate, that counts. Genealogists must show a family connection.
You need a valid government issued photo ID to get a death certificate. A U.S. driver's license or ID card works. So does a U.S. passport, military photo ID, tribal photo ID with your signature, or an Oklahoma concealed carry permit. If you have no primary ID, you can use two secondary IDs but one must show your current address. When using secondary IDs, the certificate gets mailed to you and can not be picked up in person.
Will Call Pickup for Death Records
Oklahoma offers a will call service that lets you pick up death certificates in person after ordering online or by phone. This is the fastest way to get a certified copy. You order through VitalChek, choose will call as your delivery option, and then pick up when it is ready.
Will call pickup hours are 12:00 PM to 4:45 PM, Monday through Friday. The three pickup spots are the Oklahoma City office at 1000 NE 10th Street, the Tulsa office at the James O. Goodwin Health Center, and the McAlester satellite office at Pittsburg County Health Department. You get two emails when you order: one that says your order was received and one that says it is ready for pickup. Bring your photo ID and order confirmation when you go.
Note: Same day services are no longer available. You must order in advance online or by phone before visiting a will call location.
Historical Death Records in Oklahoma
Oklahoma started filing death records in October 1908. But it was not required by law until 1917. Because of that, records before 1940 can be spotty. Not every death was reported in the early years. If you are looking for a death record from before 1908, you may need to check with the Oklahoma Historical Society or the Dawes Commission records.
Under the open records law that took effect November 1, 2016, death records more than 50 years old are open records. That means you do not need to prove eligibility for these older records. You still need to fill out the application, show a photo ID, and pay the fee. But anyone can ask for a death certificate that is over 50 years old. For records less than 50 years old, you must meet the eligibility requirements.
The Oklahoma Historical Society Records Division keeps funeral home records, cemetery indexes, and obituary files. They also have the Oklahoma Cemetery Index, published by Oklahoma Home and Community Education, with a volume for each of the 77 counties. The Gateway to Oklahoma History is a free digital portal with thousands of old newspaper pages going back to the 1840s. You can search for obituaries and death notices there. The OHS Newspaper Archives hold about 4,000 newspaper titles on more than 42,000 reels of microfilm.
The Gateway to Oklahoma History portal gives free access to digitized historical newspapers from across the state.
Use the keyword search to look for obituaries and death notices in old Oklahoma newspapers.
Search Oklahoma Death Records Free with OK2Explore
The OK2Explore database is the best place to start your search. It is free. You do not pay a thing to use it. The index covers death records that are more than five years old, going back to the earliest death record on file from 1908. You can search by name, date of event, county, and sex.
Use an asterisk as a wildcard in any field. If you type "John*" it will return John, Johnson, and Johnston. Leave fields blank if you are not sure. The system returns exact matches only, so start broad and then narrow down. If your search matches more than 15 records, you get a message to add more details. The index is updated monthly with new records and corrections.
The OK2Explore search tool from the state health department is shown here.
This free index tells you if a record exists. You still need to order a certified copy through the normal process.
Keep in mind the index has some errors. Doctors and funeral directors sometimes made mistakes when filling out records. Families did not always give the right information. Old handwriting can be hard to read. And typos happened during data entry. If you can not find a record by name, try different spellings or use the wildcard search.
Oklahoma Death Records Fees
The search fee is $15. It covers one certified copy if the record is found. Each additional copy costs $15 too. The fee is not refundable if the record is not found. Make checks or money orders out to OSDH or Vital Records Service.
If you need to correct or amend a death certificate, there is an extra $25 fee. You have to fill out an application and mail it with a copy of your ID and a description of what needs to change. The office reviews it and sends you a letter telling you what to do next. Corrections need supporting documents.
For foreign use, you may need an apostille. The Oklahoma Secretary of State handles apostilles. This verifies that the person who certified the document was an official at the time. Check the Secretary of State site for fees and hours.
VitalChek is the authorized online ordering service for Oklahoma death records and other vital records.
Order online at VitalChek.com or by phone at 877-817-7364 using any major credit card.
Oklahoma Death Records for Genealogy
Genealogists use Oklahoma death records along with several other sources. The Oklahoma Historical Society is a big help. Their Research Center in the Oklahoma History Center has free access to Ancestry Library Edition, Fold3, HeritageQuest Online, and Newspapers.com. You can search census records, military records, and ship logs at the center for free.
The OHS also holds funeral home records and cemetery books. The Oklahoma Cemetery Index has a volume for each county. The Newspaper Archives hold about 4,000 titles dating from 1844 to now. You can get copies of obituaries from The Oklahoman newspaper for a $15 express fee. The newspaper collection grows every week with more than 150 current titles added. If a newspaper is not on the Gateway to Oklahoma History, contact the Newspaper Archivist at 405-522-0868.
The state courts network at OSCN.net can help too. Probate records often list details about a deceased person's estate, heirs, and assets. You can search court records by name or case number. These records complement what you find in death certificates.
The Oklahoma State Department of Health provides an interactive county map showing all 68 county health departments and 2 independent city-county health departments.
While county health departments do not issue death certificates, they can provide guidance on the process for Oklahoma death records.
Browse Oklahoma Death Records by County
Oklahoma has 77 counties. Death records for all of them go through the state Vital Records office. But each county has its own health department and court system that can help point you to the right resources. Pick a county below to find local contacts and details for death records in that area.
Death Records in Major Oklahoma Cities
City offices do not issue death certificates in Oklahoma. But residents of larger cities often need to know which county handles their records. Pick a city below to find out where to go for death records in that area.