Maryland Death Records

Certified copy of death certificate in the state of Maryland can be obtained from Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Division of Vital Records State of Maryland. The death record of the citizens of Maryland is divided into two separate authorities. The Archives is custodian of death records for Maryland’s 23 counties death record from 1898-1991, and for Baltimore City death record from 1875-1994. Baltimore city has a separate entity. The Division of vital statistics issues death record copies who die in Maryland after 1969 and prior to that State Archives may be contacted.

A legal request to order a death certificate must provide information such as descendant’s name, date of death (minimum month and year if date exactly doesn’t know), location of death (county or name of the city in Maryland), requestor’s contact and information and payment for death certificate. The official prescribed fee for the death certificate in Maryland is $12 for the first copy and $12 for each additional copy. The access of death record is restricted by law just mere to protect the rights of the individual named on the documents. death certificates are issued to the individual for obtaining death benefits, to claim insurance proceedings and for other legal proceedings.

Copy of death certificates can be issued descendant’s mother, father, sister, brother, spouse or child or any one authorized by the court order. The applicant must also provide an unexpired Govt. issued photo-ID, if the applicant is unable to provide Govt. issued Photo-ID he/she must have to provide two types of documentation from the following, Pay stub, bank statement, and current car registration, letter from government agency, lease/rental agreement and utility bills with address.

Maryland State Archives 

350 Rowe Blvd. 
Annapolis, MD 21401 
fax:  410-974-3895 
e-mail: ref@mdsa.net

Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Division of Vital Records 
Reisterstown Plaza, 6550 Reisterstown Road 
Baltimore, MD 21215 
Phone: 410-764-3038 (recording 24 hours, with menu options)