Find Goodyear Death Records

Death records for Goodyear are handled by Maricopa County, not the Goodyear City Clerk. Arizona cities do not issue vital records under state law. The Goodyear City Clerk at 1900 North Civic Square handles city business licenses, public records requests for city documents, and council meeting minutes. But for death certificates and other vital records, you need to contact Maricopa County Public Health or the Arizona Department of Health Services. Maricopa County runs a vital records office right in Goodyear at 14130 West McDowell Road. This is one of five offices across the Valley where you can get certified death certificates in person.

Maricopa County Handles Death Records

The City of Goodyear does not issue death certificates. Arizona state law puts vital records under county public health departments and the state health agency. Cities have no role in vital records. The Goodyear City Clerk's office at 1900 North Civic Square handles city business like council minutes, public records requests for city documents, and business licenses. For birth certificates, death certificates, and other vital records, you must go to the county or state level.

Goodyear residents use Maricopa County Public Health. The county runs the Office of Vital Registration, which issues certified copies of death certificates for any death that occurred in Arizona. Maricopa County has five offices in the Valley. One of them is located in Goodyear at 14130 West McDowell Road. This is the most convenient option for Goodyear residents. The office is in the same area as other county services and has parking on site. Staff can help you fill out the application and tell you what documents you need to bring.

If the Goodyear office is too far or the hours do not work for your schedule, you can also use the other Maricopa County locations. There are offices in Phoenix, Mesa, Peoria, and Glendale. All five offices connect to the same statewide database and can issue the same certified death certificates. The Maricopa County death records page has complete details on all five locations, including hours, fees, and directions. You can also check the Maricopa County Vital Records website for current wait times and any changes to office hours.

Goodyear City Clerk Office

The Goodyear City Clerk is at 1900 North Civic Square. This office handles public records requests for city documents, but not vital records. You can get copies of city council agendas, meeting minutes, ordinances, resolutions, and other city paperwork. The City Clerk also processes business licenses and keeps official city records. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8 in the morning to 5 in the afternoon. The phone number is 623-882-7830. You can also send an email to gyclerk@goodyearaz.gov with questions about city records or services.

When people contact the Goodyear City Clerk asking about death certificates, staff refer them to Maricopa County. The city website includes links to vital records information from the county and state. This saves you time if you know in advance where to go for death records in Goodyear. The Goodyear City Clerk does not have access to the state vital records database and cannot print or issue death certificates. All vital records must come from a county public health office or the state health department.

If you show up at the Goodyear City Clerk's office asking for a death certificate, the staff will direct you to the Maricopa County office on West McDowell Road instead. That office is just a few miles away and can usually print your certificate the same day if you have all the right documents and the death certificate is in the system. Call ahead at 602-506-6805 to check if the record is available before you make the trip.

How Goodyear Residents Get Death Certificates

You have three main ways to get a death certificate as a Goodyear resident. The first option is to visit the Maricopa County vital records office in Goodyear at 14130 West McDowell Road. Bring your government photo ID like a driver's license or passport. You also need proof of your relationship to the person who died. This could be a birth certificate showing you are a child or parent of the deceased, a marriage certificate if you are the spouse, or other documents that prove you are an eligible family member under Arizona law. Fill out the application at the office. Pay the $20 fee. Most requests are filled the same day if the death certificate is in the system and you meet all eligibility requirements.

The second option is to order by mail. Download the death certificate application form from the Arizona Department of Health Services website. This is form VS-159. Fill it out with all the details you know about the person who died. Include a copy of your photo ID and any proof of relationship documents. Send a check or money order for $20 per copy made out to Bureau of Vital Records. Add a self-addressed stamped envelope so they can mail the certificate back to you. Mail everything to PO Box 6018, Phoenix, AZ 85005. This is the state vital records office, which handles mail requests for all Arizona deaths. Processing time for mail orders is 10 to 15 business days from the time they get your complete application.

The third way is to order online through VitalChek. VitalChek is the official online partner for Arizona vital records. You fill out the application on their website and upload a photo of your ID. The system lets you pick your shipping speed. Standard mail takes 7 to 10 business days. Expedited shipping costs extra but can get the death certificate to you in 3 to 5 days. VitalChek charges service fees on top of the $20 state fee. But it is faster than mailing your own request and more convenient if you cannot visit an office in person during business hours.

Arizona law sets strict rules on who can get death certificates. You must be at least 18 years old. You must also be a family member, legal representative, or person with a legal interest in the record. Common eligible persons include the spouse, parents, adult children, siblings, attorneys, funeral directors, insurance companies, banks, and government agencies. If you do not fit one of these categories, you may need written permission from an eligible family member to get a copy.

Note: Processing delays can occur if your application is missing required documents or if the fee amount is incorrect.

Death Certificate Costs and Wait Times

A certified death certificate costs $20 in Arizona. This is the standard fee set by state law under Arizona Revised Statutes § 36-341. Each copy you order costs $20, with no discount for multiple copies. Corrections or amendments to a death certificate cost $30 for the first corrected copy, plus $20 for each additional copy of the amended record.

Wait times depend on how you apply. Same-day service is usually available at the Maricopa County office in Goodyear if you go in person. The office can print your death certificate while you wait as long as the record is in the state database and you have all the right documents to prove eligibility. But if the death happened very recently, it might not be in the system yet. Funeral homes have up to seven days to file a death certificate under ARS § 36-325. The state registrar then has 72 hours to register it. So a death that took place a few days ago may not be ready for another week.

Mail requests to the state office take 10 to 15 business days. VitalChek online orders arrive in 7 to 10 business days for standard shipping. You can pay extra for expedited shipping to cut that time down to 3 to 5 days. During busy times, all these time frames can stretch longer. Call ahead if you need the death certificate by a certain date.

Arizona State Vital Records Office

The Arizona Department of Health Services Bureau of Vital Records is the main state agency for death certificates. This office is at 150 North 18th Avenue, Suite 120, in Phoenix. The bureau keeps records for all Arizona deaths from 1909 to the present, plus some older records dating back to 1877 from county sources. You can call them at (602) 364-1300 or toll-free at (888) 816-5907 with questions about death certificates or to check if a record is available.

The state office used to offer walk-in service, but that ended during COVID-19. Now the only way to get death certificates from the state office is by mail or online through VitalChek. For in-person service, you need to go to a county vital records office instead. The Maricopa County office in Goodyear is the best choice for Goodyear residents because it is local and can usually print your certificate the same day.

The state office does handle certain requests that counties cannot process. If you need to correct a death certificate for a death that occurred before 2008, you must go through the state office. County offices can only amend records from 2008 forward. The state also handles special requests for genealogy research, delayed death certificates, and presumptive death certificates ordered by a court. Mail these requests to PO Box 6018, Phoenix, AZ 85005.

Arizona Death Certificate Laws

Arizona vital records are governed by state law, not city law. The main statutes are in Arizona Revised Statutes Title 36, Chapter 3. State law defines key terms like "certificate," "certified copy," and "vital record." It explains that a death certificate is a record that documents a death and becomes a vital record once it is registered by the state or a local registrar.

ARS § 36-325 sets the timeline for death certificate registration. A funeral home or responsible person must complete the death certificate within seven days of taking possession of human remains. They must get the medical facts from a physician or medical examiner, fill in the personal details, and submit the certificate to a local registrar or the state registrar. The registrar then has 72 hours to register the certificate if it is accurate and complete. This law keeps the process moving so families can get copies when they need them for funeral arrangements, insurance claims, and estate matters.

ARS § 36-342 is the confidentiality law. It says that vital records are not public records in Arizona. Local registrars, deputy registrars, the state registrar, and their employees cannot permit inspection of a vital record or disclose information from a vital record except as authorized by law. This makes Arizona a "closed record" state for vital records. You cannot just walk in and ask for a copy of any death certificate like you might request a court record or property deed. You must prove you are eligible under the law and have a legal right to the record.

Arizona Administrative Code R9-19-314 and R9-19-315 spell out the eligibility rules in more detail. These regulations list the categories of people who can get certified death certificates and what documents they need to prove their status. The rules apply statewide, so the same eligibility requirements apply whether you request a death certificate from Maricopa County, the state office, or any other county in Arizona.

Genealogy Research for Old Goodyear Deaths

If you need a death record for family history research and the death occurred more than 50 years ago, you can use the Arizona Genealogy Record Search. This is a free online database run by the state. It covers deaths from 1870 through 1970. You can search by name, date, and location to find old Goodyear death records without proving a family relationship.

The search tool is at genealogyapp.azdhs.gov. Enter the name of the person who died and any other details you know. The system will return a list of matching records. Click on a result to view an image of the original death certificate. These images are not certified copies. They do not have the official seal and cannot be used for legal purposes. But they work fine for building family trees and tracing your Goodyear ancestors.

Under ARS § 36-351, the state makes these old records available to the public for genealogy purposes. If you find an error in the data or have a confidentiality concern, you can contact the Bureau of Vital Records at 602-364-1300 or send an email to the address listed on the genealogy website.

Other Vital Records in Goodyear

Just like death certificates, other vital records in Goodyear come from the county or state level. Birth certificates are issued by Maricopa County Public Health and the Arizona Department of Health Services. Marriage licenses and marriage certificates come from the Maricopa County Clerk of the Superior Court. Divorce records are court records kept by the Clerk of the Superior Court. You cannot get any of these records from the Goodyear City Clerk.

Maricopa County Public Health handles both birth and death certificates at the same five Valley locations. So if you need a birth certificate and a death certificate, you can get both in one trip to the office on West McDowell Road in Goodyear. The eligibility rules and fees are similar for both types of vital records.

For marriage and divorce records, you need to contact the Maricopa County Superior Court. The court has a records department that handles requests for marriage licenses, marriage certificates, divorce decrees, and other family court records. These are separate from vital records and have their own fees and procedures. The main courthouse is at 201 West Jefferson Street in downtown Phoenix.

Death Records in Nearby Cities

Other cities in the West Valley also refer residents to Maricopa County for death certificates. Cities do not issue vital records anywhere in Arizona. If you live in a neighboring city, you can still use the same Maricopa County offices to get death records. The Goodyear office serves all West Valley residents no matter which city you live in.

Cities near Goodyear with death records available through Maricopa County include:

• Avondale - the Goodyear county office is close to Avondale
• Buckeye - Goodyear office serves Buckeye residents
• Phoenix - has its own county office at 1645 E. Roosevelt St.
• Glendale - has a dedicated county office at 5141 W. Lamar Rd.
• Peoria - has a county office at 8088 W. Whitney Dr.
• Surprise - served by the Peoria or Goodyear offices

Each of these cities follows the same system as Goodyear. City clerks do not handle vital records. Residents must go to Maricopa County Public Health or the state vital records office to get certified death certificates.