Death Records in Apache County

Death records in Apache County are kept by the Office of Vital Records. The county office can give you certified copies of death certificates that took place in Arizona from 2008 to now. The office is on the second floor of the county building in St. Johns. Staff can help you fill out the forms and get the death certificate you need. You can visit the office or send your request by mail to Apache County.

Apache County Vital Records Office

The Apache County Office of Vital Records gives out certified copies of death certificates for all Arizona deaths. This is not just for deaths in Apache County. If you need a death certificate for a person who died in another part of Arizona, this office can help you get it. The office uses a statewide database to find records. This makes it easy to get copies no matter where the death took place in the state.

The office is in St. Johns on West Cleveland Street. It is on the second floor of the county building. Hours are from 8 in the morning to noon, then from 1 to 4 in the afternoon from Monday to Thursday. The office is closed on Fridays. The second Tuesday and Wednesday of each month, the office is closed for community outreach services. They go to other parts of Apache County to help people in Ganado and Chinle. Call ahead at (928) 337-7525 before you make the trip to make sure they will be open when you get there in Apache County.

The Apache County Vital Records website has forms you can print and fill out. You can bring the form with you or send it in the mail. This helps speed things up. The office also has blank forms at the front desk if you need them in Apache County.

How to Get a Death Certificate in Apache County

You can get a death certificate by going to the office in St. Johns or by mail. For in-person visits, bring your ID and fill out the form. Payment must be made with a debit card, credit card, or money order. The office does not take cash or personal checks. Most requests can be filled the same day if you go in person and the record is in the system in Apache County.

Mail requests take more time. Print the death certificate form from the Apache County website or call to ask them to send you one. Fill it out and send it to PO Box 697, St. Johns, AZ 85936. Include a money order for $20 per copy made out to Apache County Vital Records. Send a copy of your ID as well. The office will process your request and mail the death certificate back to you. This can take up to two weeks or more in Apache County.

For people in remote areas of Apache County, the vital records office holds outreach days in Ganado and Chinle. Call (928) 337-7525 to ask when they will be in your area. You can also text or leave a message at (928) 245-8461 if you call on a scheduled outreach day.

Note: Arizona is a closed record state, so only certain people can get a death certificate.

Who Can Request Death Certificates

Arizona law limits who can get a death certificate. You must be 18 or older and meet one of the legal requirements. Family members are the most common group allowed to request death records in Apache County. This includes the spouse, parents, adult children, and siblings of the person who died. You need to show proof of your link to the person. This can be a birth certificate or a marriage certificate.

Other groups can also get death records in Apache County. Lawyers who represent the estate can request copies. Funeral homes need death certificates to do their work. Banks and insurance companies can get them if they show the person had an account or policy. Government agencies can request death records for official business. If you do not fit into one of these groups, you may need a letter from a family member saying you have their permission to get the death certificate in Apache County.

The Apache County Public Health Services page has more details on who qualifies and what papers you need to bring. Check this before you apply in Apache County to avoid delays.

Genealogists can get old death records that are more than 50 years old. The state of Arizona keeps a special genealogy database for deaths from 1870 to 1970. You can search these records for free at the Arizona Genealogy Record Search website. These are not certified copies, but they can help you with family research.

Fees for Apache County Death Certificates

A certified death certificate costs $20 per copy in Apache County. If you need more than one copy at the same time, each one costs $20. There is no discount for bulk orders. If you need to make changes to a death certificate, the fee is $30 per copy. This includes fixing a name, date, or other facts on the death record in Apache County.

Payment options are limited. You can use a credit card or debit card. Money orders are also accepted. Apache County Vital Records does not take cash or personal checks. If you pay by mail, send a money order made out to Apache County Vital Records. Do not send cash in the mail.

For online orders, you can use VitalChek to get an Arizona death certificate. This service adds extra fees for processing and shipping, but it is faster than mail. VitalChek works with the state vital records office, not directly with Apache County, so this option is best if you are in a rush.

Arizona State Vital Records for Old Deaths

If the death took place before 2008, you need to get the death certificate from the state office. Apache County can only issue death records from February 2008 to now. For older deaths, contact the Arizona Department of Health Services Bureau of Vital Records. The state office has records going back to 1903 and some older records from before that time.

The state vital records office is in Phoenix at 150 North 18th Ave., Suite 120. You can call them at (602) 364-1300 for help. You can also mail a request to PO Box 6018, Phoenix, AZ 85005. The state charges the same fee as the county for certified copies. For deaths before 2008, this is your only option besides going through VitalChek for online orders.

The state office does not offer same-day walk-in service. All requests must be made by mail or through VitalChek. Processing time is usually one to two weeks for mail orders. If you need the death certificate fast, use the VitalChek online service, which can deliver in a few days for an extra fee.

Arizona Death Certificate Laws

Arizona statutes control how death certificates work. Under ARS 36-325, a funeral home or other responsible person must file the death certificate within seven days. The county or state registrar then has 72 hours to register it if all the facts are correct and complete. Once the death record is registered, it goes into the state database and can be issued as a certified copy in Apache County.

ARS 36-341 sets the fee structure for death certificates. The law gives the state and each county the power to charge for certified copies, searches, and amendments. All death certificates in Arizona have an extra dollar surcharge added to the base fee. This money goes to a special state fund. The total cost in Apache County is $20, which includes this extra dollar.

ARS 36-342 is the confidentiality law. This statute says that vital records staff cannot show death records or give them out except as allowed by law. Only eligible people can get certified copies. The law makes Arizona a closed record state for death certificates, unlike many other types of public records.

ARS 36-301 defines what a death certificate is and what terms like certified copy and vital record mean. The law also covers fetal death records, which are kept separately from regular death certificates. If you need a fetal death or stillbirth certificate in Apache County, call the vital records office to ask about the process, as it is a little different from a standard death record.

Other Services in Apache County

The Apache County Vital Records office also handles birth certificates. If you need both a birth and death certificate, you can request them at the same time. The fee is $20 for each type of record. You need to fill out separate forms for birth and death records in Apache County.

If you need to correct a death certificate, the fee is $30 for the first corrected copy. You must show proof of the correct information. This can include other official records or sworn statements. The vital records staff will review your request and decide if the change can be made. Some changes may take more time to process in Apache County.

For deaths that involve a medical examiner or coroner, you may need to contact the Pinal County Medical Examiner's Office. As of 2020, Apache County works with Pinal County for all medical examiner inquiries. These are cases where the cause of death is unclear or suspicious. The medical examiner must sign the death certificate before it can be filed. Once the death certificate is filed, you can get a copy from the Apache County Vital Records office.

Apache County Communities

Apache County has several towns and communities, but none of them meet the population threshold for individual city pages. St. Johns is the county seat and the home of the vital records office. Other communities include Springerville, Eagar, and Fort Apache. Many residents live in unincorporated areas on the Navajo Nation and White Mountain Apache tribal lands.

No matter where you live in Apache County, the vital records office in St. Johns is the place to get death certificates. For people in the northern part of the county near Ganado or Chinle, the outreach services can help you avoid the long trip to St. Johns. Call the office to find out when they will be in your area.

Nearby Counties

These counties are next to Apache County. If you need a death certificate for someone who lived near the county line, make sure you know which county the death took place in before you request records. The vital records office can search the statewide database for any Arizona death, but knowing the county can help speed up the search.