Gila County Death Certificates

Death certificates in Gila County are handled by the Health and Emergency Services office. The vital records section gives out certified copies for all Arizona deaths and helps with changes or fixes to records. You can apply in person at the office in Globe or send your request through the mail. The office uses the statewide database to find any death that took place in Arizona, not just deaths in Gila County. Staff are there to guide you through the process and make sure you have the right forms and documents.

Gila County Health Services Vital Records

The Gila County vital records office is part of the Health and Emergency Services department. It is in Globe on South Apache Avenue. This office can issue death certificates for any death that happened in Arizona. You do not need to come here only if the death was in Gila County. The office has access to the state vital records system, which means they can look up deaths from any county in Arizona and print a certified copy for you.

Arizona is a closed record state. That means vital records are not public. The law protects the privacy of people and their families. Only certain people can get a death certificate. Arizona Administrative Codes R9-19-314 and R9-19-315 spell out who may apply for and get a copy of a death certificate. These rules are the same across the whole state. Gila County follows the same laws as every other county and the state office.

The Gila County vital records office has staff who can help you fill out forms and answer your questions. They can tell you what ID and proof you need to bring. If you are not sure if you qualify to get a death certificate, call them first at (928) 402-8811. They can walk you through the steps over the phone or you can go in person to the office in Globe. The email address is vitalrecords@gilacountyaz.gov if you want to send a question that way.

Getting Death Records in Gila County

You can get a death certificate by going to the Gila County office in Globe or by sending a request in the mail. If you go in person, bring a valid photo ID. You also need to bring proof of your link to the person who died. This can be a birth certificate, a marriage certificate, or court papers. Fill out the death certificate application form at the office or print one from the Gila County website before you go. Payment can be made with cash, credit card, debit card, check, or money order. There is an extra fee for credit or debit card transactions in Gila County.

The processing time is 7 to 10 business days. This is the standard time for both in-person and mail requests. Same day service is not available in Gila County. The office needs time to check your documents and make sure you are eligible. They also need to locate the death record in the state system and print a certified copy with the official seal. If there is a problem with your request or they need more proof, it may take longer.

For mail requests, send the completed application form along with a copy of your photo ID and proof of relationship. Include a check or money order for $20 per copy made out to Gila County Health Services. Do not send cash in the mail. Mail your request to 5515 S. Apache Ave., Ste.100, Globe, AZ 85501. The office will process your application and send the death certificate to you by mail. This can take two to three weeks from the time they get your request.

Note: Gila County partnered with the Pinal County Medical Examiner's Office on July 1, 2020 for all medical examiner cases.

Who Can Request a Death Certificate

Arizona law says only eligible people can get a death certificate. You must be at least 18 years old. Most requests come from family members. This group includes the spouse of the person who died, parents, adult children, and brothers and sisters. You need to show proof of your relationship to the deceased. A birth certificate that lists your name and the deceased person's name can work for parents and children. A marriage certificate proves you are the spouse. Siblings need to show both their own birth certificate and the birth certificate of the deceased to prove they have the same parents.

Lawyers and funeral directors can also get death certificates in Gila County. They must show proof of their role. For a lawyer, this can be a letter from the court or estate papers. Funeral homes usually have their business license and paperwork showing they handled the burial or cremation. Government agencies can request death records for official purposes. This includes county offices, state agencies, and federal departments that need the death certificate to settle benefits or close accounts.

Banks and insurance companies can request death certificates if the person who died had an account or a policy with them. They need to show proof of this business relationship. Employers may also need death records to handle payroll or retirement benefits. In all these cases, the organization must provide some kind of document that shows the deceased had a connection to them.

If you do not fit into one of these categories, you may still be able to get a death certificate in Gila County. You need a signed letter from an eligible family member giving you permission. The letter should say it is okay for Arizona to release the death record to you. You also need to provide a copy of your own photo ID. The Gila County office will review this and decide if they can give you the record.

Fees and Payment Methods

A certified death certificate costs $20 per copy in Gila County. If you need two copies, that is $40. If you need five copies, that is $100. Each copy costs the same amount. There is no bulk discount. If you need to make a correction or amendment to a death certificate, the fee is $30 for the first corrected copy. Each additional corrected copy after that is $20.

Gila County accepts several forms of payment. You can pay with cash if you go to the office in person. Credit cards and debit cards are accepted, but there is an additional fee for card transactions. The office also takes checks and money orders. Make checks and money orders payable to Gila County Health Services. Personal checks are accepted, but a money order or cashier's check is safer because it cannot bounce.

If you send your request by mail, do not send cash. Use a check or money order. Include it in the same envelope with your application form and copies of your ID and proof of relationship. The Gila County office will deposit the check and process your request. If the check does not clear or if the amount is wrong, they will contact you to get the correct payment before they send the death certificate.

For online orders, you can use VitalChek to order Arizona death certificates. VitalChek is an authorized service that works with the state vital records office. They charge extra fees for processing, credit card transactions, and shipping. The total cost with VitalChek is usually higher than ordering directly from Gila County, but it can be faster. VitalChek can get the death certificate to you in a few days with express shipping.

Arizona State Vital Records Office

The Arizona Department of Health Services Bureau of Vital Records is in Phoenix. This office keeps death records for the entire state going back to 1903. Some records go back even further to the 1870s. If you need a very old death certificate or if you have trouble getting a record from Gila County, you can contact the state office.

The state office address is 150 North 18th Ave., Suite 120, Phoenix, AZ 85007. The mailing address is PO Box 6018, Phoenix, AZ 85005. You can call them at (602) 364-1300. The phone line is a recording that gives you information about hours and fees. You can also call the general ADHS line at 602-542-1025 to talk to a person. The state office does not offer same-day walk-in service anymore. All requests must be made by mail or through VitalChek online.

The state office charges the same fee as Gila County for death certificates. It is $20 for a certified copy and $30 for a correction or amendment. The state adds an extra $1 surcharge to all death certificates under ARS 36-341. This dollar is included in the $20 fee. The money goes into a special fund that supports vital records services across Arizona.

If you are looking for death records for genealogy, the state has a special database. The Arizona Genealogy Record Search lets you search for deaths from 1870 to 1970. These are deaths that are more than 50 years old. The copies you get from this database are not certified, so you cannot use them for legal purposes, but they can help you trace your family tree. The search is free.

Death Certificate Laws in Arizona

Arizona statutes control how death certificates are filed and issued. Under ARS 36-325, a funeral home or the person in charge of the body must complete the death certificate within seven calendar days. The funeral director fills out the information about the person who died and submits it to the local registrar. The local registrar in Gila County has 72 hours to register the death certificate if it is accurate and complete. Once it is registered, it goes into the state database and can be printed as a certified copy.

ARS 36-342 is the confidentiality statute. This law makes vital records private. It 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. This is why you need to prove your relationship or your legal interest in the death record. The law is meant to protect the privacy of families and the personal information on death certificates.

ARS 36-301 defines the terms used in the vital records laws. It explains what a certificate is, what a certified copy is, and what a vital record is. The law also covers fetal death and stillbirth records. These are different from regular death certificates. If you need a fetal death or stillbirth certificate in Gila County, call the vital records office to ask about the process. The forms and requirements are a little different from a standard death certificate.

Arizona Administrative Codes R9-19-314 and R9-19-315 set out the specific rules for who can get a death certificate. These codes are part of the state regulations that fill in the details of the statutes. They list the categories of eligible people and the types of proof you need to provide. The Gila County vital records office follows these codes when they review your application and decide if they can give you a death certificate.

Medical Examiner Cases

As of July 1, 2020, Gila County has partnered with the Pinal County Medical Examiner's Office for all medical examiner inquiries and requests. A medical examiner gets involved when the cause of death is not clear or when the death was sudden or unexpected. This includes deaths from accidents, injuries, violence, or suspicious circumstances. The medical examiner does an investigation and determines the cause and manner of death.

If you have questions about a death that involved the medical examiner, you should contact the Pinal County Medical Examiner's Office. They can tell you the status of the investigation and when the death certificate will be filed. Once the medical examiner signs the death certificate, it is filed with the vital records system. After that, you can get a certified copy from the Gila County vital records office in Globe or from the state office in Phoenix.

Medical examiner cases can take more time than natural deaths. The investigation may take weeks or even months depending on what tests need to be done. The death certificate cannot be registered until the medical examiner finishes the investigation and signs the certificate. This means there will be a delay before you can get a certified copy. The funeral home or the Pinal County Medical Examiner's Office can give you an update on when the death certificate will be available.

Other Vital Records Services

The Gila County vital records office also handles birth certificates. If you need both a birth and a death certificate for the same person or for different people, you can request them at the same time. The fee is $20 for each record. You need to fill out separate forms for birth and death certificates. The office can process both requests together, which can save you a trip if you need multiple types of records.

Corrections and amendments to death certificates are another service the office provides in Gila County. If there is an error on a death certificate, you can ask to have it fixed. Common mistakes include wrong names, wrong dates, or wrong places. You need to provide proof of the correct information. This can be other official records, like a birth certificate or a marriage certificate. The fee for a correction is $30 for the first copy. Additional corrected copies are $20 each.

Some corrections are more complex than others. If the mistake involves the cause of death or the medical information, you may need to contact the doctor or medical examiner who signed the death certificate. They have to agree to the change. The vital records office can guide you through the process, but they cannot change medical information without approval from the person who certified the cause of death.

Gila County Communities

Gila County has several towns and communities, but none of them meet the population threshold for individual city pages. Globe is the county seat and the home of the vital records office. Payson is the largest community in the northern part of Gila County. Other towns include Miami, Winkelman, and Hayden. Many people live in rural areas and small unincorporated communities across the county.

No matter where you live in Gila County, the vital records office in Globe is the place to get death certificates. The office serves all parts of the county and can issue death certificates for deaths anywhere in Arizona. If the trip to Globe is hard for you, consider sending your request by mail or using the VitalChek online service.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Gila County. If you are not sure which county a death took place in, check with the vital records office. They can search the statewide database for any Arizona death. Knowing the county can make the search faster, but it is not always required.