Mohave County Death Certificates

Death certificates in Mohave County are issued by the Department of Public Health Vital Records Office. The office is in Kingman on West Beale Street. Staff can help you get certified copies of death records for any death that took place in Arizona. The office handles applications by mail or in person, but same day service is not offered in this county. Processing time can take up to two weeks once your complete application is received. You need to plan ahead and submit all the right documents to avoid delays when you request death certificates in Mohave County.

Mohave County Department of Public Health

The Mohave County Vital Records Office processes applications for certified birth and death certificates. They also handle amendments and corrections to vital records, home birth registrations, and special fetal and infant certificates. The office uses the state electronic database to access all Arizona death records. This means they can issue death certificates for deaths that happened anywhere in Arizona, not just those in Mohave County.

The office is in the county health building in Kingman. The building is on West Beale Street just west of the main courthouse complex. You can drop off your application in person at this location during business hours. The office is open Monday through Thursday from 8:30 in the morning until 11:30, then from 1:30 in the afternoon to 4:00. The office is closed on Fridays and all state holidays. If you plan to visit in person, call ahead at (928) 753-0748 to confirm hours and make sure staff will be available to help you with your death certificate request.

One common question people have is whether they can get same day service in Mohave County. The answer is no. Birth and death certificates are not issued the same day. Once a complete application and all required documents are received, processing can take up to two weeks. This is true whether you apply in person or by mail. The office needs time to verify your eligibility, search the database, and produce the certified copy with the official seal. If you need a death certificate quickly, consider using the VitalChek online service, which offers expedited shipping for an extra fee.

Getting Death Records in Mohave County

You can request a death certificate by mail or in person in Mohave County. For mail requests, download the death certificate application form from the Mohave County death certificates page. Fill out the form completely. Sign it. Include a copy of your valid government issued photo ID. If you are requesting a death certificate for someone else, you must also include proof of your relationship to the deceased person. This might be a birth certificate, marriage certificate, or court documents showing you are the executor of the estate.

Mail your completed application to the Vital Records office at 700 West Beale St., Kingman, AZ 86401. Include payment for $20 per certified copy. The office accepts checks and money orders made out to Mohave County Department of Public Health. Some offices also accept credit and debit cards, but call first to confirm current payment options for mail requests. Do not send cash through the mail.

For in-person applications, bring your completed form, ID, and proof of relationship to the office in Kingman. The staff will review your documents and accept your application if everything is in order. Even though you apply in person, you will not get the death certificate the same day. The office will process your request over the next one to two weeks. They will mail the certified copy to you at the address you provide on the application. Make sure to give them a current mailing address where you can receive mail.

Deaths that occurred within the last 30 to 90 days may not be completed and entered into the database yet. If you apply for a very recent death, the office may not be able to find the record right away. The funeral home has up to seven days to file the death certificate with the county or state under Arizona law. After filing, it may take a few more days for the record to be reviewed, approved, and added to the electronic database. If you are told the record is not available yet, wait a week or two and try again.

Who Can Get a Death Certificate

Arizona is not an open records state for birth and death certificates. Even though most Arizona public records are open to anyone, vital records like death certificates are an exception to that rule. Only eligible individuals can request birth and death certificates in Mohave County. Eligible persons include the spouse named on the marriage certificate, immediate family members, legal representatives, and persons with a legal or vital interest in the record.

Immediate family members include parents, adult children, siblings, and grandparents of the deceased. You must be 18 years old or older to request a death certificate. You must prove your relationship by showing official documents like a birth certificate or marriage license. If you are the spouse, bring a copy of your marriage certificate. If you are an adult child, bring a copy of your own birth certificate that shows the deceased person as your parent.

Legal representatives can also get death certificates in Mohave County. This includes attorneys who represent the estate, executors named in a will, and funeral directors who handled the burial or cremation. Insurance companies can request a death certificate if the deceased had a policy with them. Banks may need a death certificate to close accounts or transfer funds. Government agencies can get death certificates for official purposes without showing a family relationship.

If you do not fit one of these categories, you may still be able to get a death certificate if you can show you have a vital interest. This means you need the death certificate for a specific legal or financial reason. For example, if you co-owned property with the deceased, or if you are named as a beneficiary in their will or trust, you can request the death certificate by showing proof of that interest. The vital records office will review your documents and decide if you meet the eligibility requirements.

Note: Genealogists can access older death records through the state genealogy database if the death occurred more than 50 years ago.

Fees and Payment Options

The fee for a certified death certificate is $20.00 in Mohave County. This is the standard fee set by Arizona law for vital records. Each certified copy costs $20. If you order five copies at once, you pay $100 total. There is no bulk discount. All certified copies come on special security paper with an embossed seal and the signature of the local registrar. These are the official copies you need for legal and financial matters.

If you need to make a change to a death certificate, the fee is $30.00 for an amendment. This covers the cost of the first corrected copy. If you need more than one copy of the amended certificate, each additional copy is $20. Amendments include fixing errors in the name, date of birth, date of death, place of death, or other facts listed on the death record. You must provide proof of the correct information before the office will make the change.

Mohave County also offers non-certified copies for $5.00 each. These are plain paper copies without the official seal. They cannot be used for legal purposes. Some people order non-certified copies for personal records or genealogy research. Most people need the certified copy, which is the $20 version with the seal.

Payment options may include cash (in person only), checks, money orders, and credit or debit cards. Call the office at (928) 753-0748 to confirm which payment methods they accept for mail orders. Some county offices charge an extra convenience fee for credit card payments. Make all checks and money orders payable to Mohave County Department of Public Health.

Arizona State Vital Records

The Arizona Department of Health Services Bureau of Vital Records is the main state agency for death certificates. The state office has records from 1903 to the present. Some older records date back to 1877 from county sources before statewide registration began. If you need a very old death certificate or if you have trouble getting a record from Mohave County, you can contact the state office directly.

The state vital records office is in Phoenix at 150 North 18th Ave., Suite 120. The mailing address is PO Box 6018, Phoenix, AZ 85005. The phone number is (602) 364-1300. The toll free number is (888) 816-5907. Hours are Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The office is closed weekends and state holidays. Same day walk-in service is not available at the state office. All requests must be submitted by mail or online through VitalChek.

You can order Arizona death certificates online through VitalChek. This is the official online ordering service authorized by the state. VitalChek charges extra fees for processing and shipping, but the service is faster than regular mail. You can get your death certificate in a few days instead of waiting two weeks or more. VitalChek accepts credit and debit cards. You still need to meet the same eligibility requirements and provide proof of your relationship to the deceased.

The state genealogy database has death records from 1870 to 1970 available for free online searches. These records are more than 50 years old and are considered public information for genealogy purposes. You can search by name, date, and other details at the Arizona Genealogy Record Search site. The images you find there are not certified copies, but they can help you with family history research or finding information about ancestors who died in Arizona long ago.

Arizona Laws on Death Certificates

Arizona death certificate procedures are set by state statute. ARS 36-325 requires a funeral establishment or responsible person to complete and file the death certificate within seven calendar days after receiving possession of the human remains. The certificate must include the full name of the deceased, the social security number, the date and place of death, and the cause of death. A medical certifier such as a doctor or medical examiner must sign the certificate to verify the cause of death.

Once the death certificate is filed, the local registrar, deputy local registrar, or state registrar has 72 hours to register it if the information is accurate and complete. Registration means assigning an official state number and adding the record to the state database. After registration, certified copies can be issued to eligible applicants. This whole process usually takes three to five business days in most cases, but certain circumstances may delay the time frame.

ARS 36-342 is the confidentiality law for vital records. It prohibits local and state registrars and their employees from permitting inspection of vital records, disclosing information from vital records, or issuing copies except as authorized by law. This is why Arizona is a closed record state for death certificates. The law protects the privacy of individuals and families by limiting access to immediate family, legal representatives, and others with a demonstrated need for the record.

ARS 36-341 gives the director of the health department authority to set fees for searches, copies, certified copies, and amendments. The law also allows each local registrar to establish their own fee schedule. In practice, most counties charge the same $20 fee for certified copies and $30 for amendments. The statute requires an additional one dollar surcharge on all certified copies of death certificates. This surcharge goes into a special state fund.

ARS 36-301 defines key terms used in Arizona vital records law. A certificate means a record that documents a birth or death. A certified copy means a written reproduction that the local or state registrar has authenticated as a true and exact copy of the registered certificate. A vital record means a registered birth certificate or registered death certificate. Human remains means a lifeless human body or parts that permit a reasonable inference that death occurred. These definitions matter because they determine what records are available and who can get them.

Other Vital Records Services

The Mohave County Vital Records Office handles more than just death certificates. The office also processes applications for birth certificates for births that occurred anywhere in Arizona. The fee is the same $20 per certified copy. You need to fill out a separate application form for birth certificates. The eligibility requirements are different for birth records. Usually only the person named on the certificate, their parents, or legal representatives can get a birth certificate.

Home birth registrations are another service offered in Mohave County. If a baby was born at home with a midwife, the family needs to file a birth certificate with the county. The vital records office can help with this process. They provide the forms and guide you through the steps to register the birth. This service is important because you need a birth certificate to get a social security number, enroll in school, and prove citizenship.

Amendments and corrections to vital records are available for both birth and death certificates. Common reasons for amendments include fixing spelling errors in names, correcting dates, or adding missing information like a parent's name or the cause of death. The office charges $30 for the first corrected copy. You need to provide documentary evidence showing the correct information. This might include hospital records, court orders, or affidavits from people who have personal knowledge of the facts.

Special fetal and infant certificates are issued for stillbirths and fetal deaths. These are different from regular death certificates. Arizona law allows parents to request a certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth if the fetus was at least 20 weeks gestation. This certificate is for the parents' records and is not used for legal or statistical purposes. The vital records office can explain the process and provide the necessary forms if you need this type of certificate in Mohave County.

Cities in Mohave County

Mohave County has one city that meets the population threshold for its own page. Lake Havasu City is on the Colorado River and is a popular destination for boating and recreation. The city has its own clerk's office, but vital records like death certificates are handled by the county office in Kingman.

Other communities in Mohave County include Bullhead City, Kingman, Fort Mohave, and Golden Valley. Kingman is the county seat and the largest city by land area in Arizona. Bullhead City is across the river from Laughlin, Nevada. All of these communities rely on the Mohave County Department of Public Health for vital records services. No matter where you live in the county, the office in Kingman is the place to go for death certificates.

Nearby Counties

Mohave County borders several other counties in Arizona. If you are looking for a death record and are not sure which county it is in, check these nearby counties. Each county has its own vital records office that can help you search for death certificates.