Navajo County Death Certificates

Death certificates in Navajo County come from the Office of Vital Records. The office can issue certified copies for any Arizona death from February 1, 2008 to the present. Staff work in Holbrook on East Buffalo Street. You can walk in during the week or send your request by mail. The office uses a statewide database to pull death records from all parts of Arizona, not just Navajo County.

Office of Vital Records in Navajo County

Navajo County Public Health Services District runs the Office of Vital Records. This office gives out certified death certificates for Arizona deaths. The database holds records from February 1, 2008 to now. If you need a death certificate from before that date, you must contact the state office in Phoenix. The Navajo County office can only print what is in the electronic database, and recent deaths may not be in the system yet.

Deaths that happened within the last 30 to 90 days might not show up in the database. This is because the funeral home has up to seven days to file the death certificate under Arizona law. Then the medical certifier must add the cause of death. After that, the record must be reviewed and registered. All of this takes time. If you need a death certificate right away after a death in Navajo County, call the vital records office at 928-524-4750 to check if the record is ready yet.

The office is at 117 E Buffalo Street in Holbrook. Hours are Monday through Thursday from 8 in the morning to 4:30 in the afternoon. The office is closed on Fridays. You can visit in person or send your request by mail to the same address. The Navajo County death certificates page has forms you can download and print before you visit.

The office does not accept requests via fax or email. You must apply in person or by mail. This helps protect the privacy of death records and makes sure all requests meet Arizona's strict eligibility rules for vital records in Navajo County.

Getting Death Records in Navajo County

To get a death certificate, fill out an application. You can download the form from the county website or pick one up at the vital records office in Holbrook. The form asks for facts about the person who died. This includes full name, date of death, and place of death. The more details you can give, the faster the office can find the record in Navajo County.

You must prove you are allowed to get the death certificate. Arizona is a closed record state. Only certain people can request death certificates. Bring proof of your link to the person who died. A birth certificate or marriage certificate works. If you are a lawyer or funeral director, bring proof of that as well. The vital records staff will check your papers before they give you the death certificate in Navajo County.

For in-person requests, bring your government photo ID. The staff will make a copy of it. Pay the fee with a debit card, credit card, or money order. Most requests can be filled while you wait if the record is in the database. For mail requests, send a copy of your ID along with the application and payment. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope if you want the death certificate mailed back to you. Processing time for mail orders can be one to two weeks in Navajo County.

The Navajo County vital records main page has links to all the forms and more details about what you need to send. Check this page before you apply to make sure you have everything in Navajo County.

Who Can Request a Death Certificate

Arizona law says only certain people can get a death certificate. You must be 18 or older. Family members are the main group allowed to request records. This means the spouse, parents, adult children, brothers, sisters, grandparents, and grandchildren of the person who died. You need to show proof of the family link in Navajo County.

Other people can also get death certificates if they have a legal or vital interest. Funeral homes need them to close out cases. Insurance companies need them to pay out benefits. Banks need them to settle accounts. Lawyers need them to handle estates. Government agencies can request death records for official work. If you fit one of these groups, bring proof of your interest along with your request in Navajo County.

Under ARS 36-301, the law defines what a vital record is and who can access it. The statute also explains terms like certified copy and registered certificate. These legal definitions control how the vital records office operates in Navajo County and across Arizona.

If you do not fit one of the eligible groups, you may still get a death certificate if you have written permission from an immediate family member. The letter must say it is okay for Navajo County to release the record to you. The family member must sign the letter and include a copy of their ID. This extra step helps protect the privacy of death records in Arizona.

Fees and Payment Methods

Each certified death certificate costs $20. This is the standard fee across Arizona. If you need more than one copy at the same time, each one costs $20. There is no bulk discount. If you need to amend or correct a death certificate, the fee is $30 for the first corrected copy. This covers deaths that happened 90 days to one year after the date of death in Navajo County.

Payment methods are limited to protect the county from fraud. You can pay with a credit card or debit card. Money orders are also accepted. Personal checks and cash are not allowed. Make money orders payable to Navajo County Public Health Services District. If you send cash in the mail, the office will return your request without processing it.

Under ARS 36-341, each county can set its own fees for vital records. The law also says the state adds an extra one dollar surcharge on all death certificates. This surcharge is built into the $20 fee, so you do not pay it separately. The money goes to a special state fund for vital records services in Navajo County and across Arizona.

For online orders, you can use VitalChek to request Arizona death certificates. This service charges extra fees for processing and shipping. VitalChek works with the state office, not directly with Navajo County. It can be faster than mail but costs more. Use this if you are in a rush and cannot visit the Holbrook office in person.

Note: Online orders through VitalChek add service fees that can double the total cost of your death certificate.

Arizona State Vital Records for Older Deaths

Navajo County can only issue death certificates from February 1, 2008 to now. For deaths before that date, contact the Arizona Department of Health Services Bureau of Vital Records. The state office has records going back to July 1909. Some older records exist from before that time as well. The state office is in Phoenix at 150 North 18th Ave., Suite 120.

You can call the state office at (602) 364-1300. The main number has a recorded message with fee information and basic instructions. For general questions, call 602-542-1025. If you have hearing or speech challenges, dial 711 for Relay services. The state office is open Monday to Friday from 8 in the morning to 5 in the afternoon. It is closed on weekends and state holidays.

The state office does not offer same-day walk-in service anymore. All requests must be made by mail or through VitalChek online. Mail your completed application to PO Box 6018, Phoenix, AZ 85005. Include a copy of your ID and proof of your relationship to the person who died. The fee is the same as the county, $20 per certified copy. Processing time is usually one to two weeks for mail orders from the state office.

If you need a death certificate corrected or amended for a death before 2008, only the state office can do this work. Navajo County cannot make changes to records from before February 2008. The state fee for corrections is $30 for the first copy. Call the state office to ask what proof you need to send with your correction request.

Death Certificate Laws in Arizona

Arizona statutes control how death certificates are created and issued. Under ARS 36-325, the funeral home or other responsible person must file a death certificate within seven calendar days. The person filing the certificate must get all the required facts and submit it to a local registrar. In Navajo County, the local registrar is part of the public health services district.

Once the death certificate is filed, the registrar has 72 hours to register it. This happens only if the certificate is accurate and complete. After registration, the death record goes into the statewide electronic database. Then it can be printed as a certified copy by any county vital records office in Arizona, including Navajo County.

ARS 36-342 protects the confidentiality of vital records. This law says that vital records staff cannot show death certificates or give out information except as allowed by law. This is why Arizona is a closed record state. The statute lists who can inspect or get copies of vital records. Anyone not on the list cannot get a death certificate in Navajo County without special permission.

For genealogy research, older death records become available after 50 years. The state keeps a special 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 trace family history. The genealogy database does not include recent deaths in Navajo County.

Other Vital Records Services

The Navajo County Office of Vital Records 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. Fill out a separate form for each certificate. The office can issue birth certificates for any Arizona birth, not just births in Navajo County, as long as the record is in the state database.

Fetal death certificates and stillbirth certificates are also available from the vital records office. These records have different rules than regular death certificates. Call the office at 928-524-4750 to ask about the process if you need one of these special certificates in Navajo County.

If you need to correct information on a death certificate, the office can help with deaths from 2008 to now. Common corrections include fixing a misspelled name, wrong date, or incorrect place of death. You must provide proof of the correct information. This can be other official records or sworn statements. The fee for corrections is $30 for the first copy. Processing time can take several weeks depending on the type of change needed in Navajo County.

For complex cases involving a medical examiner or coroner, the death certificate may take longer to complete. The medical examiner must determine the cause of death before the certificate can be filed. Once the certificate is filed and registered, you can request a certified copy from the Navajo County vital records office. Call ahead if you know the death involved an investigation to check if the certificate is ready yet.

Communities in Navajo County

Navajo County has several towns and communities. Holbrook is the county seat and home to the vital records office. Show Low is the largest town in the county. Other communities include Winslow, Pinetop-Lakeside, Snowflake, Taylor, and Heber-Overgaard. Many residents live in unincorporated areas and on the Hopi reservation and parts of the Navajo Nation.

No matter where you live in Navajo County, the vital records office in Holbrook handles all death certificate requests. If you live far from Holbrook, you can send your request by mail. The office will mail the death certificate back to you once it is processed.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Navajo County. If you need a death certificate for someone who lived near the county line, make sure you know which county the death occurred 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.