How Many Death Certificates Do I Need, and Where Do I Order Them?

Count the banks, insurers and agencies that will want a certified copy, then add two spares. For many families that comes to somewhere between 5 and 10 copies. The easiest way to order them is through the funeral home when you make arrangements, because extra copies ordered at the same time usually cost much less than the first one.

Why you need more than one

Many places that handle your loved one's money or property want proof of death, and some keep the certified copy they're given instead of handing it back. Life insurance claims, financial accounts and property all usually need one. A photocopy won't always work, so it helps to have enough certified copies to go around.

How to count the copies you need

Go down this list and add one for each place that applies:

• Each life insurance policy (including any through an employer)
• Each bank or credit union where they had accounts
• Each investment or retirement account (brokerage, IRA, 401(k), pension)
• Each vehicle you need to transfer or sell
• Each house or piece of land in their name
• The probate court, if the estate goes through probate
• Their employer, if they were working or had benefits
• The VA, if they were a veteran and you're applying for burial benefits
• Two spares for the things you'll only discover later

Some places will accept a copy or will look at the certified copy and give it back. It's worth asking before you mail one off. You can always order more later, but it takes longer and may cost more per copy.

Where to order them

Through the funeral home (easiest)

Most families order death certificates through the funeral home as part of the arrangements. Tell them how many you need, and ask what they charge per copy. The certificates are usually ready after the doctor or medical examiner signs the cause of death.

From your state's vital records office

You can also order directly from the state where the death happened. Every state has a vital records office, and many counties do too.

Ordering in Wisconsin

If the death happened in Wisconsin, you can order certified death certificates:

• Online or by phone through VitalChek, the state's ordering service, which charges its own extra fee. The state says online and phone orders are completed in about five business days, plus mailing.
• By mail from the Wisconsin Vital Records Office. The state says mail orders take about 10 business days, plus mailing.
• In person at a county Register of Deeds office, or for deaths in those cities, the Milwaukee City Health Office or West Allis City Health Office.

Cost by mail: $20 for the first copy and $3 for each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time. That's why ordering all your copies at once saves money: 8 copies cost $41 by mail instead of $160.

Wisconsin law limits who can get a certified copy. The state's application explains who qualifies, which usually includes close family and people who need it to handle the person's affairs.

What to do with them once you have them

• Keep them together in one folder with the will, insurance papers and account statements.
• Write down where each one goes, so you know how many you have left.
• Before mailing one, ask whether a copy or an emailed scan will do.

Frequently asked questions

Does Social Security need a death certificate?

Usually the funeral home reports the death to Social Security for you. If you need to apply for survivor benefits, Social Security will tell you what proof they need.

How long does it take to get them?

The certificate can't be issued until the cause of death is signed, which is usually within a few days of an expected death. After that, it depends on how you order. In Wisconsin, online orders take about five business days and mail orders about 10, plus mailing time.

Can I order more later?

Yes. You can order more from the state or county vital records office at any time. In Wisconsin, a later order starts again at $20 for the first copy.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Fees and rules vary by state and can change. Wisconsin fees and times are from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Last checked October 28, 2026.

Sources: Wisconsin DHS: Requesting a Vital Record; National Institute on Aging: What To Do After Someone Dies.