Death Certificate Replacement Fees
When a death record is amended, eligible applicants can replace existing death certificates that were previously issued. The original certificates must be returned prior to issuing replacement certificates. If original certificates aren’t returned, new certificates can be purchased for $25 per certificate.
However, the replacement does not need to take place at the vital records office that issued the certificates. Certificates that were issued at the state vital records office can be replaced at a county vital records office if it is less than six months from the date of death and the event occurred in your county. At the state vital records office, certificates can be replaced for up to one year from the date they were originally issued.
For replacements, fees must be followed according to Oregon Administrative Rule (OAR) 333-011-0340(8). The fee is $5 per death certificate replaced after an amendment. For replacements that are required solely due to an amendment by the medical certifier or medical examiner, the replacement fee is waived.
Example scenarios:
- Five certificates are issued to the funeral director. The funeral director amends the decedent’s name and returns the five certificates. The fee would be $5 per certificate.
- Three certificates are issued to the decedent’s spouse. The funeral director amends the name of the decedent’s mother, the medical certifier amends the cause of death, and the three certificates are returned. The fee would be $5 per certificate because the personal information was changed.
- Seven certificates are issued to the decedent’s spouse. The medical certifier amends the cause of death, and no other changes are made. The decedent’s nephew returns the seven certificates. The fee would be $0 per certificate because the medical amendment is the sole change. However, the replacement certificates couldn’t be issued to a nephew since they are not eligible.
For more information about replacements, see our June 2023 newsletter article “Issuing Replacements”.
If you have any questions about fees, please contact Partner Services.
Triennial Review Requirement: Vital Records Information and Marketing
The Center for Health Statistics is currently updating the Triennial Review Tool to remove outdated requirements related to registration and amendments of death records due to the implementation of HB 3127.
We’re also planning to add a new item to clarify that vital records data cannot be used to market services to Oregonians.
The text for the new requirement is planned to be “Vital records data shall not be used for marketing of goods or services, including promotion of vital records services.”
This requirement is based on Oregon Administrative Rule 333-011-0325(1)(a) which directs that information contained in vital records cannot be used for marketing of goods or services or non-research solicitation.
If counties are working to increase their order volume, some counties have seen success by developing a handout that birth facilities may choose to provide while parents are in the facility. This is allowed because it does not use vital records information to contact parents.
If you have any questions about Triennial Review requirements, please contact Partner Services.
The County Work Group
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The County Work Group is an optional meeting for county vital records staff to learn about current vital records topics, ask questions and share ideas with each other.
County Work Group
June 23, 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. Pacific Time
Register here!
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