Utah Death Index
The Utah death index is a statewide collection of death records maintained by the Utah Office of Vital Records and Statistics, county health departments, and historical archives including the Utah Division of Archives and Records Service. Records cover deaths registered across all 29 Utah counties, with the state system dating to 1905 and historical collections reaching as far back as 1847. Searching the Utah death index gives you access to death certificates, historical death registers, and genealogical records spanning generations. You can search online through state and federal databases, request records by mail from the state office, or visit a local county health department in person to find Utah death records.
Utah Death Index Quick Facts
What the Utah Death Index Contains
The Utah death index draws from several distinct record systems depending on when a death occurred and where it was registered. The state-level collection held by the Utah Office of Vital Records and Statistics covers deaths from 1905 to the present across all 29 counties. Each record typically includes the full name of the deceased, the date and place of death, cause of death, and details such as gender, race, and marital status. Older entries often list the names and birthplaces of both parents, the occupation of the deceased, and the name of a surviving spouse.
The FamilySearch Utah death index holds over 260,000 indexed certificate images from the 1904 to 1964 collection. A second FamilySearch collection covers 1965 and 1966 separately. Both are searchable by name, year, and county, and most entries link to images of the original certificates. The Utah Death Registers spanning 1847 to 1966 contain more than 300,000 entries drawn from settlement records, local registers, and church sources that predate the formal state registration system. Federal Census Mortality Schedules from 1850 to 1880 capture deaths from the year before each census and include data for every Utah county that existed at the time.
Military death certificates for World War II and Korean War casualties from 1941 to 1953 are also part of the death index. These cover service members whose deaths were registered in Utah during those years.
The Utah Division of Archives also links to the Utah Deaths and Burials collection covering 1888 to 1946, which includes about 145,000 records drawn from county registers, sexton records, and church sources across the state.
The Utah Office of Vital Records and Statistics serves as the central repository for death records filed since 1905.
The office maintains the statewide death index and issues certified copies of death certificates to authorized requestors across all 29 counties.
How to Search Utah Death Records
You have several ways to search the Utah death index. Online access is the fastest and most flexible starting point. The Utah Division of Archives provides a free online database of historical death records, searchable by name, date of death, and county. For deaths that occurred more than 50 years ago, records are open to anyone. No proof of relationship is required for those older entries. Searches can be run using just a partial name or a date range if you do not have the exact details.
FamilySearch also provides free online access to the Utah death index collections covering 1904 to 1966. Images of the original death certificates are available for most entries. You can browse by county, city or town, and year if you prefer to search that way rather than by name. The FamilySearch Utah death index is one of the largest free genealogical resources for the Mountain West region.
VitalChek is an authorized online ordering service for certified Utah death certificate copies from the state and county offices.
Processing through VitalChek is secure and faster than mail, with additional service fees applying for online orders.
In-person searches are available at county health department offices during business hours. Staff can look up entries and issue certified copies the same day in most locations. Bring your photo ID and any information you have about the person whose death record you need. The state office at 288 North 1460 West in Salt Lake City does not accept public walk-in requests. All in-person service for death index records goes through local county health departments.
Mail requests to the state office must include a completed application, an enlarged and clearly readable photocopy of your government-issued ID, and payment by personal check or money order made payable to Vital Records. Allow several weeks for mail requests to process.
Getting Utah Death Certificates
The Utah Office of Vital Records and Statistics certificate ordering page lists all available request methods, including online, mail, and local health department options.
The state office handles mail and online requests, while county health departments offer same-day in-person processing for most people who visit during office hours.
A certified death certificate in Utah costs $30 for the first copy. Additional copies ordered at the same time cost $10 each. These fees apply whether you order at the county level, through the state office, or through an authorized service like VitalChek or the Utah SILVER system. The recorded information line for the state office is (801) 538-6105. The mailing address is P.O. Box 141012, Salt Lake City, UT 84114-1012.
The Utah SILVER system is the state's own online ordering portal. It is available through the Utah Department of Health's vital records website around the clock. Most county health departments are also connected to the SILVER system for online orders. Processing times vary. Online orders typically take a few business days to two weeks depending on the method. Mail requests often take several weeks from submission to delivery.
Note: Applications without proper ID are returned without being processed. Double-check what your county requires before submitting a mail request to avoid delays.
Historical Death Records in Utah
The Utah Division of Archives and Records Service provides free public access to death records that are more than 50 years old, including certificate images from 1904 onward.
The archives hold Utah death registers dating back to 1847 and serve as the primary source for genealogical research on early deaths throughout the state.
State registration of deaths in Utah began officially in 1905. General compliance across all counties came by about 1917. Records from before 1905 are incomplete and vary by county. Some counties kept their own registers before the state system existed. Salt Lake City began a formal vital statistics reporting system in 1895, giving it death records that predate the statewide system by nearly a decade. Early Salt Lake City death records from 1848 forward are available and are among the earliest in the state.
The Utah State Burial Database covers pre-1904 deaths and is searchable online. It gathers data from cemetery records and historical sources and gives researchers access to names, burial locations, and approximate dates for thousands of early Utah deaths. The Utah Cemetery Inventory covers 1847 to 1950 and lists more than 350,000 burials. Veterans with federal service buried in Utah from 1844 to 1966 account for around 19,000 additional records in the historical genealogical collections. Obituaries from Utah newspapers spanning 1850 to 2005 add more than 120,000 records to the overall picture of Utah death history.
Utah County Death Record Offices
VitalRec.com provides contact information and access details for vital records offices across every Utah county, including addresses, phone numbers, and fee schedules.
Each Utah county has a designated office that issues certified death certificates for deaths occurring within that county's boundaries.
Most Utah counties charge $30 for the first certified copy of a death certificate and $10 for each additional copy requested at the same time. Several counties are served by regional health districts rather than independent county offices. The Bear River Health Department covers Box Elder, Cache, and Rich counties from its main office at 170 North Main in Logan. Death certificate fees at Bear River offices are $12 for the first copy and $10 for each additional copy, lower than the state standard. The Southwest Utah Public Health Department handles Washington, Iron, Garfield, Beaver, and Kane counties from its office at 620 South 400 East, Suite 400, in St. George. Applications are available in English and Spanish from this office.
The Weber-Morgan Health Department serves Weber and Morgan counties from 477 23rd Street in Ogden, with same-day walk-in service Monday through Friday. Effective August 2024, proof of relationship is required for all vital records requests at this office. The Davis County Health Department issues certificates from 61 South Main Street in Farmington and governs access under Utah Code 26B-8-125. The Salt Lake County Health Department operates three public health centers and serves the most populous county in Utah.
Note: Hours, fees, and appointment requirements change. Confirm details with the specific county office before visiting in person.
Federal Sources for Utah Death Data
The CDC's Utah vital records page lists the official state and county offices for obtaining certified death certificates and provides a general overview of record availability and costs.
The CDC has tracked mortality statistics for Utah since the state joined the national Death Registration Area in the early twentieth century, making Utah part of a continuous national record of deaths.
The Social Security Death Index contains records for deaths reported to the Social Security Administration starting around 1962. This index is searchable by name and includes most Utah deaths from that period forward. For deaths before 1962, researchers rely on state and county death registers, the FamilySearch Utah death index collections, and newspaper obituaries. The SSDI is widely available through genealogy platforms and is a useful complement to the state death index for mid-twentieth century deaths.
The Social Security Administration POMS database includes county-level contact information for vital records offices across all 29 Utah counties.
The SSA POMS records list historical office addresses and fee schedules for each Utah county, which can help researchers identify which office handled records for a specific location at a particular point in time.
Death Record Access Rules in Utah
Utah restricts access to death records less than 50 years old. Under Utah Code 26B-8-125, only immediate family members, legal guardians, and authorized legal representatives may obtain certified copies during the restricted period. Eligible family members include the surviving spouse, children, parents, siblings, and grandparents of the deceased. Each requestor must provide a valid government-issued photo ID and proof of their relationship to the person named in the record.
Relationship proof requirements vary by family connection. A surviving spouse shows a marriage certificate. Children provide a birth certificate listing the deceased parent. Siblings must present a birth certificate showing at least one common parent. Grandparents need a chain of birth certificates establishing the family line. Health departments reserve the right to request additional documentation when the relationship is unclear. Funeral directors may request death certificates on behalf of families they are serving without providing personal relationship documentation.
Records that are 50 or more years old are treated as public documents under Utah law. Anyone can request access to these older records without proving a relationship. Historical records from 1904 through the early 1970s are fully public and available at no charge through the Utah Division of Archives and FamilySearch.
The Government Records Access and Management Act (GRAMA), codified at Utah Code 63G-2, sets the general framework for public record access in the state. Death records are classified as protected records during the restricted period and transition to public status once the 50-year threshold passes.
Order Utah Death Records Online
The Salt Lake County Vital Records office operates three public health center locations and serves as a major regional access point for Utah death certificates.
Death records are available for events occurring from 1905 to the present at the county level, with records older than 50 years accessible through state archives at no charge.
Three main ordering options exist for most Utah death index records. First, you can order through the VitalChek online service, which is authorized by the state and processes orders securely with expedited handling. Second, the Utah SILVER system is the state's own online ordering portal accessible through the Utah Department of Health website. Both online services are available any time and provide faster turnaround than mail. Third, in-person requests at county health departments are typically processed the same day for those who arrive before the afternoon cutoff time. Payment methods for in-person visits usually include cash, check, money order, Visa, and Mastercard depending on the county.
Mail requests go to the Utah Office of Vital Records and Statistics at P.O. Box 141012, Salt Lake City, UT 84114-1012. Include the completed request form, a clear enlarged photocopy of your photo ID, information about the relationship to the deceased, and payment by check or money order payable to Vital Records. Do not include cash in mailed requests.
Browse Utah Death Index by County
Each of Utah's 29 counties maintains death records for events that occurred within its boundaries. Select a county below to find local contact information, available resources, and guidance for accessing the death index in that area.
Utah Death Index by City
Cities in Utah rely on their county health department for death records. Select a city to learn which office handles records in that area and how to request a death certificate or search the local death index.