Death Certificate Costs in North Carolina: How to Order and What They Cost

Costs & Fees 12 min read

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One of the very first things you need after a loved one dies is certified copies of the death certificate, and you will need more of them than you expect. Every bank, insurance company, brokerage, government agency, and real estate office will ask for one before they will work with you. Getting enough copies upfront saves time, money, and frustration during what is already an overwhelming period.

Afterpath’s task management system includes death certificate ordering as one of the first items on your personalized estate administration checklist. Our Pathfinder AI guide helps you determine exactly how many copies you need based on the specific assets and accounts in your estate, so you order the right number the first time and avoid costly reorder delays.

What a Death Certificate Costs in North Carolina

North Carolina’s death certificate pricing is set by statute and administered through the NC Department of Health and Human Services, Vital Records Section.

Current Pricing (2024)

Type	Cost
First certified copy	$24
Each additional certified copy (ordered at the same time)	$15
Subsequent orders (first copy in new order)	$24
Each additional in subsequent order	$15

The pricing structure creates a clear incentive: order all the copies you need at once. Each time you place a new order, you pay the $24 first-copy fee again. Ordering 12 copies in a single order costs $189. Ordering those same 12 copies in four separate orders of three costs $276, an unnecessary $87 premium.

Why Certified Copies Specifically?

There are two types of death certificates:

Certified copies bear an official raised seal or security watermark from the NC Vital Records office. These are the only versions accepted by banks, insurance companies, courts, and government agencies. When institutions say they need a “death certificate,” they mean a certified copy.

Informational copies are photocopies or printouts without the official seal. These are useful for your personal records but will not be accepted by any institution that requires legal proof of death.

Every copy you order from an official source (Vital Records, the Register of Deeds, or through the funeral home) will be a certified copy.

How to Order Death Certificates in North Carolina

There are three primary methods for obtaining certified death certificates, each with different processing times and convenience levels.

Method 1: Through the Funeral Home (Fastest)

The fastest and easiest way to obtain death certificates is through the funeral director. Funeral homes in North Carolina routinely order death certificates on behalf of families as part of their services.

How it works:

The funeral director files the death certificate with the local Register of Deeds and the NC Vital Records office
You tell the funeral director how many certified copies you need
The funeral home orders them and typically includes the cost in their service invoice
Copies are usually available within 1-2 weeks

Advantages:

The funeral director handles all the paperwork
You can order copies at the same time you are making funeral arrangements
Processing is typically faster because the funeral home has an established relationship with the Vital Records office

Disadvantages:

Some funeral homes add a handling fee on top of the state cost
If you do not order enough copies initially, you will need to reorder through another method

Practical tip: When the funeral director asks how many copies you want, order at least 10-15. The marginal cost of additional copies ($15 each) is far less than the cost of reordering later.

Method 2: NC Vital Records Office (Standard)

You can order directly from the NC Vital Records Section of the Department of Health and Human Services.

By mail:

NC Vital Records 1903 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1903

Include a completed application form (available on the NC DHHS website), a check or money order for the appropriate amount, and a copy of your photo ID. Processing time for mail orders is typically 4-6 weeks.

Online:

North Carolina partners with VitalChek (a third-party service) for online orders. You can place orders at VitalChek.com or through the link on the NC DHHS website.

Online orders include an additional processing fee charged by VitalChek (typically $12-$15 on top of the state fee). Processing time is similar to mail orders, though you can pay extra for expedited shipping.

In person:

You can visit the NC Vital Records office in Raleigh:

NC Vital Records 225 N. McDowell Street Raleigh, NC 27603

In-person requests can sometimes be processed the same day or within a few business days, depending on volume. Call ahead to confirm hours and current processing times.

Method 3: County Register of Deeds

In North Carolina, death certificates are filed with both the state Vital Records office and the Register of Deeds in the county where the death occurred. You can request certified copies from the county Register of Deeds office.

Advantages:

May have shorter wait times than the state office
Convenient if the county office is nearby

Disadvantages:

Only has records for deaths that occurred in that specific county
Fees may vary slightly from county to county
Not all county offices are equally efficient

Processing Times Summary

Order Method	Typical Processing Time	Notes
Through funeral home	1-2 weeks	Fastest option; order during arrangements
NC Vital Records (in person)	Same day to 5 business days	Call ahead to confirm availability
NC Vital Records (online/VitalChek)	2-4 weeks	Additional service fee applies
NC Vital Records (by mail)	4-6 weeks	Slowest option; send check/money order
County Register of Deeds	1-2 weeks	Varies by county

Expedited Options

VitalChek offers expedited shipping for an additional fee ($10-$25 depending on speed). This affects delivery time, not processing time. The certificate still needs to be processed before it ships.

If you need a certified copy urgently (within days), your best options are:

Ask the funeral home if they can expedite
Visit the NC Vital Records office in Raleigh in person
Visit the Register of Deeds in the county where the death occurred

How Many Death Certificates Do You Need?

This is the question families most often get wrong. The answer depends on the complexity of the estate, but nearly everyone underestimates.

The General Rule

Order at least 10-15 certified copies. For complex estates with many accounts, properties, or insurance policies, order 15-20.

Who Needs a Certified Copy?

Each of these institutions or agencies typically requires its own certified copy:

Institution/Agency	Copies Needed
Clerk of Superior Court (probate filing)	1
Each bank or credit union	1 per institution
Each brokerage or investment firm	1 per firm
Each life insurance company	1 per policy
Each retirement account custodian (IRA, 401k)	1 per custodian
Social Security Administration	1
Veterans Administration (if applicable)	1
Each real property title transfer	1 per county
Mortgage company (if applicable)	1
Vehicle title transfer (NC DMV)	1 per vehicle
Employer (for final paycheck, benefits)	1
Health insurance company	1
Pension administrator	1
Utility companies (to transfer or close accounts)	0-1 (some accept photocopies)

A Typical Scenario

Consider a deceased person who had:

1 checking account and 1 savings account (same bank): 1 copy
1 brokerage account: 1 copy
2 life insurance policies (different companies): 2 copies
1 IRA: 1 copy
1 pension: 1 copy
A home with a mortgage: 2 copies (1 for title, 1 for mortgage company)
Social Security: 1 copy
Probate court filing: 1 copy
Employer: 1 copy
Personal records: 1-2 copies

Total: 12-13 certified copies

At $24 for the first plus $15 each for 11 additional, that is $189. Ordering only 5 copies initially and reordering the rest later would cost $24 + ($15 x 4) + $24 + ($15 x 6) = $198, and you would wait weeks for the second batch while estate business stalls.

For more on this topic, see our detailed guide on how many death certificates you need.

Who Can Request Death Certificates in North Carolina?

Not just anyone can order a certified death certificate. NC law restricts who can request them:

Eligible Requestors

The surviving spouse
A parent of the deceased
An adult child of the deceased
The executor or administrator of the estate (with Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration)
A legal representative or attorney representing the estate
A government agency with a legitimate need
Any person demonstrating a direct and tangible interest in the record

What You Need to Provide

When ordering, you will typically need to provide:

Your full legal name
Your relationship to the deceased
The deceased’s full legal name
Date of death
Place of death (county)
Your photo ID (copy)
If ordering as executor: a copy of your Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration

Correcting Errors on a Death Certificate

Occasionally, a death certificate contains errors: a misspelled name, wrong date of birth, incorrect cause of death, or other inaccuracies. Errors must be corrected because institutions will reject death certificates that do not match their records.

How to Correct an Error

Within the first year: The funeral director or attending physician can submit a correction to the NC Vital Records office. This is the simplest route.

After the first year: Corrections require a court order. You must petition the Clerk of Superior Court in the county where the death occurred or where the deceased resided.

Common Errors That Cause Problems

Misspelled name: Banks and financial institutions will refuse to process account closures if the name on the death certificate does not exactly match their records
Wrong Social Security Number: Creates problems with Social Security, the IRS, and financial institutions
Incorrect marital status: Can affect surviving spouse rights and beneficiary claims

If you discover an error, address it immediately. Waiting only delays every other aspect of estate administration that depends on the death certificate.

Cost Comparison: NC vs. Neighboring States

For families dealing with multi-state estate issues, here is how NC compares:

State	First Copy	Additional Copies
North Carolina	$24	$15
South Carolina	$12	$3
Virginia	$12	$12
Tennessee	$15	$15
Georgia	$25	$5

North Carolina’s first-copy fee is on the higher end, but the $15 additional copy rate is moderate. The savings from ordering all copies at once are significant regardless of the state.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can institutions return death certificates after processing?

Some institutions will return the certified copy after they have verified the information. Others keep it for their records. You cannot rely on getting copies back, which is why you should order enough to begin with.

Can I use a photocopy instead of a certified copy?

For most official purposes, no. Banks, insurance companies, courts, and government agencies require certified copies with the official seal. However, some less formal institutions (utility companies, subscription services) may accept a photocopy. Always ask before assuming.

Do death certificates expire?

Certified death certificates do not expire in North Carolina. A certified copy from the date of death is just as valid 10 years later as it was when issued. However, some institutions have internal policies requiring “recent” copies (issued within the last 6-12 months). If an institution makes this request, you may need to order a new certified copy.

What if the death occurred outside of North Carolina?

If the person died in another state, you must order the death certificate from that state’s vital records office, not North Carolina’s. Each state has its own pricing and procedures. The death certificate from the state where the death occurred is the official record, regardless of where the person lived.

Can I order death certificates before probate is opened?

Yes. You do not need to be officially appointed as executor to order death certificates. As a spouse, parent, or adult child of the deceased, you can order copies immediately. Do this as soon as possible after the death. Do not wait for probate to begin.

Budgeting for Death Certificates in Your Estate Plan

Death certificate costs are a small but unavoidable part of estate administration. For budgeting purposes:

Scenario	Copies Needed	Approximate Cost
Simple estate (few accounts)	8-10	$129-$159
Moderate estate	12-15	$189-$234
Complex estate (many accounts, properties)	15-20	$234-$309

These costs are paid from estate funds and are a legitimate administration expense. They will appear in the final accounting filed with the Clerk of Superior Court.

For a comprehensive view of all estate administration costs, see our guides on how much probate costs and the hidden costs of probate in NC.

How Afterpath Helps You Get This Right

Death certificates are one of the first things you need and one of the easiest things to get wrong (by ordering too few). Afterpath helps in two ways:

Personalized Copy Count: When you enter the estate’s assets and accounts into Afterpath, the system calculates exactly how many certified copies you will need based on the specific institutions you need to notify. No guessing, no running short.

Ordering Reminders: Afterpath includes death certificate ordering as a prioritized early task in your administration checklist, with clear instructions on where to order and how many to request.

Document Tracking: As you use certified copies with different institutions, Afterpath tracks which ones have been submitted and which are still available, so you always know your inventory.

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