Getting a certified death certificate

Settling nearly anything after a death — bank accounts, insurance, pensions, the house, the car — takes a certified death certificate. Here’s how they work in Kansas and Missouri, and how to get more when you run short.

Start here: in most cases your funeral home orders the first certified copies for you — just tell them how many. Order these pages’ way only when you need additional copies later.

How many copies should you get?

Most families order 5–10 certified copies. Each institution settling the estate — every bank or credit union, each life insurance policy, pension and retirement plans, Social Security, vehicle titles, and real-estate transfers — generally wants its own original and won’t accept a photocopy. Extra copies are inexpensive to add at the time of the order, so it’s worth getting a few more than you think you’ll need. (This is general planning guidance, not an official recommendation.)

Kansas

Kansas issues death certificates only through the KDHE Office of Vital Statistics in Topeka — there is no county option.

  • Fee: $20 per certified copy, and $20 for each additional copy (as of 2026). The fee covers a record search and isn’t refunded if no record is found.
  • Online / phone: through VitalChek (a service fee, about $15 expedited, applies).
  • Mobile app: the iKan app (a small processing fee applies).
  • By mail: the application, a photocopy of your photo ID, and a check or money order payable to “Kansas Vital Statistics.”
  • In person: the Topeka office, weekdays 9 a.m.–4 p.m. (about 15–20 minutes).

Official Kansas links: KDHE — Death Certificate · application form (PDF).

Missouri

Local is usually fastest in Missouri. A local health department can issue certified copies for any Missouri death from 1980 to the present — often same day, over the counter — no matter which Missouri county the death occurred in.
  • Fee: $14 for the first copy and $11 for each additional copy of the same record (as of 2026), at both the state office and KC-metro local offices.
  • In person (fastest): a KC-metro local health department — the Kansas City Health Department (2400 Troost Ave.), Jackson County Public Health, Clay County, or Platte County.
  • By mail (state): a notarized application with fee and a self-addressed stamped envelope to the Bureau of Vital Records in Jefferson City (mailed requests can take about 4–8 weeks).
  • Online / phone: through VitalChek (1‑877‑817‑7363), with vendor fees.

Official Missouri links: DHSS — Obtain a Vital Record · Kansas City Health Department · Jackson County Public Health.

Who can order & what you’ll need

  • Eligibility: the immediate family — including an adult child — or anyone with a direct interest (such as a named beneficiary or someone settling the estate).
  • In person: your own current photo ID (or two alternate documents if you don’t have a photo ID).
  • By mail in Missouri: the application must be notarized.
  • The full name of the person who died, and the date and place of death if you know them.
Working through everything after a loss? Our step-by-step what to do when a parent dies checklist walks through it calmly, and the free Family Records Organizer keeps the paperwork together.

Common questions

Do I have to order the death certificate myself?

Usually not. The funeral home legally files the death record and, as part of their services, orders your first batch of certified copies — you just tell them how many you want (the per-copy fee is passed through on the bill). You only order directly from the state or a local health department when you need additional copies later.

How many certified copies should we get?

Most families order 5 to 10. Each bank, life insurance policy, pension or retirement plan, the Social Security Administration, vehicle titles, and real-estate transfers typically wants its own original certified copy and won’t accept a photocopy. Ordering a few extra up front is far easier than requesting more later, though additional copies are inexpensive to add.

Can an adult child order a parent’s death certificate?

Yes. In both Kansas and Missouri an adult child is immediate family with a direct interest in the record and is eligible to order certified copies. You’ll show your own photo ID (or, by mail, use a notarized application in Missouri).

What’s the fastest way in the Kansas City area?

For a Missouri death, a local health department — such as the Kansas City Health Department or Jackson, Clay, or Platte County — usually offers same-day, over-the-counter service for deaths from 1980 to the present, regardless of which Missouri county the death occurred in. Kansas issues death certificates only through the state office in Topeka (walk-in, online, or by mail).

General information for Kansas City families, not legal advice. Fees and procedures change — confirm current details on the official Kansas (KDHE) or Missouri (DHSS / local health department) page before paying or mailing anything. See our documents hub for other records.

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