How to Get a Death Certificate in Montana

Montana death records are open. State law says a certified copy of a death certificate must be issued upon request of any person. You do not need to be a family member or the executor, and you do not need to prove your relationship to the person who died.

To order, you do need to:

• Fill out the application
• Prove your identity
• List the reason you need the copy

Montana has two kinds of offices that issue certified death certificates: county Clerk & Recorder offices and the state Office of Vital Records. Both can issue copies for any death that happened in Montana.

County Clerk & Recorder (in person)

• You can go to any county Clerk & Recorder's office in Montana, no matter which Montana county the death happened in.
• Bring a current, valid photo ID. You fill out the application when you arrive.
• Fee: $7 per certified copy, set by state law.
• Hours, payment types, turnaround, and whether the office takes mail or email orders vary by county. Call the county office before you go.

State Office of Vital Records (DPHHS)

The state office in Helena is closed to walk-in customers. It takes orders three ways, at $16 per certified copy:

• By mail: send the Death Certificate Mail-In Application, a copy of your ID (or a notarized application), and a check or money order payable to "Montana Vital Records" to: Montana Vital Records, PO Box 4210, Helena, MT 59604. Applications are not accepted by email.
• Online: order through VitalChek or VitalRecordsOnline (VRO, customer service 1-855-252-1255). These are the only two vendors the state has approved. Vendor service fees are added; the state does not publish the amounts.
• By phone: call VitalChek toll-free at 1-888-877-1946 to pay by credit card. The state office itself cannot take card payments over the phone.

The state does not publish processing times. It says times vary based on staffing and workload. Incomplete applications or missing ID are returned, which delays the order.

Questions about an order: call the state office at 406-444-2685 (option 2) or email HHSVitalRecords@mt.gov.

In person at a county office: a current, valid photo ID.

By mail to the state: a completed application, payment, and one of these:

• An enlarged, readable photocopy of both sides of your driver's license or other photo ID with a signature, or
• A notarized application

If you do not have a photo ID with a signature, send two other forms of ID, and at least one must have a signature. The application lists examples, such as a Social Security card, a bank card, a vehicle registration or insurance card, a utility bill with your current address, a voter registration card, or a pay stub.

Another option is to have a family member (parent, grandparent, child, or spouse) with ID order for you. The state says that family member must send proof of their relationship to you, such as their own birth certificate or a marriage license.

Online: the vendor may ask you to upload a picture of your photo ID or other documents.

Montana issues two kinds of copies. At the state office, both cost $16.

• Certified copies are the official documents banks, insurers, and courts ask for. Montana offers them in two versions, an "Abstract" and a "Long Form", and both count as certified.
• Informational copies are typically used for genealogy or personal records. They cannot be used for legal purposes.

Since June 1, 2026, the state again embosses all newly issued certified death certificates. Certificates issued earlier without the embossed seal are still valid. See the state's page on certificate types.

County informational-copy fees are not set by state law and vary by county, so check with the county office.

The funeral home usually handles the filing. Under Montana law, the person in charge of the final disposition of the body, typically a funeral home, gathers the personal details, gets the cause of death certified, and files the death certificate with the local registrar where the death occurred. Many families get their first certified copies through the funeral home.

According to DPHHS, the timeline works like this:

• The physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or coroner certifies the cause of death within 3 days of notification of the death.
• The death certificate is filed with the local registrar within 10 days of notification of the death.
• Records are filed in the state's electronic system, which both local registrars and the state office can see in real time.

If the cause of death still reads "pending autopsy" or "pending investigation", you can still order a certified copy. The state will issue it with the cause of death information removed.

Most banks, insurers, and agencies want their own certified copy, and some will not return it. Many families order several at once. Read our guide on how many copies to estimate the right number. The state charges $16 for every copy with no discount for extras; county offices charge $7 each.

To correct a Montana death certificate, fill out the Affidavit for Correction of a Vital Record. It must be signed in front of a notary. Mail the original affidavit to the Office of Vital Records with:

• Copies (not originals) of documents that support the correction
• A photocopy of your photo ID
• The fee

Cost: free if the correction is requested within 1 year of the date the record was filed. After 1 year it is $41: $25 to process the correction plus $16 for one corrected certified copy. See the state's fee schedule.

Timing: allow 3 to 4 weeks for processing.

For help, call the corrections contact at 406-444-9039. In-person correction services are by appointment only; call 406-444-2685 or email HHSVitalRecords@mt.gov to schedule. The state does not publish a list of who may request a correction to a death record, so call to confirm before you start. More details are on the state's corrections page.

The official ways to get a Montana death certificate are:

• Any county Clerk & Recorder's office in Montana
• The DPHHS Office of Vital Records, by mail
• VitalChek and VitalRecordsOnline (VRO), the only two vendors the state has contracted and approved

The state warns that other companies may charge high fees to "process" or "help apply" for certificates. While researching this page we saw sites such as simplytrust.com, searchsystems.net, and publicrecords.com come up for Montana death records. These are not official ordering channels.