Oregon Death Records

A death record is an official document that keeps important information about a person's death. In Oregon, an estimated 40,673 deaths are recorded each year, meaning that 763.1 out of 100,000 residents pass away annually. This is lower than the average national mortality rate of 793.7 per 100,000 United States residents. Oregon's death rate indicates an upward trend in the state's mortality rate over the last few years.

Death records are one of Oregon's vital records that have been filed statewide since 1903. However, a few counties and cities in the state have recorded some death events since 1862. The major type of death record in Oregon is the death certificate, which is the official legal record of death. It contains information about the individual who died as well as the cause of death. The two types of death certificates in the state are short-form death certificates and long-form death certificates:

• Short-Form Death Certificates - These ones primarily contain the basic facts of death events, including the place of death, date of death, deceased person's personal information, and the county of death. They do not have information about the cause of death, and are available for death events from 1978 to the present.
• Long-Form Death Certificate - These death certificates have all the information in the short-form death certificates as well as the time of death, manner of death, and the cause of death. They are available for deaths that occurred from 1903 to the present.

When someone dies in Oregon, the funeral home that first assumes custody of the body must submit the report of death to the registrar of the county where the death occurred or to the state's Center for Health Statistics. After making the reports, they must obtain personal information about the deceased person from their next of kin or the best-qualified source or person available.

Next, the funeral home must obtain medical certification from the attending healthcare provider or a medical certifier, after which the original death certificate must be filed with the county registrar in the county where the death occurred. While the original death certificate remains permanently on the file of the Center for Health Statistics, eligible persons may obtain certified copies of the certificate. A certified copy of an Oregon death certificate is a true copy of the original document that has been verified by a government agency and can be used for several legal purposes.

How Do I Get a Certified Copy of a Death Certificate in Oregon?

The Oregon Health Department (OHA), through the Center for Health Statistics (CHS), issues eligible persons certified copies of death certificates in the state. Generally, a requester needs information about the individual listed on the death certificate to be able to submit their request. Such information includes the full name of the decedent, the place of death, the date of death, and information about the deceased person's spouse or domestic partner, if applicable. Similarly, the requester must provide certain details about themself, including their name, the reason for making the request, the relationship they have with the deceased person, mailing address, and any other contact information.

A certified copy of an Oregon death certificate may be requested through any of the following methods:

• Mail Order - To request a certified copy of a death certificate by mail in Oregon, take the following steps:

  • Determine the type of death certificate needed (Short-form or long-form)
  • Complete the Oregon Death Certificate Form
  • Provide a copy of any acceptable proof of ID.
  • Pay a non-refundable $25 fee for the record search and the first copy of the certificate, and another $25 for each additional certified copy of the certificate ordered. A check or money order payable to OHA/Vital Records is acceptable. Cash is not acceptable for a mail order.

  • Mail the completed form, a copy of ID, fees, and all other required documents to the OHA at:

    Oregon Vital Records

    P.O. Box 14050

    Portland, OR 97293-0050

    Under normal circumstances, mail orders are processed between 8 and 10 weeks from the date the Vital Records Office received the requests.

• In-Person Order - Anyone looking to get a certified copy of an Oregon death certificate must first schedule an appointment. Appointments are typically for about 30 minutes and are available from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (the last appointment starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific Time). The following are required for an in-person submission:

  • Completed application form.
  • Valid ID.
  • Payment of a non-refundable $28 fee for the first certificate ($25 for the initial record search fee and first certificate, and $3 for the identity authentication fee). Each additional certificate ordered in the same transaction costs $25. A money order, check, cash, debit card, or credit card is acceptable for an in-person request.
  • Any other supporting documentation that may be required.

  It is advised to arrive 10 minutes early on the appointed date with all the required documents in hand in the lobby of the Oregon Vital Records located at:

  Oregon Vital Records

  Portland State Office Building

  800 NE Oregon Street, Suite 205

  Portland, OR 97232

  Typically, a requester will enter their order at a self-service kiosk during the 30-minute scheduled appointment. Some full image records are usually not available the same day, but the Vital Records Office will mail them to the requester or make them available for pickup the next business day.

• Drop-Off Application - To submit a drop-off application for a certified copy of an Oregon death certificate, drop a completed application form, a copy of ID, fees, and any other required documents, in a sealed envelope in the secure drop box located at:

  Oregon Vital Records

  800 NE Oregon Street

  Portland, OR 97232

  It takes between 8 and 10 weeks to process drop-off applications from the date the Vital Records Office receives the order. Requests submitted in the drop box are collected Monday through Friday.

Are Oregon Death Records Public?

Per Section 432.350 of the state's Revised Statutes, death records are generally exempt from public disclosure in Oregon and are subject to a 50-year access restriction. In other words, access to death records in the state is restricted for 50 years after the date of the death event. However, the state registrar may adopt rules allowing the disclosure of a death record if the disclosure is for public health purposes or if the registrar otherwise determines the following:

• That the requester has a genuine and valid need for the record
• That the integrity of the record is assured
• That the requester is authorized to obtain the record

Who Can Request an Original Death Certificate in Oregon?

Original death certificates in Oregon are not available for issuance. They are permanently kept by the state's Vital Records Office. However, under state law, any of the following individuals may request certified copies of death certificates, provided they are at least 18 years old:

• The spouse or registered domestic partner of the deceased person.
• The decedent's parents, stepparents, and grandparents.
• The decedent's children, grandchildren, and siblings.
• A funeral service practitioner.
• A legal guardian of the deceased person.
• A legal or authorized representative of the decedent or any other eligible person.
• Anyone with a person or property right in need of protection.
• Any individual in charge of the decedent's disposition.

How Long Does It Take to Get a Death Certificate in Oregon?

Most death certificate requests in Oregon are processed in approximately 8 to 10 weeks, as long as the Vital Records Office already has the original death certificates of such death events on file. Generally, state law requires the filing of an original death certificate with the county registrar in the county where the death takes place within 5 days of death, after which eligible persons may request certified copies. In other words, any qualified person should be able to get a certified copy of an Oregon death certificate within 12 to 14 weeks after the death of an individual if the death occurred under normal circumstances.

However, when someone dies under unusual circumstances in Oregon and an autopsy is required to uncover the cause and manner of death, it will take a longer time before the original death certificate is prepared and filed. Consequently, nobody will be able to request a certified copy of the death certificate until the original copy is ready and filed with the county registrar.

This process typically takes several weeks, and the final autopsy may not be available for several months, depending on the complexity of the case and the nature of testing ordered by the forensic pathologist. However, once the final autopsy report is available, a final death certificate is prepared and filed with the county registrar.

Can I View Oregon Death Records online for free?

The Oregon State Archives has historic death records, which may be viewed online free of charge. Other online resources like FamilySearch.org and Ancestry.com offer access to certain digitized death records for death events over 50 years old in the state. Similarly, third-party sites like Oregonpublicrecords.us offer public access to publicly available death records in the state, but at a small fee.

Some records also provide information about death events in Oregon free of charge. These records are widely known as substitute records, and they include tax records, cemetery records, obituaries, newspapers, probate records, bible records, census, and church records.

When Would You Require A Death Certificate in Oregon?

A certified copy of a death certificate in Oregon serves several purposes, including the following:

• Notifying certain government agencies, like the IRS and SSA, as well as creditors, about a person's death.
• Canceling a deceased person's credit card.
• Closing a decedent's bank account.
• Transferring a decedent's property title to another person.
• Claiming life insurance benefits.
• Accessing benefits such as pension, veterans' benefits, and other retirement benefits owed to the decedent.
• Settling the estate of the deceased person.
• Making funeral arrangements.

How Many Death Certificates Do I Need in Oregon?

In an ideal situation, copies of a death certificate ranging from 8 to 12 should be adequate for various legal and administrative purposes for which certified copies are required in Oregon. However, the actual number needed will vary by the specific situation and the size of the deceased person's estate. Writing down a list of agencies requesting copies of a death certificate and the transactions for which they are needed will help determine the actual number of certified copies of a death certificate needed.