Are Death Certificates Public in Kentucky?
Yes, Kentucky death certificates are accessible to members of the public. It is easy to order a death certificate or carry out a death record search as long as the requestor provides the necessary details to facilitate the record search and pays the fee required.
What Shows Up on Death Records in Kentucky?
A Kentucky death record is an official document that contains details about a person's death. It serves as official evidence of a person's death. In Kentucky, death records are generated and maintained alongside other Kentucky Vital Records by the state Vital Records Office and the Department of Vital Statistics. The details contained in a Kentucky death record include:
- Biodata of the deceased
- Birthdate of the deceased
- Date of death
- County of death
- Attending Physician
- Funeral service provided
The Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics only issues certified copies of death records to eligible persons. These certified copies of death records are used for insurance claims, social security notifications, and other legal purposes. Kentucky death records are also useful for various medical and research purposes. For example, Kentucky death records are useful in measuring population growth for better planning, management, and evaluation of public health in the state. While death records can be accessed by members of the public in Kentucky, the details surrounding a person's death can only be obtained by close relations of the deceased (birth parents, decedent spouse, children, or siblings). Also, sensitive information such as the decedent's social security number is typically excluded from the records provided to members of the public who make vital record requests.
How are Death Records Created in Kentucky?
The 2015 Revised Statutes of the Commonwealth of Kentucky mandates that for every death, a death certificate must be filed with the Cabinet of Health and Family Services or as otherwise directed by the state registrar before the final interment of the body. Only death certificates filed and completed per the Statutes shall be registered.
The process of creating a death record begins when a funeral director accepts responsibility for a dead body. The funeral director initiates the creation of a death record by obtaining details of the deceased and filing a death certificate. The details of the deceased shall be provided by the best available source at the time of death. It includes personal, statistical, and military service records of the deceased, if any. The informant providing these details will also provide their contact details and sign on the death certificate. For a deceased person with military service records, a fact sheet containing military burial rights is given to the informant by the Kentucky Department of Veteran Affairs.
Within five days, the funeral director presents the death certificate to the attending physician or coroner to perform a medical certification on the cause of death. The medical certification on the cause of death is to be completed within another five days. The death certificate is then returned to the funeral director, who files the certificate with the Office of Vital Statistics (OVS) using the Kentucky Electronic Death Registration System.
The corpse will remain in the morgue until the funeral director has completed and filed a provisional certificate of death with the local registrar. The registrar then signs the provisional certificate of death. A signed copy of this certificate provides the authority for the possession, transportation, and disposition of the body.
How to Find Death Records Online in Kentucky?
Registered parties can search death records online through the Kentucky Electronic Death Registration System (KY-EDRS). However, access to KY-EDRS is restricted to funeral homes, hospitals, nursing homes, physicians, coroners, advanced practice registered nurses, physician assistants, dentists, chiropractors, and the OVS. The KY-EDRS provides a system through which medical professionals, funeral home directors, and coroners can collaborate to speed up the death record creation process and improve the accuracy of death records.
The University of Kentucky provides access to a limited database of death records. This database is obtained from the Office of Vital Statistics and is known as the Kentucky Vital Records Index. The database only provides death records that date from 1911 to 1992.
Kentucky death records may also be searched through the National Death Index Portal (NDI). However, access to this portal is restricted and would require the requester to submit a completed National Death Index Application form and meet all eligibility requirements. Note that information obtained from the NDI is only available for research purposes.
Considered open to citizens of the United States, public records are available through traditional government sources and third-party websites and organizations. In many cases, third-party websites make the search easier as they are not limited geographically or by technological limitations. They are a good place to start when looking for specific or multiple records. To gain access to these records, interested parties must typically provide:
- The name of the person listed in the record. Juveniles are typically exempt from this search method.
- The last known or assumed location of the person listed in the record. This includes cities, counties, and states.
While third-party sites offer such services, they are not government-sponsored entities, and record availability may vary on these sites compared to government sources. Death record searches can be carried out by a Kentucky search by name or address.
Death Record Search by Name in Kentucky.
The typical method to conduct a death record search is by name. Individuals seeking a particular Kentucky death record can do so by providing the full name of the deceased or entering their full name into the search box provided on the online resource being used.
Death Record Search by Address in Kentucky
When the full name of the deceased is not known, the requesting party may conduct a death record search by address. This may take a longer time to locate the record, as a full name would streamline the search. Note that the more details a requester can provide, the easier the search.
How to Find Death Records for Free in Kentucky
The University of Kentucky’s Vital Records Index provides limited access to death records for deaths that occurred between 1911 and 1992. The portal is open for public access free of charge and is not to be used for commercial purposes. All the data on this portal are from the Office of Vital Statistics. However, the Commonwealth of Kentucky mandates a fee be paid for any death record inspected or obtained in the state.
The Commonwealth of Kentucky restricts access to death records to only the deceased parents, grandparents, siblings, and adult children and grandchildren. Individuals with a legal interest in the death certificate also have access to death certificates via a court order.
Requesters can obtain Kentucky death records from the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Office of Vital Statistics(OVS). The office of vital records also provides birth, marriage, and divorce records.
Steps required to obtain a Kentucky death record include:
- Obtain the Application for a Certified Copy of a Death Certificate from the Health Departments Local County Health Centers.
- Fill in the form with appropriate details, including:
- The full name of the deceased
- The date of death
- The county of death
- The attending physician’s name
- Funeral service provided,
- The requester's relationship to the deceased,
- The requester's address
- Phone number.
- Provide a full mailing address where the certificate would be mailed together with a contact phone number.
- Specify the number of copies needed.
- Finally, send the required fee by money order or a check made payable to the Kentucky State Treasurer together with a completed application form and a valid photo ID.
It is important to note that the fees paid for death certificates are search fees and are not refundable. Furthermore, the Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics provides only certified copies of death certificates issued after the application form has been completed and the required fees paid. The Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics does not issue non-certified copies, electronic copies, or photocopies of death certificates.
How to Obtain Death Records in Kentucky
The Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics (OVS) is the primary custodian of death records in Kentucky. To access death records, requesters are expected to fill the Application for a Certified Copy of a Death Certificate. This form can also be picked up in person from any of the Health Department’s Local County Health Centers in the state. Complete the form accurately and submit either in person or via mail with the required fees, and a valid ID.
For in-person requests, visit the Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics at:
275 East Main Street
Frankfort, KY 40621
Office hours: 8:00 a.m to 4.30 p.m Eastern time, Monday through Friday.
Note that due to the recent Covid-19 pandemic outbreak, in-person services are no longer available. In-person services have been replaced with the dropbox request services option. The dropbox is located at:
The Visitors Entrance
Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics
275 East Main Street
Frankfort, KY 40621
The dropbox is equipped with blank copies of the Application for a Certified Copy of a Death Certificate form.
Mail-in requests are to be mailed to:
Office of Vital Statistics
275 East Main Street, 1E-A
Frankfort, KY 40621
Can Anyone Get a Copy of a Death Certificate in Kentucky?
The Commonwealth of Kentucky restricts access to death records for up to 50 years after the time of death. After which the records become available to the public. Whilst still under restrictions, the death record can only be accessed by the deceased’s immediate family members. Individuals with access to the death record of a deceased include the birth parents, grandparents, spouse, children, grandchildren, and siblings of the deceased. A death certificate can be used for legal claims and contains details about the decadent including the decedent's social security number. The funeral director and anyone with a legal interest in the certificate also have access to these records.
How Much Does a Death Certificate Cost in Kentucky?
Kentucky only offers certified copies of death records. The death certificate costs only $6 for the first copy of the death certificate and each additional record costs an extra $6. These fees are standard across the different channels through which death certificate requests are submitted. It should be noted that these fees are not refundable.
The state provides only three methods of payment for all death certificate requests, including cash, check, and money order. All checks and money orders are to be made payable to the Kentucky State Treasurer and are acceptable for all types of requests. Cash payment is only acceptable for in-person requests. However, this method of request is currently not available due to Covid-19 restrictions.
Delivery charges may also apply, depending on the delivery option used. Be sure to contact the OSV at (502) 564-4212, between 8:00 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. to verify the current fees.
How Long Does It Take to Get a Death Certificate in Kentucky?
The processing time for death records in Kentucky varies, depending on the method through which the request came. Orders received by mail or the OSV dropbox would usually take about 5 to 7 business days to be processed.
For walk-in orders where the request is for 10 or fewer certificates, the order may be processed the same day. However, orders received after 3.30 p.m would be processed the following day. The timeline varies, depending on the available staff and workloads. It may be extended to 5 business days.
On the other hand, mail-in requests will take about 30 business days to be processed.
How Long to Keep Records After Death in Kentucky
Typically a decedent has three types of records that need to be preserved for reference purposes after their demise. These records include their financial, vital, and medical records. These three classes of documents play a role in the settlement of the deceased’s estate and affairs.
Vital records, including birth certificates, death certificates, divorce decrees, marriage certificates, legal wills, and social security cards should all be kept indefinitely. These records are not only crucial in settling the deceased’s wills, but they are also useful for genealogy purposes both now and in the future.
Financial records, which include bank statements, tax returns, share certificates, receipts, and pension certificates are to be preserved till after the settlement of the deceased estate. The state of Kentucky allows a 6-month month window for all creditors of the decedents to file claims. These financial records are to be preserved for at least two years. In extenuating circumstances, where the estate is yet to be settled, the records are to be kept till the final settlement of the estate.
Kentucky medical records are often kept with the physician or medical facility that was responsible for the decedent’s health care. It is the responsibility of the medical facility to preserve these records for a minimum of 5 years after the demise. However, immediate family members or legal representatives can obtain these records.
How to Expunge Death Records in Kentucky
Kentucky death records can not be expunged. Expungement of records is a process that involves the deletion of specific records, making them inaccessible to anyone.
How to Seal Your Death Records in Kentucky?
Death records can not be sealed in Kentucky. However, the state restricts access to death records that are less than 50 years to the immediate family of the decedent or anyone with a legal interest in the certificate. Sealing is the process of restricting access to a record and generally removing it from public view. However, it does not imply the destruction of the records. This restriction only hides the details of the record.
How to Unseal Your Death Records in Kentucky?
The Commonwealth of Kentucky does not unseal death records.
How to Use the Kentucky Death Registry
Members of the public seeking to find death records can check the Kentucky death registry. A death registry like the Kentucky Death Index collates all registered deaths that occurred in Kentucky from 1911 till date. Those seeking data can also send a request via mail or visit the office in person to request a record. The requester would need to provide the full name of the deceased, the name of the county that the deceased lived in as of the time of death, and the date of death. Death notices can be gotten from newspapers. Those who do not know the exact county or state where a death record was filed can check the United States death registry, the National Death Index. Otherwise, they may query the National Center for Vital Statistics.
How to Find an Obituary for a Specific Person in Kentucky.
The best place to find an obituary for a specific person would be newspapers, libraries, or third-party websites online. To find records of an obituary, requesters can also check the online index or archives maintained by the concerned publication. Requestors may also mail or visit in person to request a record of interest.
How to Conduct a Free Obituary Search in Kentucky.
Those seeking free obituary lookups or searches can do so by checking newspapers, libraries, or third-party sites online. The requestor must enter the decedent's name, location and date of death name, location, and date of death into the search of the applicable resources or online vendor. However, persons who request a copy of the document when they order online may be required to cover the cost of duplication.
What is Considered a Death Notice in Kentucky?
Kentucky death notices are published notices in local newspapers created to announce the death of a loved one. They are typically issued by the deceased family members and it contains information about the decedent's surviving family members and information pertaining to the funeral.
What is the Difference Between Death Notices and Obituaries?
The difference between a death notice and an obituary is that death notices are usually brief and summarize information regarding a death, while obituaries are more lengthy and detailed.
