How Kentucky Death Records Work

Kentucky sells certified death certificates to any applicant — the application has no eligibility list. At $6 it is also one of the cheapest certificates in the country. The state office issues no uncertified copies, but the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives sells photocopies of 1911–1957 certificates.

The state file starts in 1911; earlier deaths route through the Kentucky Historical Society and state archives. Content reviewed July 30, 2026 by the SearchSystems editorial team.

Where to Order

Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics
Official Free
The official record holder — forms, fees, and eligibility straight from the source, without third-party markup.
🌐 chfs.ky.gov
CDC — Where to Write for Vital Records
Official Free
The federal directory of every state's vital records office — the authoritative answer to 'where do I order' for any state and any year.
🌐 www.cdc.gov

Frequently Asked Questions

When do Kentucky death certificates become public?
Kentucky sells certified death certificates to any applicant — the application has no eligibility list.
Can I get a copy if I'm not family?
The state office issues no uncertified copies, but the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives sells photocopies of 1911–1957 certificates.
Can I search Kentucky deaths online for free?
The free Kentucky Death Index covers 1911–2000 online.
What if I just need to confirm a death or find an obituary?
Skip the certificate entirely: newspaper obituaries (many are indexed by library databases), the Social Security death index carried on the big genealogy platforms, and probate case files in the county court that handled the estate all confirm a death without touching the vital records queue.

Related Kentucky Records

The Kentucky vital records page covers the full birth-marriage-death picture; birth certificates follow their own (usually longer) privacy clock; probate lives in Kentucky court records; and people search shows how death records fit a full person lookup. County pages list the local offices that issue copies.