How Missouri Death Records Work

Missouri closes death certificates for 50 years, then transfers them to the State Archives — where the payoff is one of the best free databases in the country: certificate images from 1910 forward, rolling one year ahead every January. No informational option inside the window; eligibility follows state statute with a notarized mail application.

Local public health agencies across the state issue certificates same-day; statewide filing began in 1910. Content reviewed July 30, 2026 by the SearchSystems editorial team.

Where to Order

Missouri Bureau of Vital Records (DHSS)
Official Free
The official custodian. Application forms, current fees, eligibility rules, and processing times — order direct and skip the third-party markup.
🌐 health.mo.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
Missouri Death Certificates Database
Official Free
The Missouri Death Certificates database (1910–1975 and growing) is free with full images on the Secretary of State's site.
🌐 sos.mo.gov

Frequently Asked Questions

When do Missouri death certificates become public?
Missouri closes death certificates for 50 years, then transfers them to the State Archives — where the payoff is one of the best free databases in the country: certificate images from 1910 forward, rolling one year ahead every January..
Can I get a copy if I'm not family?
No informational option inside the window; eligibility follows state statute with a notarized mail application.
Can I search Missouri deaths online for free?
The Missouri Death Certificates database (1910–1975 and growing) is free with full images on the Secretary of State's site.
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 restricted certificate.

Related Missouri Records

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