How Wisconsin Death Records Work

Wisconsin sells uncertified death copies to any applicant immediately — the restriction rides on the cause of death, which unlocks to everyone only 50 years after the death. Inside that window, cause goes to direct/tangible interest and direct descendants. The $20 uncertified copy is open to anyone; a state form governs who sees cause of death early.

Any county Register of Deeds can issue records statewide for deaths since September 2013; pre-1907 originals live at the Historical Society, not the health department. Content reviewed July 30, 2026 by the SearchSystems editorial team.

Where to Order

Wisconsin State Vital Records Office (DHS)
Official Free
The official record holder — forms, fees, and eligibility straight from the source, without third-party markup.
🌐 dhs.wisconsin.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

How long are Wisconsin death records restricted?
Wisconsin sells uncertified death copies to any applicant immediately — the restriction rides on the cause of death, which unlocks to everyone only 50 years after the death.
What can non-family requesters get?
The $20 uncertified copy is open to anyone; a state form governs who sees cause of death early.
Is there a free Wisconsin death index online?
A free statewide pre-1907 death index (roughly 400,000 records from 1852–1907) is at the Wisconsin Historical Society.
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 Wisconsin Records

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