Indiana Death Index
The Indiana death index covers records from all 92 counties in the state. Each county health department keeps death records for its area. The Indiana Department of Health holds statewide death index records from 1900 to the present. County offices often go back to 1882. You can search for death certificates online, by mail, by phone, or in person at a local health office. This page shows you how to search the Indiana death index, what ID and forms you need, and which office to contact in your county to get copies of death records.
Indiana Death Index Quick Facts
Indiana Death Index Records
The Indiana Department of Health Division of Vital Records runs the state death index. This office keeps death certificates for all deaths that took place in Indiana from 1900 to the present. They are the central hub for death records in the state. You can call them at (317) 233-2700 or write to P.O. Box 7125, Indianapolis, IN 46206-7125. Office hours run Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The state office does not take walk-in requests. For in-person help, you need to visit the local health department in the county where the death took place.
The IDOH death information page explains the full process for getting a copy of a death record from the Indiana death index.
A key rule to know is that search fees are not refundable. Under IC 16-37-1-11, the $8.00 fee pays for the search, not the copy. If the state finds the record, one certified copy is included. If no record turns up, you still pay the fee. Extra copies in the same order cost $4.00 each. County health departments set their own death certificate fees. Most charge $15 to $20 per copy. Some counties like Delaware County charge $20, while Adams, Allen, and Hamilton counties charge $15.
Indiana does not issue death certificates for deaths that happened in other states. You must contact the vital records office in the state where the death took place.
How to Order Indiana Death Certificates
You have three main ways to get a death certificate in Indiana. Each has its own cost and speed. The IDOH order page walks you through all options step by step.
Online orders go through VitalChek Network, Inc., which is the only vendor the state has approved for online death certificate orders. VitalChek adds its own service fee on top of the $8.00 state fee. You can also order by phone through VitalChek at (866) 601-0891. This line is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Phone orders are a good choice when you need a death record fast and cannot visit an office in person.
Mail orders use State Form 49606. This is the Application for Search of Certified or Non-Certified Copy of a Death Record. Print the form, fill it out, and send it with a check or money order for $8.00 made payable to Indiana Department of Health. Mail it to P.O. Box 7125, Indianapolis, IN 46206-7125. Allow two weeks for the office to get your order. Once received, processing takes 10 to 15 business days. This is the slowest option, but it works for anyone who wants to avoid extra fees from VitalChek.
For faster service, the state recommends going to the local health department where the death took place. Many county health offices can issue a death certificate the same day if you walk in during business hours. You will need valid ID and the right payment method, which varies by county.
Indiana Death Index Eligibility
Not just anyone can get a certified death certificate in Indiana. State law limits who has the right to request one. Under IC 16-37-1-10, the state registrar can only share vital records data with people who meet the eligibility rules. This keeps death records from being misused while still letting family members and others with a real need get the copies they require.
People who can get a certified death certificate from the Indiana death index include the following:
- A parent listed on the record
- A grandparent with proof of the family link
- A sibling who is 18 or older
- A child or grandchild who is 18 or older
- The current spouse with proof of marriage
- An aunt or uncle with proof of the relationship
- A court-appointed legal guardian or an attorney
You must bring valid photo ID when you request a death record in Indiana. The state accepts a driver's license, state ID, US military ID, passport, or veterans ID as primary identification. You also need two secondary documents. These can be a signed Social Security card, a voter registration card, a current vehicle registration, or a military discharge form (DD-214). All secondary items must be current.
The Indiana local health department map helps you find the right county office to visit in person.
Note: Expired or temporary IDs are not accepted at any Indiana vital records office.
Indiana Death Index and Genealogy
The Indiana death index is a key resource for family history work. County health departments have death records going all the way back to 1882. The state office has records from 1900 forward. These old records help researchers trace their family lines and put together family trees that span over a hundred years. For genealogy requests, the person on the record must have been dead for at least 75 years and you need proof they are deceased. This rule comes from state law and applies at both the state and county level.
The Indiana State Library Genealogy Collection in Indianapolis is one of the best places in the Midwest to research family history, including death records.
This collection holds more than 40,000 print items. That includes family histories, record indexes, cemetery transcriptions, and military pension files. The library sits at 315 W. Ohio Street, Indianapolis, IN 46225. Call the reference desk at 317-232-3689. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The library offers free Second Saturday One-on-One Family History Consultations. DAR volunteers also help with lineage research on Wednesday afternoons and the second Saturday of each month.
County Death Records in Indiana
All 92 Indiana counties have a health department that acts as the local registrar. Each one records deaths in its area and can issue certified copies. Many can also pull death records from other Indiana counties now, though some still handle only local records. The county office is often the fastest way to get a death certificate since many offer same-day walk-in service. Fees, hours, and payment methods differ from one county to the next.
Under IC 16-37-1-3.1, Indiana uses an electronic death registration system called IDRS. Funeral directors and physicians file death records through this system. This makes new records available faster than the old paper process. If you need to contact the state office for help finding a record, call (317) 233-2700.
The Indiana Department of Health vital records portal is the main state website for all death record requests. Indiana's Access to Public Records Act, IC 5-14-3, gives the public a right to inspect government records. Death certificates do have eligibility limits, but the law ensures that people with a valid need can get the records they are looking for through their county health department or the state office.
Browse Indiana Death Index by County
Each of Indiana's 92 counties has its own health department that keeps death records. Pick a county below to find contact info, fees, and local resources for death index records in that area.
Indiana Cities Death Records
Residents of major Indiana cities get death certificates from the county health department that serves their area. Some cities like Fishers and Gary have their own city health departments. Pick a city to find where to get death records.