Plainfield Death Index Search

Plainfield death index records are managed by the Hendricks County Health Department. Plainfield is a growing town in Hendricks County just west of Indianapolis with a population over 35,000. All death certificates for people who died in Plainfield go through the county health department. There is no city vital records office in Plainfield. The Hendricks County office is in Danville, the county seat, not in Plainfield itself. This guide explains how to search the Plainfield death index and request certified copies of death certificates through the county.

Plainfield Death Records Office

The Hendricks County Health Department handles all death records for Plainfield and the rest of Hendricks County. Their office is at 55 S. Main St., Danville, IN 46122. Call (317) 745-9618 with questions. One thing to keep in mind is that the health department is in Danville, not Plainfield. Danville is about a 15-minute drive west of Plainfield. You will need to make the trip to Danville if you want walk-in service.

Walk-in service is the fastest way to get a Plainfield death certificate. Bring a valid photo ID and the name and date of death of the person you need a record for. The staff will search the Hendricks County death index for a match. If the record is on file, you can get a certified copy the same day. The office handles records for the entire county, so deaths in Plainfield, Brownsburg, Avon, Danville, and other Hendricks County communities are all in their system.

The screenshot above shows the Hendricks County Health Department page with contact information and details about the office.

Getting Plainfield Death Certificates

You can get a death certificate for someone who died in Plainfield in a few different ways. Walking into the Hendricks County Health Department in Danville is the quickest. Show up during business hours with your ID and the details of the deceased. Staff will search the index and issue a certified copy on the spot if the record exists. For Plainfield residents, the drive to Danville is short and the office tends to have lower wait times than the busier metro area offices.

Mail orders are also accepted. Write a letter with the full name of the deceased, date of death, your name, your address, your relationship, and a copy of your photo ID. Include a check or money order for the correct fee. Mail it to the Hendricks County Health Department at 55 S. Main St., Danville, IN 46122. Allow a couple of weeks for processing. Mail is handled in the order it comes in.

Online and phone orders go through VitalChek. VitalChek adds a service fee on top of the base certificate cost. Call (866) 601-0891 at any hour for phone orders. This is a solid option when the county office is closed.

Plainfield Death Index Search Fees

Under IC 16-37-1-11, search fees in Indiana are not refundable. You pay for the search whether or not a record is found. If the search turns up a match, one certified copy comes with the fee. If nothing is found, you still pay. This is state law that applies in Plainfield and across Indiana.

Hendricks County death records go back to 1882. The state only keeps records from 1900 forward. For deaths between 1882 and 1899 in Plainfield, the county office is the only source. That is a long stretch of data that can be especially useful for older requests.

Eligibility for Plainfield Death Records

Under IC 16-37-1-10, Indiana limits who can receive a certified death certificate. You must have a direct relationship to the person named on the record. The Hendricks County office verifies your identity and connection before releasing any certified copy.

Eligible requesters include parents, grandparents, siblings who are 18 or older, adult children and grandchildren, the current spouse, aunts, uncles, attorneys, and court-appointed guardians. Bring one primary photo ID such as a driver's license, passport, or state ID. You also need two secondary documents. A signed Social Security card, voter registration card, or current vehicle registration all count as secondary ID.

Note: If you are not on the approved list, the office cannot release a certified copy to you.

Genealogy and Plainfield Death Records

Hendricks County death records go back to 1882, which gives genealogy researchers over 140 years of data covering Plainfield and the surrounding communities. Older death certificates can include the deceased person's birthplace, parents' names, and occupation. These details help connect the dots across generations. The Hendricks County Genealogical Society also has a collection of death records that may be useful for family research. Their site lists available indexes and how to access them.

The screenshot above shows the Hendricks County Genealogical Society death records page where you can find additional indexes and research tools.

For genealogy requests through the county health department, the person on the record must have been dead for at least 75 years. You need proof of death. The Indiana State Library at 315 W. Ohio Street in Indianapolis has over 40,000 genealogy items covering all 92 counties. Call 317-232-3689 for help. Indiana's electronic death registration system under IC 16-37-1-3.1 has made recent records easier to locate.

State Death Index for Plainfield

The Indiana Department of Health keeps Plainfield death records from 1900 forward. The state fee is $8.00 per search with $4.00 for extra copies. The state order page has forms and instructions. State Form 49606 is the mail-in application. Send it to IDOH, P.O. Box 7125, Indianapolis, IN 46206-7125. Call (317) 233-2700 for state-level questions.

Under Indiana's public records act (IC 5-14-3), the public has broad access to government records. Death certificates still have eligibility limits, but the law supports access when you qualify. For more on Hendricks County, visit the Hendricks County death index page.

Nearby Cities

Other cities near Plainfield have their death records handled by their own county health departments. If you need a record from a nearby area, check the links below.