Decatur County Death Index

Decatur County death index records are housed at the health department in Greensburg, Indiana. The county seat has been the home of these records since 1882, covering over 140 years of death certificates for this part of southeastern Indiana. Whether you need a certified copy of a death record for settling an estate, filing an insurance claim, or doing family history research, the Decatur County Health Department is the office to contact first. Walk-in visits, phone calls, and mail requests are all ways to search the Decatur County death index.

Decatur County Death Records Office

The Decatur County Health Department sits at 411 W. Main St., Greensburg, IN 47240. This is where all death index requests for the county are handled. Phone the office at (812) 663-9385 during regular business hours. Walking in is the fastest way to get a certified death certificate from Decatur County. The staff can search the death index and have a copy ready for you the same day, as long as you bring the right paperwork and payment. You need valid photo ID and the name and approximate date of death for the person you are looking up.

Decatur County has kept death records since 1882. The state of Indiana did not begin its own death index until 1900. That means for deaths in Decatur County from 1882 through 1899, the Greensburg office is the only place to get a record. These pre-1900 records are unique to the county and cannot be found anywhere else. Most people who live near Greensburg find it simpler to go to the county office than to order through the state, especially when they need the record quickly.

Who Can Request Decatur County Death Records

Indiana law restricts who can get a certified death certificate. Under IC 16-37-1-10, the state registrar and all county health departments can only release death records to people who have a qualifying link to the person named on the record. The Decatur County Health Department follows these rules strictly. No one can walk in and request any record they want.

People who qualify include a parent listed on the death record, a spouse with proof of marriage, a sibling age 18 or older, or a child or grandchild who is at least 18 years old. Grandparents, aunts, and uncles can also request copies with proof of the family relationship. Court-appointed legal guardians and attorneys representing eligible parties are allowed as well. You must present photo ID at the Decatur County office. Accepted forms include a driver's license, state-issued ID card, US passport, or military ID. Two secondary documents are required too.

How to Search Decatur County Death Index

The easiest way to search is to call the Decatur County Health Department at (812) 663-9385. Give the staff the name and date of death. They will check the death index and tell you what they find. You can also walk in at 411 W. Main St. in Greensburg during office hours. Bring your ID and any information you have about the death.

State-level searches are another option. The Indiana Department of Health keeps Decatur County death records from 1900 forward in their central files. The state fee is $8.00 per search. Under IC 16-37-1-11, this fee is not refundable even if the record is not found. One certified copy is included when the search turns up a match. Extra copies cost $4.00 each.

Online orders go through VitalChek, which adds its own processing fee. You can also call VitalChek at (866) 601-0891 at any hour. Mail orders to the state use Form 49606 and should be sent with an $8.00 check to P.O. Box 7125, Indianapolis, IN 46206-7125. Allow two to three weeks for mail orders to be processed.

Decatur County Death Certificate Costs

Death certificate fees in Decatur County are set by the local health department. Most Indiana counties charge between $15 and $20 per certified copy. The fee covers both the search of the death index and one certified copy. If no record is found, the search fee is still charged. Call (812) 663-9385 before your visit to confirm the current rate and which payment methods the office accepts. Some counties take cash and checks only, while others also accept debit or credit cards.

The state charges $8.00 per search, which is less than most county fees. But the state office does not take walk-in requests. It can take two to three weeks or more to get a death certificate by mail through the state. The Decatur County office in Greensburg is faster for anyone who can visit in person.

Genealogy and the Decatur County Death Index

Family history researchers use the Decatur County death index to trace family lines through southeastern Indiana. Records start in 1882. That gives genealogists access to deaths from the late 1800s that cannot be found at the state level. Deaths before 1900 exist only at the county office. For researchers who need to verify a death date, confirm a family connection, or fill a gap in a family tree, these early records are often the missing piece.

The person on the death record must have been dead for at least 75 years for genealogy access. You also need proof of death. This rule applies at every Indiana county office and at the state level too. The Indiana State Library in Indianapolis has a large genealogy collection. It includes death record indexes, cemetery transcriptions, and published family histories. Call the reference desk at 317-232-3689. Free consultations with genealogy volunteers are offered on the second Saturday of each month.

State Resources for Decatur County Death Records

The Indiana Department of Health death information page has full details on getting death records from the state.

You can find the Decatur County Health Department and every other county office on the local health department map. The state holds Decatur County death records from 1900 to the present. For deaths before 1900, the county office in Greensburg is the only source.

The IDOH order page gives step-by-step guidance on how to request death records by mail, phone, or online. Indiana's electronic death registration system, established under IC 16-37-1-3.1, makes new records available faster than the old paper method. The Access to Public Records Act, IC 5-14-3, gives the public a right to inspect government records, with death certificates subject to the eligibility limits described above.

Nearby Counties

Indiana issues death certificates from the county where the death took place. If you are not sure where the death happened, check these counties that border Decatur County.