Montgomery County Death Index

Montgomery County death index records are managed by the county health department in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Death certificates on file here date back to 1882, covering more than 140 years of vital records for this west-central Indiana county. The health department serves as the local registrar and is the first place to check if you need a certified copy of a death record for someone who passed away in Montgomery County. Requests can be made in person, by phone, or through the mail.

Montgomery County Death Records Office

The Montgomery County Health Department is at 100 E. Main St., Crawfordsville, IN 47933. Call the office at (765) 364-0510 for questions about death records or to start a request by phone. Crawfordsville sits between Indianapolis and Terre Haute along Interstate 74, making the office accessible from several directions. Walk-in service is the fastest way to get a certified copy of a death record from Montgomery County.

When you visit, bring valid photo ID and the name and date of death for the person you are searching for. The staff will look through the Montgomery County death index to find the record. If it is on file, they can issue a certified copy while you wait. The process is straightforward at most county health departments in Indiana, and Montgomery County is no different. Smaller offices like this one tend to have shorter wait times than the busier counties near Indianapolis.

Death Index Search Process

Montgomery County keeps death records from 1882 to the present. For deaths between 1882 and 1899, the county health department is the only source. Indiana did not start its own death registration until 1900. So if you need a record from that early period, the Crawfordsville office is where you have to go. There is no state-level backup for pre-1900 records.

The search fee is part of the cost of the certified copy. Under IC 16-37-1-11, search fees in Indiana are not refundable. If the office runs a search and finds nothing, you still pay. This applies at every county in the state. One certified copy is included with the search when a record is found.

Montgomery County can only issue death certificates for deaths that happened inside the county borders. If the person died elsewhere, you need to contact that county instead.

Montgomery County Death Certificate Eligibility

State law controls who can get a certified death certificate in Indiana. Under IC 16-37-1-10, only people with a direct tie to the deceased can request a copy. The Montgomery County Health Department applies the same list as every other county office in the state. You need to prove your relationship before the staff will hand over a certified record.

Qualified requesters include the surviving spouse, parents on the record, siblings age 18 and up, adult children and grandchildren, grandparents, aunts, and uncles. Attorneys and court-appointed guardians can also make requests. Government agencies at the state and federal level qualify too. You must show a primary photo ID like a driver's license or passport. Two secondary documents are needed as well. Social Security cards, voter registration, and current vehicle registration all work as secondary proof.

Ordering Montgomery County Death Records by Mail

Mail requests are an option if you cannot visit Crawfordsville in person. Write a letter that includes the full name of the person who died, the date of death or a range of years, your name and address, your relationship to the deceased, and a copy of your photo ID. Enclose payment by check or money order. Send the request to the Montgomery County Health Department at 100 E. Main St., Crawfordsville, IN 47933.

Give the office a reasonable amount of time to process your request. Call ahead at (765) 364-0510 to check on turnaround times if you are in a hurry. You also have the option of going through the Indiana Department of Health instead. The state charges $8.00 per search. Online orders go through VitalChek, and phone orders can be placed at (866) 601-0891.

State Resources for Montgomery County

The Indiana Department of Health keeps Montgomery County death records from 1900 forward in their central files. The death information page covers what you need to submit a request at the state level. Mail orders use State Form 49606 and go to P.O. Box 7125, Indianapolis, IN 46206-7125. Allow two weeks for delivery and then 10 to 15 business days for processing.

The map above shows how Indiana organizes its local health departments by county. You can use this tool to find the right office for any county in the state. It is helpful when you are not sure which county to contact about a death record.

The LHD map page has contact details for all 92 counties. Indiana's Access to Public Records Act under IC 5-14-3 supports open access to government records. Death certificates still have eligibility rules, but the law ensures qualified people can get what they need.

Genealogy in Montgomery County

Family history researchers will find the Montgomery County death index useful for tracing lines through west-central Indiana. Records go back to 1882, giving you access to deaths from before the state started keeping its own files. Early death certificates may list birthplace, parents' names, occupation, and cause of death. These details are gold for genealogists.

For genealogy requests, the person must have been dead at least 75 years. Proof of death is also required. The Indiana State Library holds a large genealogy collection that includes death indexes, cemetery records, and family histories for Indiana counties. Their reference desk is at 317-232-3689. Indiana's electronic death registration system under IC 16-37-1-3.1 speeds up how fast newer records enter the system. Older records are kept in paper form at the county office in Crawfordsville.

Nearby Counties

Death records are filed in the county where the death took place. If you are not sure the death happened in Montgomery County, check these neighboring counties.