Indiana Death Records: How to Perform an Indiana Death Records Search

Whenever a death is recorded in Indiana, it becomes the state's prerogative to document it with its Department of Health's Vital Records Division. 

The death is registered with the local registrar, but only after the biodata of the deceased person and the cause of their death has been established.

The data contained in these death records is crucial to the work of professionals in the health sector. 

Also, the death record is often provided as proof of relationship with the decedent in cases where a property or benefit is on the line. These are just a few cases where the need to find a person's death record may arise. 

If you find yourself in this kind of situation, this article should help you out. 

Indiana Death Records Explained

A death record is an official document that contains accurate information about the deceased person and the conditions of their death. 

Its chief contents include the subject's identifying data and the certification of the cause of death by medical personnel. 

It also bears the signature or seal of approval of the local registrar, thereby making it fit for use in legal provisions.

These death records are issued along with a birth certificate. They can be used for official purposes, such as in a court of law when certified. 

While they are primarily deposited in the custody of the Indiana State Department of Health, they can similarly be obtained from the local health department in the county of death. 

What Can I Find In An Indiana Death Record

Indiana death records contain a variety of informational data that is provided by the deceased's relative, their physician, the medical examiner/certifier, the funeral director, and the local registrar. They include:

* The name, gender, and race of the decedent
* Their place and date of death
* Their occupation, age, and residence at the time of death
* The cause of death or medical certification
* The decedent's parent's name or that of their siblings, their spouse, children, etc. 
* The name of the funeral home/director, registrar certifies that signs the document

How Are Indiana Death Records Created?

The Indiana Death Registration System (IDR), with use guidelines as specified by Indiana Code 16-37-1-3.1, is the platform used to register all deaths recorded in the state. 

It starts with the funeral director recording the decedent's key personal information in the system. The information is subsequently transmitted electronically to the attending physician or coroner, whose job is to certify the cause of death.

The next step is to file the document with the local health department in the county where the death was reported. 

Similarly, the document is transferred to the Indiana State Department of Health in the form of a report, subject to its final registration process. 

Where Can I Find Death Records in Indiana?

Local Health Departments 

The Local Health Departments are spread statewide across each county and the Indiana State Department of Health Vital Records Division (ISDH) is the official death record custodian in Indiana. 

While the ISDH does not allow for in-person applications, you may apply online or through mail delivered to their office.

Mailed requests proceed through an Application for Search of Certified or Non-Certified Copy of Death Record Form. 

The application is to be forwarded together with a valid government-issued ID and a check or money order to the address:

Indiana State Department of Health,
Vital Records Division,
2 North Meridan Street,
Indianapolis, IN 46204

The ISDH charges $8 for a two-year period search that also covers the death certificate and a $4 charge for additional search requests. 

You can also reach out to the above address using the toll-free number (866) 601-0891 and then make your request after properly identifying yourself.

Alternatively, you can order the death record of interest to you from the Local Health Department in the county where the death took place. 

There, you'll be asked to fill out an application form and pay the necessary charges while also providing an identification card. The service charge may vary across different counties, but the application process almost always follows similar routes. 

Third-Party Websites

Third-party websites have the distinction of being easily accessible and much more convenient to use in finding death records. 

Although Indiana's Vital Records Division may take online orders or partner with online vendors, these third-party websites can help you find unsealed death records.

You'd mostly only need to register with the platform and pay the service/subscription fees. 

And when you need to find a person's death record, you only have to provide their name and address in the text fields provided at the search portal. 

On hitting the "search" bar, the system searches its database for matching subject names and returns the results briefly. 

You can now settle for the result that best matches your expectations and view the relevant information contained in it.