Death Certificates
Locations: 4115 E. Foothills Drive 1415 Melody Lane, Bldg. A
Sierra Vista, AZ 85635 Bisbee, AZ 85603
Phone: 520-803-3925 Phone: 520-432-9400
Email: vitalrecords@cochise.az.gov
Office Hours: Sierra Vista- Monday – Friday from 8:00am – 12:00pm & 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Bisbee- Monday - Thursday from 9:00am - 12:00pm & 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Certificates We Provide - The Cochise County Health Department's Office of Vital Records in Sierra Vista and Bisbee provide certified copies of death certificates from 2008 to the present. Certificates for deaths occurring before that date are provided by the Arizona Department of Health Services, Office of Vital Records.
How To Apply - Certified copies of death certificates can be requested by visiting one of our offices, or by sending a request with all required documentation and payment via mail. We do not accept requests via fax or email.
Fees & Payment - The charge is $15.00 per certified copy, payable by money order, cash, credit card or debit card. We accept the following credit/debit cards. There is a minimum convienence fee of $2.50 for each transaction. We do not accept Visa credit/debit cards at this time.
We do not accept online orders; however, for your convenience, you can process online requests through an independent company that we have partnered with to provide you this service; VitalChek Network, Inc. VitalChek can be reached either through its website, www.vitalchek.com, or by phone at 1-877-803-0609. An additional fee is charged by VitalChek for using this service, and all major credit cards are accepted, including American Express®, Discover®, MasterCard® or Visa®.
Have an emergency? Need a family member's death certificate fast?
Click on the icon above to visit the VitalChek Network, Inc. website and see if they can help.
What To Bring With You or Send In With Your Request - The documentation needed to obtain a certified copy of a death certificate is:
- Application Request Form – click here to download the form or it is also available at our local office.
- A government issued picture ID of the person requesting the certificate, i.e. a valid driver's license, state ID etc. with a signature.
- Documentation showing the requestor's relationship to the decedent.
Who may order and obtain a certified copy of a death certificate? **Only persons 18 years of age or older may obtain a certified copy of a death certificate.**
Note: An applicant presenting documents from a foreign country as proof of relationship or proof of legal interest must provide certified copies of the documents. Photocopies are not acceptable. The applicant must also provide a certified translation of the documents.
Arizona is a "closed record" state. That means that vital records are not public record. Arizona law restricts the public's access to vital records to protect the confidentiality rights of our citizens. Arizona Administrative Code R9-19-405 specifies that only the following persons may receive a certified copy of a death certificate:
- Spouse or Immediate Family Members
- Attorneys Representing Estates
- Attorneys Representing Family Members
- Attorneys Representing Persons with a Legal Interest
- Non-Attorney Legal Interest/Other Vital Interest
- Third Party
- Private Investigators
- Requests for Fetal Death Certificates
- Genealogical
Click here to get a detailed description of each eligibility category listed above.
To get more information from the Arizona Department of Health Service's Office of Vital Records please visit http://www.azdhs.gov/vitalrcd/death_index.htm, reach them by phone at (888) 816-5907 or (602) 364-1300, or by mail at Arizona Department of Health Services, Office of Vital Records, 1818 West Adams, Phoenix, AZ 85007.