Search Mansfield Death Records
Mansfield death records are held by Richland Public Health at 555 Lexington Avenue. As the county seat of Richland County, Mansfield is where death certificates get filed for most deaths in the county. You can search for and order copies in person, by mail, or through online services. The office keeps records from 1907 to the present. For older records, the Richland County Probate Court holds death entries from 1867 through 1908. Ohio treats death certificates as public records, so anyone can request a copy with basic facts about the person who died.
Mansfield Death Records Overview
Mansfield Death Certificate Office
Mansfield death certificates come from Richland Public Health. The office sits at 555 Lexington Avenue, Mansfield, OH 44907. Call them at 419-774-4500. They are open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Walk-ins are welcome and no appointment is needed. Most in-person requests take less than ten minutes.
Richland Public Health serves all of Richland County for death records, with one exception. Deaths that took place in the city of Shelby are kept at the Shelby City Health Department at 43 West Main Street, Shelby, OH 44875. Their phone number is 419-347-5131. If the person died in Shelby, you need to contact that office instead. For all other Mansfield and Richland County deaths, the Lexington Avenue office is the right place.
The office accepts cash, checks, money orders, and credit cards. Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express all work. A $1.50 fee applies for credit card use. Make checks payable to Richland Public Health.
How to Get Mansfield Death Records
There are several ways to get a Mansfield death certificate. Each has a different timeline and cost.
In person is the fastest. Go to Richland Public Health at 555 Lexington Avenue during business hours. Bring the full name of the deceased and the date of death. The staff can pull up the record and print a certified copy while you wait. You pay at the window. Having the parents' names or the social security number can help if the name is common. The office recommends calling ahead if you are not sure the death took place in Richland County. Under Ohio Revised Code Section 3705.23, death certificates are public records and anyone can request them.
By mail, send a completed application with your payment to Richland Public Health, 555 Lexington Avenue, Mansfield, OH 44907. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope. Allow one to three days for local mail delivery plus processing time. Mail orders work well if you cannot visit in person.
Online ordering is also an option. You can go through the Ohio Department of Health website or use VitalChek. Both charge extra processing fees on top of the base certificate cost. VitalChek accepts all major credit cards and offers expedited shipping for an added charge.
Note: Richland Public Health can also issue birth certificates for anyone born anywhere in Ohio from 1908 to the present.
Mansfield Death Certificate Fees
A certified copy of a Mansfield death certificate costs $25.00 at Richland Public Health. Burial permits cost $3.00. These fees apply whether you order in person, by phone, or by mail.
If you pay with a credit or debit card, an extra $1.50 processing fee gets added to each transaction. Using cash, check, or money order avoids that charge. The state fee through the Ohio Department of Health is $21.50 per certified copy as of January 2025. Ordering through VitalChek adds a service fee that varies by shipping speed. County fees and state fees are set by different rules, so the amount you pay depends on where you place your order. Section 3705.24 of the Ohio Revised Code sets the minimum fee structure for vital records across the state.
Mansfield Death Records Details
A Mansfield death certificate contains the full name of the person who died, date of birth, date and place of death, cause of death, and the name of the certifying doctor or coroner. It also lists the parents' names, the usual address of the deceased, and the social security number. Under Ohio Revised Code Section 3705.16, the funeral director collects the personal facts and files the certificate with the local registrar. The attending physician or coroner fills in the medical cause of death.
For deaths within the past five years, the social security number gets blacked out on the certificate. This rule comes from state law. Only certain people can get a copy with the full number showing. That list includes a spouse, a direct descendant, the executor of the estate, an attorney, a funeral director, a government investigator, a private investigator, or a veteran's service officer. You need to show proof of your status to get a copy without the redaction.
Older Mansfield Death Records
For Mansfield deaths before 1907, contact the Richland County Probate Court. The court is at 50 Park Avenue East, Second Floor, Mansfield, OH 44902. Call 419-774-5583 or email probatecourt@richlandcountyoh.gov. They hold birth and death records from 1867 through 1908. These older records are ledger entries rather than printed certificates.
The Richland County Records and Archives at 50 Park Avenue East also has some historical vital records. For deaths from 1908 through 1953, the Ohio History Connection holds the state's copies. Their online Death Record Index covers Ohio Department of Health certificates from 1913 to 1944 and 1954 to 1970. This free tool helps with genealogy searches tied to Mansfield and the rest of Richland County.
The Ohio Department of Health at 4200 Surface Road in Columbus keeps death records from 1964 to the present. You can order from the state office if you cannot reach the local one. The state office number is 614-466-2531.
Mansfield Death Records Resources
The Richland Public Health page shown below is the starting point for Mansfield death certificate requests.
This site has application forms, fee details, and contact info for the Vital Statistics Division that serves Mansfield.
You can also order Mansfield death certificates through the VitalChek portal shown here, which partners with Richland Public Health for online processing.
VitalChek adds a service fee but offers credit card payment and expedited shipping for Mansfield death records.
Ohio Law and Mansfield Death Records
Ohio is an open records state. Under Ohio Revised Code Section 149.43, death certificates are public records. You do not need to be a family member to request one. You do not need to give a reason. The records office must make the document available during regular business hours.
Section 3705.07 requires local registrars to number each death certificate, sign it, keep a local copy, and send the original to the state. This is how Mansfield death records end up in both the local and state systems. Section 3705.29 makes it a crime to file a false death certificate or to alter one after filing. These rules protect the accuracy of all Mansfield death records.
Richland County Death Records
Mansfield is the county seat of Richland County. All Mansfield death certificates are filed through the Richland County vital records system. For full details on the county office, fees, and forms, visit the Richland County page.
Nearby Ohio Cities
Other Ohio cities near Mansfield where you can search for death records.