Find Columbiana County Death Records
Columbiana County death records are available through two offices. The Columbiana County Health District in Lisbon handles most death certificates, while the Salem City Health District covers deaths within Salem city limits. Both offices issue certified copies going back to December 1908. Columbiana County sits in the eastern part of Ohio near the Pennsylvania border. Anyone can request a death certificate here because Ohio is an open records state. The county health district can also pull statewide Ohio death records from 1908 to the present, making it a good one-stop resource.
Columbiana County Death Records Overview
Columbiana County Health District
The Columbiana County Health District is at 7360 State Route 45, Lisbon, OH 44432. Call 330-424-0272 for vital statistics. The fax number is 330-424-1733. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The office is closed on all legal holidays.
This health district can issue death certificates for any person who died in Ohio from 1908 to the present. That is not a typo. Columbiana County has statewide access to Ohio death records, not just local ones. Each certified copy costs $27. As of March 2025, there is also a $1 processing fee per certificate added for mail-in applications and phone orders. Walk-in orders do not get this extra fee.
Genealogy requests are accepted but do not get top priority. Staff handle certificate orders first and fit in research when they can. If you are doing family history work, call ahead to ask about wait times. The office can also help with burial permits, which cost $10 as of September 2025.
Salem City Death Records
The Salem City Health District keeps its own records for deaths within Salem city limits. This office has birth and death records from December 20, 1908 to the present for deaths that occurred in Salem. Certified copies cost $27, the same as the county health district.
The registrar is Terri Hunter, reachable at 330-332-1618 or thunter@cityofsalemohio.org. The deputy registrar is Pat Howard at the same phone number. For deaths in Salem that happened before 1908, contact the Columbiana County Probate Court. For deaths outside Salem but still in Columbiana County, use the county health district in Lisbon.
Columbiana County Death Records Online
The Columbiana County Health District vital statistics page has all the forms, fees, and contact details for ordering death certificates.
This page lists the ordering methods and current fee schedule for Columbiana County death certificates. It also covers burial permits and other services.
The Salem City Health District also has a vital statistics page for deaths that took place within Salem city limits.
Salem maintains its own registrar and handles death certificates separately from the county health district for deaths inside city limits.
How to Get Columbiana Death Certificates
Walk-in service at the Columbiana County Health District in Lisbon is the fastest way. Go to 7360 State Route 45 during business hours. Bring $27 per copy. You can pay with cash, check, money order, or credit card.
Mail orders go to the same address. Include your completed application and $27 per copy plus the $1 processing fee for mail-in requests. Phone orders are also available at 330-424-0272 with a credit card, but the $1 processing fee applies there too. Online ordering through VitalChek costs $27 plus an extra $7 VitalChek fee. That is the most expensive option but also the most convenient if you are not near Lisbon.
For records before 1908, contact the Columbiana County Probate Court. You can also reach the Ohio History Connection at 1-800-686-6124 or the Ohio Department of Health for older statewide records.
Note: Columbiana County added a $1 mail and phone processing fee per certificate starting March 1, 2025, so budget accordingly for non-walk-in orders.
Columbiana County Death Records Law
Death records in Columbiana County fall under the same Ohio laws as every other county. Under Section 3705.23, death certificates are public records. The SSN is hidden for five years after death unless you qualify as an authorized requestor. Under Section 3705.07, the local registrar numbers each certificate, keeps a copy, and sends the original to the state. Falsifying a death record is a criminal offense under Section 3705.29.
Nearby Counties
Columbiana County borders several other Ohio counties and also touches Pennsylvania.
Cities in Columbiana County
Columbiana County includes Lisbon, Salem, East Liverpool, and several smaller communities. None of the cities in Columbiana County have a separate page. Death records for all areas go through the Columbiana County Health District in Lisbon or, for deaths in Salem, through the Salem City Health District.