Search Erie County Death Records
Erie County death records are on file at the Erie County Health Department in Sandusky. You can get a certified copy of a death certificate for any death that took place in this county going back to December 1908. The health department offers same-day service with no appointment needed. If you are looking for death records from before 1908, those sit at the Erie County Probate Court in the county courthouse. Erie County makes it easy to search for and get copies of death records, whether you visit in person, call by phone, or send a request by mail.
Erie County Death Records Overview
Erie County Death Certificate Sources
The Erie County Health Department handles all death records for deaths that happened in Erie County from December 20, 1908 to the present. Their office is at the Erie County Community Health Center, 420 Superior Street, Sandusky, Ohio 44870. Call them at 419-626-5623, extension 5122, during business hours. No appointment is needed for walk-in requests. Just fill out a Vital Application before you get there to speed things up.
Each certified copy of an Erie County death certificate costs $25. You can pay with cash, money order, credit card, or certified bank check. Ohio is an open records state, so copies are available to anyone regardless of their relationship to the deceased. The health department staff can usually pull a record and print a certified copy while you wait. This same-day service is one of the reasons many people prefer to visit in person rather than order by mail.
The screenshot below shows the Erie County Health Department page for same-day death record service.
Walk-in visits to the health department are the quickest way to get a certified death certificate in Erie County.
Note: Social security numbers are not included on Erie County death certificates for the first five years after death unless the requestor is an authorized party under Section 3705.23.
Erie County Death Records Before 1908
Death records from before December 20, 1908 are kept at the Erie County Probate Court. The courthouse is at 323 Columbus Avenue, Sandusky, Ohio 44870, on the second floor. You can reach the Probate Court by phone at 419-627-7750. These older records were kept by the county before Ohio started its statewide registration system. The detail and quality of these early records varies since there was no set format at the time.
The Erie County Clerk of Courts FAQ page confirms that birth and death records before December 20, 1908 sit at the Probate Court, while records after that date are at the health department. If you are doing genealogy work in Erie County, checking both places gives you the best chance of finding what you need. The Bureau of Vital Statistics at the health department can be reached at 419-626-5623 for post-1908 records.
The image below shows the Erie County Clerk of Courts FAQ page with information about where to find death records.
This FAQ page helps point people to the right office based on the date range of the records they need.
How to Order Erie County Death Records
There are several ways to get a death certificate from Erie County. The method you pick depends on how fast you need it and where you are located.
Walk in during business hours at 420 Superior Street in Sandusky. No appointment is needed. Fill out the Vital Application before you arrive to save time. Most requests are handled while you wait. You can also call 419-626-5623, extension 5122, and order by phone with a credit card. Mail requests go to the same address. Include a completed application, your payment of $25 per copy by check or money order, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Another option is to order from the state. The Ohio Department of Health at P.O. Box 15098, Columbus, OH 43215-0098 can also issue death records, though they charge $21.50 per copy and only have records from 1954 forward.
The screenshot below shows the Ohio Court Records page for Erie County.
This page provides an overview of Erie County public records resources, including vital statistics and court documents.
Erie County Death Records and Ohio Law
Ohio Revised Code Chapter 3705 sets the rules for death records in every county, including Erie. Under Section 3705.16, every death must be registered with the local registrar. The funeral director files the personal information, and a doctor or coroner certifies the cause of death. This has to be done within a few days. Section 3705.07 tells the local registrar to number, sign, and copy each certificate before sending the original to the state.
Death certificates are public records. Under Section 149.43, anyone can request a copy. You do not need to be a family member. The only real restriction involves the social security number, which stays hidden for five years per Section 3705.23. After that period, the full record is open to everyone. Section 3705.29 makes it a crime to falsify or alter any death certificate in Ohio.
Nearby Counties
Erie County sits along Lake Erie in north-central Ohio. These neighboring counties have their own health departments for death records.
Cities in Erie County
Sandusky is the county seat of Erie County. Death records for all cities in Erie County are handled by the Erie County Health Department at 420 Superior Street in Sandusky.