Fairfield County Death Records Search
Fairfield County death records are on file at the Fairfield County Health Department in Lancaster. The vital statistics office keeps death certificates for deaths that occurred in this county from December 1908 to the present day. You can request copies in person, by mail, or through an online application form. The county also works with Point and Pay for online credit card payments. If you need a death record from before 1908, the Fairfield County Probate Court has those older files. Searching for Fairfield County death records is straightforward once you know which office to contact.
Fairfield County Death Records Overview
Fairfield County Death Certificate Requests
The Fairfield County Health Department issues certified copies of death certificates for deaths that took place in Fairfield County. The office is at 1550 Sheridan Drive, Suite 100, Lancaster, OH 43130. Call 740-652-2800 and pick option 2, or reach the vital statistics line at 740-652-2836. You have four ways to get a copy.
- Visit the office in person at 1550 Sheridan Drive, Suite 100
- Submit an online form and pay through Point and Pay
- Print the PDF application and mail it with a check for $32
- Send payment by mail with a check payable to Fairfield County Health Department
Each certified copy costs $32. The office takes cash, checks, money orders, and credit or debit cards. A credit card processing fee of $1.50 or 3%, whichever is more, applies to card payments. Personal checks are accepted as long as your address and phone number are printed on the check. Once your order is ready, you get an email telling you it is done and whether to pick it up or wait for it in the mail.
The image below shows the Fairfield County Health Department vital statistics page.
This page has the application forms and details on how to submit requests for Fairfield County death records.
Historical Death Records in Fairfield County
Fairfield County death records from before December 1908 are held at the Fairfield County Probate Court. You can reach them at 740-652-7485. The county seat is Lancaster, and the Probate Court is in the county courthouse there. These early records go back to 1867, when Ohio first asked counties to start tracking births and deaths. The records from that era are not always complete, but they can still be useful for genealogy and family history work.
The Fairfield County Genealogical Society has published a collection of death records from 1867 to 1890. This resource can help if you are trying to trace family roots in the county. The Ohio History Connection also holds death records from 1908 through 1970, and death certificates from 1908 to 1953 are available on FamilySearch for free.
Below is a screenshot showing historical death records resources for Fairfield County.
Genealogy researchers often start here when looking for Fairfield County death records from the 1800s.
Note: Certified death certificates cannot be emailed from the Fairfield County Health Department, so plan to pick them up in person or receive them by mail.
Fairfield County Death Records Privacy Rules
Fairfield County death records are public records. Anyone can request a copy. But there is one key restriction. For deaths within the last five years, the social security number is taken off the certificate unless you are an authorized party. Under Ohio Revised Code Section 3705.23, authorized requestors include the spouse, descendants, executors, attorneys, funeral directors, and some government and law enforcement officials. You need to provide proof of your status to get a copy with the social security number included.
After five years, the full death certificate with the social security number becomes available to the public. This is true for all 88 Ohio counties. The public records law under Section 149.43 says that government offices must make records available promptly during business hours. If an office refuses your request, they must tell you why and cite the legal reason.
Ohio Death Records Legal Requirements
Under Ohio Revised Code Section 3705.16, every death in the state must be filed with the local registrar. The funeral director collects the personal details. A physician or coroner signs the medical part. Section 3705.17 ties the death certificate to the burial permit process. No burial, cremation, or other disposition can happen until a burial permit is issued by the local registrar. The permit costs $10 and is waived when a government agency covers the burial costs.
Section 3705.24 sets the minimum fee for certified copies at $12. Fairfield County charges $32 per copy, which is on the higher end for Ohio counties. Part of each fee goes to the state office of vital statistics. Section 3705.29 makes it illegal to falsify, alter, or counterfeit any vital record in Ohio.
Nearby Counties
Fairfield County is in south-central Ohio. These neighboring counties handle their own death records through their local health departments.
Cities in Fairfield County
Lancaster is the county seat of Fairfield County. Death certificates for all cities and towns in the county are issued by the Fairfield County Health Department in Lancaster.