Access Franklin County Death Records
Franklin County death records are available through several offices in the Columbus area. As the most populated county in Ohio, Franklin County processes a high volume of death certificate requests each year. You can get copies from the Franklin County Bureau of Vital Records, Columbus Public Health, or the Ohio Department of Health. For deaths before 1909, the Franklin County Probate Court keeps those older files. Searching for death records in Franklin County is made easier by online ordering through VitalChek, which the county works with for expedited processing.
Franklin County Death Records Overview
Where to Get Franklin County Death Records
The Franklin County Bureau of Vital Records is the main source for death certificates in Franklin County. Their office is at 240 Parsons Avenue, Columbus, OH 43215-5331. You can call 877-648-0605 for ordering help. The bureau works through VitalChek for online and phone orders. Fees vary depending on whether you use the county office directly or go through VitalChek, which adds a processing charge on top of the base cost.
Columbus Public Health also has a vital statistics office that can issue death certificates for deaths that happened in Franklin County. The Ohio Department of Health is another option. Their Bureau of Vital Statistics is at 4200 Surface Road, Columbus, OH 43228, and their phone line is 614-466-2531. The state office charges $21.50 per certified copy as of January 2025 and holds records from 1954 to the present.
The screenshot below shows the VitalChek portal for ordering Franklin County death records.
VitalChek lets you order from home and pay by credit card, which many people find easier than visiting an office in person.
How to Order Franklin County Death Certificates
There are several ways to get a death certificate from Franklin County. Each method has its own speed and cost.
Online orders go through VitalChek, which provides expedited processing. You need the full name of the person who died, the date of death, and the county where it happened. VitalChek accepts major credit cards and can ship by regular mail or express delivery. The Ohio Department of Health ordering page also lets you request death records by mail. Send your application to the state office at 4200 Surface Road, Columbus, OH 43228 with a check or money order for $21.50 per copy.
For in-person service, visit the Franklin County Bureau of Vital Records at 240 Parsons Avenue in Columbus. Walk-in requests are usually handled the same day. If the death happened in Franklin County, this office can pull the record from their files while you wait. For deaths outside Franklin County but within Ohio, contact the Ohio Department of Health instead. Death records are always filed in the county where the death took place.
The image below shows another resource for accessing Franklin County vital records.
This site gives an overview of how to order vital records from Franklin County and Columbus offices.
Note: Franklin County death certificates are only issued for deaths that occurred within the county, not for residents who died elsewhere in Ohio.
Franklin County Probate Court Death Records
The Franklin County Probate Court holds death records from 1867 through December 20, 1908. Their office is at 373 South High Street, 22nd Floor, Columbus, Ohio 43215-6311. You can call 614-525-3899 or email probate@franklincountyohio.gov with questions. Certified copies from the Probate Court cost $1 per page. Regular copies are just $0.10 per page. Digital copies on CD cost $1 per disc. A 3% service charge applies to credit and debit card payments.
These pre-1908 records are from the era when each county ran its own death registration system. The records may be less detailed than modern death certificates, but they still list the name, date of death, and sometimes the cause and parents' names. The Probate Court is also where you go for estate records, guardianships, and marriage licenses in Franklin County.
Franklin County Death Records and Ohio Law
Ohio Revised Code Chapter 3705 controls how death records are handled across the state. Section 3705.16 says every death must be registered with the local registrar. In Franklin County, this means the vital statistics office processes and files each death certificate. Under Section 149.43, death certificates are public records open to anyone. You do not need to be related to the deceased or give a reason for your request.
The social security number is redacted for five years after death per Section 3705.23. Authorized requestors like the spouse, descendants, executors, and certain officials can get the full record sooner. Section 3705.24 sets the minimum fee at $12 per certified copy, though actual costs are higher at every level. Section 3705.29 makes falsifying any vital record a criminal offense in Ohio.
Nearby Counties
Franklin County is in central Ohio. These counties border Franklin and each has its own health department for death records.
Cities in Franklin County
Columbus is the county seat of Franklin County and the state capital. Several qualifying cities fall within or overlap Franklin County borders.