Ross County Death Records
Ross County death records can be searched through the local health district in Chillicothe. The county has kept death certificates since 1907, with some records going back to 1888. If you need a certified copy for a death that took place in Ross County, the health district office on East Second Street handles all requests. You can walk in, call, or use the online ordering portal. Older records from 1867 through 1908 sit at the Ross County Probate Court. Anyone can request a death certificate in Ohio since these are public records under state law.
Ross County Death Records Overview
Ross County Health District Death Records
The Ross County Health District is where you go for death certificates in Ross County. The office is at 150 East Second Street in Chillicothe, Ohio 45601. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The registration district number is 7100. You can reach them by phone at 740-779-9630 or by fax at 740-779-0744. Email requests go to vitals@rosscountyhealth.org.
Ross County death records go back to 1907. A few records date to 1888. That is earlier than most Ohio counties, which start at December 1908. Each certified copy costs $30.00. The health district takes cash, credit cards, and money orders. They stopped taking personal checks for birth and death certificates on January 1, 2020. If you live outside Ross County and want to order by mail, paying by phone with a credit card gets you the fastest service.
Genealogists are welcome at the Ross County Health District. The office has a research room where you can look through birth and death records in person. Staff will help you search if you give them a name and approximate date. For death records in Ross County that date before 1926, you should contact the Ross County Records and Archives Center at 740-774-1179 ext. 113, since some of those older files have been moved there.
How to Get Ross County Death Certificates
You have four ways to request a death certificate in Ross County. Walk in during business hours. Order online. Send a mail request. Or call and pay by phone with a credit card. The fee is $30.00 per certified copy no matter which method you pick.
The online ordering system for Ross County death records runs through a portal at rossoh.permitium.com. You fill out the form, pay with a credit or debit card, and the office mails the certificate to you. This is handy if you live far from Chillicothe. Mail requests get processed in one to two business days. Include the full name of the person who died, the date of death, and your return address. Make checks or money orders payable to the Ross County Health District.
The screenshot below shows the Ross County online ordering portal where you can request death certificates from home.
This portal lets you place orders any time and pay with a credit card. Processing takes one to two business days after the order comes in.
Under Ohio Revised Code Section 149.43, death certificates are public records. You do not need to be a family member. You do not need a reason. Anyone can get a copy with basic facts about the deceased person.
Note: Ross County does not accept personal checks for death certificates as of January 2020, so bring cash, a money order, or a credit card.
Historical Death Records in Ross County
The Ross County Probate Court holds death records from 1867 to 1908. The court is at 2 North Paint Street, Suite A, Chillicothe, Ohio 45601. You can call them at 740-774-1179 or fax at 740-774-3711. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM. They have an index to death records covering that whole 1867 to 1908 period.
For death records from 1908 through 1970, the Ohio History Connection in Columbus keeps the state's archival copies. Their online death record index is free to search. Records from 1954 to the present are at the Ohio Department of Health. The state fee is $21.50 per certified copy plus a $5.00 modernization surcharge. You can also check FamilySearch for free access to Ohio death certificates from 1908 through 1953.
Ross County Death Record Fees and Laws
A certified copy of a death certificate costs $30.00 in Ross County. Burial permits cost $3.00 each. These fees apply whether you visit in person, order by mail, or use the online portal. The state charges $21.50 if you order through the Ohio Department of Health instead, plus the $5.00 surcharge under Ohio Revised Code Section 3705.24.
Ohio Revised Code Chapter 3705 governs how death records work across the state. Section 3705.16 says every death in Ohio must be registered with the local registrar. The funeral director files the certificate and collects details from the family. A doctor or coroner handles the medical part. Section 3705.07 requires the registrar to number each certificate, sign it, keep a local copy, and send the original to the state office. These rules apply to every death that occurs in Ross County.
The social security number on a Ross County death certificate is hidden for the first five years unless you are an authorized person. Under Section 3705.23, authorized requestors include the spouse, a lineal descendant, an executor, an attorney, a funeral director, or a government investigator. After five years, anyone can see the full record.
What Ross County Death Certificates Show
A Ross County death certificate lists the full legal name of the deceased, date and place of death, cause of death, and manner of death. It includes the parents' names, date of birth, marital status, and usual residence. The attending physician or coroner signs the medical section. Burial or cremation details are also on the certificate.
The state portal shown below is where you can learn more about what Ohio death certificates contain and how the ordering process works statewide.
The Ohio Department of Health site covers ordering steps, fee details, and what you need to provide when requesting a death certificate.
Falsifying a death certificate is a crime in Ohio. Section 3705.29 makes it illegal to forge, alter, or counterfeit any vital record. Only a coroner or medical examiner can certify a death that was violent, suspicious, or sudden. Courts accept death certificates as prima facie evidence of the facts they state.
Note: A burial permit cannot be issued until the death certificate is on file, per Section 3705.17 of the Ohio Revised Code.
Nearby Counties
Ross County sits in south-central Ohio. These neighboring counties also have health departments that issue death certificates for deaths in their area.
Cities in Ross County
Ross County has no cities that meet the population threshold for a dedicated page. Chillicothe is the county seat and the largest city. All Ross County residents get death certificates from the Ross County Health District at 150 East Second Street in Chillicothe.