Stark County Death Records Search
Stark County death records are handled by the county health department in North Canton and by separate city health departments in Canton, Massillon, and Alliance. Which office you contact depends on where the death took place. Stark County is now part of Ohio's statewide electronic death registration system, which means the county office can issue death certificates for any death that occurred in Ohio, not just within Stark County. Anyone can request a death certificate since Ohio is an open records state.
Stark County Death Records Overview
Stark County Health Department Death Records
The Stark County Health Department is at 7235 Whipple Avenue NW, Suite B, in North Canton, Ohio 44720. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Call 330-493-9904 for the vital statistics office. The registration district number is 7600.
Stark County is part of Ohio's four-phase electronic death registration rollout. This means the health department can now issue death certificates for any death that occurred anywhere in Ohio. Previously, the office could only handle deaths within Stark County. The change has made things easier for residents who lost a family member in another part of the state. You no longer have to contact a distant county office.
The image below shows the Stark County Health Department website where you can learn about death certificate services.
The site provides office hours, contact details, and information about the statewide electronic system now in use.
Note: Stark County has multiple health departments, so where you go depends on exactly where the death occurred within the county.
Stark County Death Certificate Offices
Stark County has four separate offices that handle death certificates. Which one you contact depends on where the person died.
For deaths in the city of Canton, including those at Mercy Hospital and Aultman Hospital, contact Canton City Public Health. Their office is at 420 Market Avenue North in Canton, Ohio 44702. The phone number is 330-489-3231. Canton is the county seat and the largest city in Stark County.
For deaths in Massillon, contact the Massillon City Health Department at 611 Erie Street South, Massillon, Ohio 44646. Call 330-830-1710. For deaths in Alliance, the Alliance City Health Department handles records. They are at 537 East Market Street, Alliance, Ohio 44601. The phone number is 330-821-7373.
For deaths anywhere else in Stark County outside those three cities, the Stark County Health Department at 7235 Whipple Avenue NW in North Canton is the right place. All four offices follow the same Ohio laws for filing and releasing death certificates. Under Ohio Revised Code Section 149.43, death certificates are public records at every office.
How to Order Stark County Death Records
Visit the right office during business hours. Bring the name of the person who died and the approximate date of death. Staff can look up the record and print a certified copy while you wait. You can also send a mail request to the appropriate office.
The Stark County Health Department has an online ordering system at starkohvitals.permitium.com. You pay with a credit or debit card. Orders are processed during business hours and mailed to your address. The Ohio Department of Health also offers online ordering for $21.50 per copy plus a $5.00 modernization surcharge. VitalChek is another option, though it adds processing fees.
The social security number on a Stark County death certificate is hidden for the first five years. Under Section 3705.23, only authorized requestors can get the SSN during that time. This includes the spouse, lineal descendants, executors, attorneys, funeral directors, government agencies, and private investigators.
Historical Stark County Death Records
Death records from before 1908 are at the Stark County Probate Court or at the Ohio History Connection. The Ohio History Connection holds statewide death records from 1908 through 1970 and has a free online death record index. FamilySearch offers free Ohio death certificates from 1908 through 1953.
The Ohio Department of Health keeps records from 1954 to the present at 4200 Surface Road in Columbus. Call 614-466-2531 for state-level inquiries. The image below shows the Ohio Department of Health portal that Stark County residents can use for statewide death record searches.
The state portal covers all ordering methods and fee details for Ohio death records.
Stark County Death Records and Ohio Law
Ohio Revised Code Section 3705.16 requires every death to be registered with the local registrar. The funeral director files the certificate. A physician or coroner completes the medical certification within 48 hours. Section 3705.07 tells the registrar to number, sign, and copy each certificate. The original goes to the state.
Section 3705.24 sets the minimum fee at $12.00. County fees vary by office within Stark County. A burial permit costs $10.00 under Section 3705.17 and cannot be issued until the death certificate is filed. Forging a death certificate is a crime under Section 3705.29.
Note: Stark County's inclusion in Ohio's electronic death registration system means the county office can now issue death certificates for deaths that occurred anywhere in Ohio.
Nearby Counties
Stark County is in northeast Ohio. These neighboring counties have their own health departments where you can request death certificates.
Cities in Stark County
Stark County includes Canton, the county seat, which has a dedicated page on this site. Canton residents get death certificates from Canton City Public Health at 420 Market Avenue North.