Death Records in Cochise County

Cochise County Health and Social Services provides death certificates at five locations across southeastern Arizona. You can visit offices in Sierra Vista, Douglas, Bisbee, Benson, or Willcox to request certified copies of Arizona death records. All locations offer same-day service for complete applications with proper identification and fees. Each office processes requests for deaths anywhere in the state, not just Cochise County deaths. Staff handle walk-in applicants Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. The county charges $20 per certified death certificate. Payment methods include cash, money orders, credit cards, and debit cards. Personal checks are not accepted at any location.

Five Cochise County Vital Records Offices

Cochise County Health and Social Services operates vital records offices in five cities. The Sierra Vista location serves as the largest office at 4115 E. Foothills Dr., Sierra Vista, AZ 85635. Call this office at 520-432-9406. Douglas residents use the office at 1012 N G Ave Suite 101, Douglas, AZ 85607 or call 520-805-5606. The Bisbee office sits at 1415 Melody Lane, Building A, Bisbee, AZ 85603 with phone number 520-432-9411.

Benson has an office at 126 W. 5th Street, Benson, AZ 85602. The phone there is 520-586-8200. Willcox serves eastern Cochise County from 450 S. Haskell Ave., Willcox, AZ 85643. Call 520-384-7100 for the Willcox office. You can also email questions to vitalrecords@cochise.az.gov for any location. Staff respond to email during business hours but processing applications still requires visiting an office or mailing your request.

All five offices maintain the same hours. Open time is 8:00 a.m. Monday through Friday. Offices close from noon to 1:00 p.m. for lunch. Afternoon hours resume at 1:00 p.m. and continue until 3:30 p.m. Plan to arrive before 3:00 p.m. to allow time for processing. Same-day service depends on having all required documents and payment ready when you arrive.

How to Request Death Certificates

Walk in to any Cochise County vital records office with valid photo ID. You need a driver license, state ID card, passport, or military ID. The ID must be current and show your photo. Staff will make a copy for the file. You also need proof of your relationship to the deceased. Bring a birth certificate, marriage certificate, will, or court document showing your connection. Arizona Administrative Code R9-19-314 lists who qualifies to receive death certificates.

The application form asks for specific information about the deceased person. You must provide the full legal name, date of death, and place of death. Social security numbers help locate records faster. The more details you provide, the easier staff can find the right record. Tell staff how many copies you need. Each copy costs $20.

Same-day service is standard for complete applications. Staff print certificates while you wait if the record exists in the state database. Very recent deaths may not be in the system yet. Deaths less than thirty to ninety days old might still be processing. Call ahead if you need a certificate for a death within the past month to verify it has been registered.

Mail requests work too but take longer. Send your completed application with a photocopy of your ID or a notarized signature. Include proof of relationship. Add payment through money order or credit card details on the form. Processing takes seven to ten business days for mailed applications. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope for faster return of certificates.

Note: No personal checks accepted at any Cochise County office for vital records fees.

Death Certificate Costs

Certified copies cost $20 each. This is the standard state fee under Arizona Revised Statutes Section 36-341. Order as many copies as you need for different agencies. Banks, insurance companies, Social Security, and pension funds all require original certified copies. Photocopies of certified copies do not work for official business.

Amendments and corrections cost $30 per request. Non-certified genealogy copies run $5 each. These work for family history research but not legal matters. Payment is due when you submit your application. Cash, money orders, credit cards, and debit cards all work for walk-in payments. Credit card information goes on the form for mail requests. No checks accepted.

Arizona Death Record Requirements

Arizona requires death registration within seven days. Arizona Revised Statutes Section 36-325 places this duty on funeral establishments. The funeral director gathers information from family members and submits it along with the medical certification of death. Doctors, coroners, or medical examiners complete the cause of death portion. All parts must be finished before the state registrar accepts the certificate for registration.

Death records are not public in Arizona. The state follows closed record rules. Arizona Revised Statutes Section 36-342 prohibits registrars from releasing information to unauthorized people. Only specific family members, legal representatives, and others with documented interest can obtain copies. This protects privacy and medical information from general public access.

Old death records become public after fifty years. Arizona Revised Statutes Section 36-351 requires the Bureau of Vital Records to transfer copies to the state archives fifty years after death. These historical records appear in the state genealogy database. Anyone can search and view them for research purposes.

Additional Death Record Options

The Arizona Department of Health Services Bureau of Vital Records serves as the state central office for all vital records. Located at 150 North 18th Avenue, Suite 120, Phoenix, AZ 85007, the state office does not offer walk-in service. You can order by mail or through VitalChek at 888-816-5907. VitalChek charges extra fees for expedited processing. Regular state office phone is 602-364-1300.

Historical records for genealogy research appear in the Arizona genealogy database. Search death records from 1870 through fifty years ago. The database is free to use. It shows names, dates, and places of death. You still need to order official copies through a vital records office if you need certified documents. The genealogy site only provides search and viewing capability.

Arizona residents get free Ancestry access at the Arizona State Library. The library subscribes to collections including Arizona County Coroner and Death Records from 1881 to 1971. Visit the library in Phoenix to search these historical databases. You cannot access them from home unless you pay for your own Ancestry subscription.

Cochise County Cities

Cochise County includes Sierra Vista as its largest city. Other communities include Douglas, Bisbee, Benson, and Willcox. Each has a vital records office nearby. Residents across the county have convenient access to death certificate services without traveling to the county seat in Bisbee.

Nearby Counties

Cochise County shares borders with Pima County to the west, Santa Cruz County to the southwest, Graham County to the north, and Greenlee County to the northeast. The county also borders Mexico to the south and New Mexico to the east. All Arizona counties can issue death certificates for any death in the state.