Gila County Death Records

Gila County Health and Emergency Services provides death certificates at two locations in central Arizona. The main office in Globe and the satellite office in Payson both handle applications for Arizona death records. Walk-in service is available but same-day certificates are not offered. Standard processing takes seven to ten business days for complete applications. Staff process requests for deaths anywhere in the state under the county's authority as a deputy registrar. Each certified copy costs $20. Payment methods include cash, personal checks, money orders, credit cards, and debit cards. Both offices maintain regular business hours Monday through Friday. Mail applications receive the same seven to ten day processing time as walk-in requests.

Vital Records Office Locations

Gila County Health Services operates vital records offices in Globe and Payson. The Globe office serves as the main location at 5515 S Apache Ave., Suite 100, Globe, AZ 85501. This office handles most county vital records business. Call 928-402-8811 for questions or to verify processing times. Fax number is 928-425-8817 if you need to send supporting documents.

The Payson office provides services to northern Gila County residents. Located at 110 W. Main Street, Suite A in Payson, this satellite office processes the same death certificate requests as the Globe location. Either office can issue certificates for any Arizona death. You do not need to visit the office closest to where the death occurred.

Both offices follow standard business hours. Staff work Monday through Friday. Specific hours vary by location so call ahead to confirm. Processing takes seven to ten business days whether you apply in person or by mail. The county does not currently offer same-day certificate service. Plan accordingly if you need death records on a tight deadline.

How to Get Death Certificates

Visit either Gila County office with proper identification and relationship proof. You need a current government-issued photo ID. Driver licenses, state ID cards, passports, and military IDs qualify. Staff make copies for the application file. You also must prove your connection to the deceased person. Arizona Administrative Code R9-19-314 defines who can obtain death certificates.

Eligible applicants include immediate family members like spouses, parents, children, siblings, grandparents, and grandchildren. Executors named in wills can request copies. Beneficiaries of estates or life insurance policies qualify. Attorneys representing eligible persons may apply. Insurance companies, banks, lenders, hospitals, and other institutions with claims against the estate can obtain copies. Government agencies get access for official purposes. Bring documents showing your status such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, wills, insurance policies, or court papers.

Complete the death certificate application form with accurate information. Write the deceased person's full legal name exactly as it appears on the certificate. Include first, middle, and last names. Provide the date of death and place of death. Add the social security number if you know it. This helps staff locate records faster. State your relationship clearly. Sign the application. Original handwritten signatures are required. Electronic signatures do not meet state rules.

Mail requests follow the same requirements. Send your completed application to the Globe office at the Apache Avenue address. Include clear photocopies of both sides of your ID. You can use a notarized signature instead of sending ID copies. Add proof of your relationship. Include payment through check, money order, or credit card details written on the form. Provide a self-addressed stamped envelope for return of certificates. Mail processing takes the same seven to ten business days as walk-in applications.

Note: Gila County does not provide same-day death certificate service at this time.

Death Certificate Fees

Certified death certificates cost $20 per copy. This fee is set by Arizona Revised Statutes Section 36-341 and applies statewide. Order multiple copies if you need them for different purposes. Social Security, banks, insurance companies, pension funds, and estate courts all require original certified copies. Photocopies do not work for official business.

Corrections and amendments to existing death certificates cost $30. Non-certified genealogy copies run $5 each. Genealogy copies suit family history research but lack the legal authority of certified copies. Payment is due when you submit your application. Gila County accepts cash, personal checks, money orders, credit cards, and debit cards. Not all Arizona counties accept personal checks so this option provides flexibility for Gila County residents.

Arizona Death Record Laws

Arizona law requires funeral establishments to file death certificates within seven days. Arizona Revised Statutes Section 36-325 places responsibility on funeral directors. They gather demographic information from family members. This includes name, birth date, birthplace, residence, parents' names, occupation, education, military service, and other details. Funeral directors submit this information along with disposition details to medical certifiers.

Doctors, medical examiners, or coroners complete the medical certification of death. They determine cause of death and contributing factors. All sections must be finished before the state registrar accepts the certificate for registration. The whole process takes time. Recent deaths may not be available immediately. Deaths within thirty to ninety days might still be processing through the certification system.

Death records are not public in Arizona. Arizona Revised Statutes Section 36-342 prohibits registrars from releasing vital record information to unauthorized persons. Only eligible individuals with proper proof can obtain copies. This protects personal privacy and medical information. Government agencies receive access for official purposes under separate rules.

Old death records become public after fifty years. Arizona Revised Statutes Section 36-351 requires the state to transfer death certificates to archives fifty years after death. These historical records appear in the state genealogy database. Anyone can search and view them for research purposes without restriction.

Other Death Record Sources

The Arizona Department of Health Services Bureau of Vital Records maintains the central state office for vital records. Located at 150 North 18th Avenue, Suite 120, Phoenix, AZ 85007, the state office handles mail orders only. No walk-in service is available. Send applications to PO Box 6018, Phoenix, AZ 85005. Call 602-364-1300 for state office assistance. VitalChek provides expedited online ordering at 888-816-5907 with additional processing fees.

Historical death records appear in the Arizona genealogy database. Search deaths from 1870 through fifty years ago free of charge. The database provides index information and images of old certificates. These work well for family history and genealogy research. Certified copies still require ordering through a vital records office. The genealogy database only offers viewing and search capability.

Arizona State Library gives state residents free Ancestry access. Collections include Arizona County Coroner and Death Records from 1881 to 1971. Visit the library in Phoenix to use these premium databases. You cannot access them from home without paying for your own Ancestry subscription. The library computers provide free access during library hours.

Nearby Counties

Gila County sits in central Arizona. It borders Maricopa County to the south and west, Pinal County to the south, Graham County to the east, Navajo County to the north, and Coconino County to the northwest. Yavapai County lies to the west. Each county operates vital records offices that can issue death certificates for any Arizona death.