Maricopa County Death Records

Maricopa County Office of Vital Registration provides official death certificates for deaths that occurred anywhere in Arizona. The county runs five locations across the Phoenix metro area that serve over four million residents. You can visit offices in Phoenix, Mesa, Peoria, Glendale, or Goodyear for death index services. Each location offers the same services and charges the same fees. Completed applications with all required information usually process within one week.

Vital Registration Office Locations

The Maricopa County Public Health Office of Vital Registration operates five full-service locations. All sites handle death certificate requests for the entire state. You do not need to visit the office closest to where the death occurred. Any location can help you with any Arizona death record. Phoenix remains the main office, but the county added satellite offices to reduce travel time for residents across the metro area.

The Phoenix office sits at 1645 E. Roosevelt St., Phoenix, AZ 85006. This is the largest and busiest location. The East Valley office serves Mesa and surrounding cities at 331 E. Coury Ave., Mesa, AZ 85210. Northwest Valley residents use the office at 8088 W. Whitney Dr., Suite 2A, Peoria, AZ 85345. The Glendale office operates at 5141 W. Lamar Rd., Glendale, AZ 85301. Goodyear opened most recently at 14130 W. McDowell Rd., Goodyear, AZ 85395. All share the same mailing address.

Mail all applications to PO Box 2111, Phoenix, AZ 85001. Do not send mail to the physical addresses. The post office box ensures faster processing. Call 602-506-6805 with questions about your application or to check on status. Staff answer phones Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday hours start at 9:00 a.m. instead of 8:00 a.m. for staff training.

Note: All five Maricopa County locations provide death certificates for any Arizona death, not just local deaths.

Office Hours and Walk-In Service

Walk-in service is available at all five offices. Most locations open at 8:00 a.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. They stay open until 4:30 p.m. on those days. Wednesday hours run from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Plan to arrive at least one hour before closing to complete your request. Staff need time to process paperwork before the office closes for the day.

Same-day service depends on staff workload. Busy times may slow processing. Fridays and days after holidays typically see higher volume. Mornings usually move faster than afternoons. If you need a certificate urgently, visit early in the week if possible. Bring all required documents with you to avoid delays. Missing paperwork means you cannot get a certificate that same day.

Parking is available at each location. Phoenix and Mesa offices sit in larger public health centers with ample parking lots. Glendale, Peoria, and Goodyear have smaller dedicated parking areas. All sites meet accessibility requirements. Wheelchairs and mobility devices can access all public areas. Let staff know if you need assistance when you arrive at the office.

Maricopa County Death Index Fees

Each certified death certificate costs $20. This matches the state fee. Correction and amendment requests cost $30 each. Non-certified copies for genealogy run $5. The county accepts several payment methods at walk-in offices. You can pay with cash or money orders. All major credit cards work, including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover. Debit cards are accepted as well.

Mail orders require money orders or credit card information. Do not send cash through the mail. The county is not responsible for lost cash payments. Fill out credit card details on the application form if paying that way. Include card number, expiration date, and security code. Sign the form to authorize the charge. Processing fees may apply to credit card payments.

Who Can Get Certificates

Arizona restricts access to recent death records. You must prove your relationship to the deceased or show a valid legal interest. Immediate family members qualify. This includes spouses, parents, children, grandparents, grandchildren, and siblings. All must be 18 years or older. Minors cannot request death certificates even if they are related to the deceased person.

Legal representatives can obtain copies. Executors named in a will qualify. Attorneys representing eligible persons can act on their behalf. Anyone with a power of attorney from an eligible person can request records. Court orders grant access. Bring the signed order from a judge. Funeral directors can get certificates for deaths they handled, but only within 12 months of the death date.

Organizations with financial interests may request certificates. Insurance companies need them to process claims. Banks and credit unions with accounts require death certificates to close accounts or transfer funds. Hospitals processing estate claims can obtain copies. Anyone with a documented claim against the estate qualifies. Government agencies processing benefits or official purposes can access records. You must show proof of your claim or official status.

Note: Maricopa County verifies all eligibility claims before releasing death certificates to requesters.

How to Apply in Maricopa County

Download the state death certificate application form from the Arizona Department of Health Services website. You can also pick up a blank form at any Maricopa County vital records office. Fill out all required fields. Write clearly or print to avoid processing delays. Include the full name of the deceased exactly as it appears on the death certificate. Provide the date of death if known. An approximate year helps if you do not know the exact date.

List the county where death occurred if known. Include the deceased person's date of birth if you have it. More information speeds up the search process. The clerk needs enough details to locate the right record in the death index. Common names require extra information to find the correct person. Middle names, birth dates, and parent names help identify the right certificate.

Sign the application in ink with your legal signature. State your relationship to the deceased. Check the box that describes your connection. Write how many certified copies you need. Each costs $20, so calculate your total. Attach payment for the full amount. Include a copy of your government-issued photo ID. Both sides must be visible and legible. Driver licenses, state IDs, passports, and military IDs all work.

Proof of relationship may be required. Birth certificates show parent-child relationships. Marriage certificates prove spousal connection. Wills demonstrate executor status. Court documents establish legal authority. Not every request needs additional proof, but have it ready if asked. Missing documents will delay your application until you provide them to the office.

Mail completed applications to PO Box 2111, Phoenix, AZ 85001. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope for return mail. Or visit any office in person to submit your request. Walk-in applicants may get same-day service if the record is found quickly and staff workload permits faster processing.

Death Certificate Processing Times

Complete applications typically process within one week. This applies to both mail and walk-in requests. Incomplete applications take longer. Missing information requires follow-up. The county contacts you to get what they need. This adds days to the total time. Recent deaths may not appear in the database yet. The D.A.V.E. system needs time to register new records.

Deaths that occurred within the last 30 to 90 days might not be complete. Medical certifiers must sign off on cause of death. Autopsies delay registration. Complex cases take longer to finalize. If a record is not ready, the county notifies you. You can call back in a few weeks to check again. Very old records usually process faster since they are already complete in the system.

Corrections and Amendments

Errors on death certificates can be fixed through the Office of Vital Registration. Common mistakes include misspelled names, wrong dates, and incorrect locations. Small errors may qualify for administrative correction. The county can fix these directly. Major changes require court orders or extensive documentation. Examples include changing the name of the deceased or correcting parentage information.

The fee for corrections is $30. This pays for staff time to research and update the record. Bring proof of the correct information. Documents like birth certificates, marriage licenses, and Social Security cards help verify facts. The county reviews each request individually. Some fixes happen quickly. Others need approval from the state Bureau of Vital Records. Processing time varies based on complexity.

Death Records for Maricopa County Cities

Maricopa County includes Phoenix and many surrounding cities. The Office of Vital Registration serves residents throughout the metro area. Major cities in the county include:

Phoenix is the state capital and county seat. Mesa sits east of Phoenix with over half a million residents. Chandler, Gilbert, and Scottsdale form key parts of the East Valley. Glendale and Peoria anchor the northwest. Tempe hosts Arizona State University.

Surprise, Avondale, Goodyear, and Buckeye are growing rapidly in the West Valley. All residents use the same county vital records system for death certificates. You do not need separate city offices. The county handles everything centrally through its five valley locations.

Nearby Arizona Counties

Maricopa County borders several other counties. Pinal County sits directly south with offices in Casa Grande and other cities. Yavapai County lies to the north covering Prescott and Prescott Valley. Gila County extends northeast of the metro area. Yuma County is far to the west near California. La Paz County sits between Maricopa and Yuma.

Each county maintains its own vital records office. However, all Arizona county offices can provide death certificates for any death in the state. You can visit Maricopa County to get a certificate from a death that happened in Pinal or any other county. The statewide death index connects all locations across Arizona.