Navajo County Death Records

Navajo County Public Health Services District provides death certificates at offices in Holbrook and Show Low. The main office in Holbrook handles most vital records business while Show Low offers Wednesday appointment service. Staff process applications for Arizona death records occurring from February 1, 2008 to present. Older death records require ordering through the state office in Phoenix. Each certified copy costs $20. Payment methods include debit cards, credit cards, and money orders. The offices do not accept cash or personal checks. Walk-in service is available Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Holbrook location. Show Low operates by appointment only on Wednesdays. Call 928-524-4750 for Holbrook or to schedule Show Low appointments. Mail applications must include notarized signatures.

Vital Records Office Locations

Navajo County Public Health Services District operates vital records from two locations. The Holbrook office serves as the main location at 117 E Buffalo Street, Holbrook, AZ 86025. This office handles walk-in applicants Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. No appointment needed. Just arrive during business hours with your identification and payment. The office closes on Fridays, weekends, and county holidays.

The Show Low office provides limited vital records service at 600 N 9th Place, Show Low, AZ 85901. This location operates by appointment only on Wednesdays. Call 928-524-4750 to schedule your Show Low appointment. Do not visit Show Low without an appointment. Staff may not be available to help walk-in visitors. The appointment system helps ensure staff time is available when you arrive.

Navajo County issues death certificates for Arizona deaths from February 1, 2008 to present. Deaths before February 2008 are not available through county offices. You must order older death records through the Arizona Department of Health Services Bureau of Vital Records in Phoenix. The county started issuing death certificates when Arizona implemented the DAVE electronic death registration system in early 2008.

Note: Deaths within the last thirty to ninety days may not yet be entered into the state database.

Death Certificate Application Process

Arizona restricts who can obtain death certificates. Arizona Administrative Code R9-19-314 lists eligible persons. Surviving spouses qualify for copies. Parents, adult children, siblings, grandparents, and grandchildren can request certificates. Executors named in wills have access. Estate beneficiaries and life insurance beneficiaries may apply. Attorneys representing eligible persons can request copies on their behalf.

Financial institutions with accounts for the deceased qualify. Insurance companies holding policies on the person can obtain certificates. Hospitals and health care providers processing claims against the estate have access. Anyone with a legal claim against the estate may apply. Government agencies receive copies for official purposes. Funeral directors representing families can order within twelve months of death. You must prove you fit one of these categories.

Bring valid government-issued photo identification when applying in person. Driver licenses, state ID cards, passports, and military IDs all work. The ID must be current and show your photo. Staff make copies for the file. You also need proof of your relationship or legal interest. Birth certificates demonstrate parent or child relationships. Marriage certificates prove spouse status. Wills or probate documents show executor or beneficiary authority. Insurance policies work for beneficiaries. Bank statements establish financial institution interest. Court orders demonstrate legal claims.

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 spelled correctly. Provide the date of death and location. Add the social security number if known. This helps staff search the database faster. State your relationship to the deceased clearly. Sign the form with your original handwritten signature.

Mail applications require notarized signatures. Navajo County does not accept photocopies of ID for mail requests. You must have your signature notarized by a notary public. Include proof of your relationship or legal interest. Add payment by money order, credit card, or debit card. Write card details on the application form including number, expiration, security code, and authorization signature. Provide a self-addressed stamped envelope for return of certificates. Processing takes one to two weeks for mail requests.

Death Certificate Fees

Certified death certificates cost $20 per copy. This is the standard Arizona fee set by Arizona Revised Statutes Section 36-341. Amendments and corrections run $30 each. Non-certified genealogy copies cost $5. Order multiple copies when applying if you need them for different purposes. Social Security, banks, insurance companies, pension funds, and courts typically require original certified copies. Photocopies usually do not work for official business.

Payment is due when you submit your application. Navajo County accepts debit cards, credit cards, and money orders. The offices do not accept cash or personal checks. This differs from many Arizona counties. Bring a debit or credit card for walk-in payments or purchase a money order in advance. Credit card details go on the application form for mail requests. Include card number, expiration date, CVV code, and authorization signature.

Arizona Death Registration Law

Funeral establishments must file death certificates within seven days. Arizona Revised Statutes Section 36-325 sets this requirement. Funeral directors take possession of human remains and gather personal information from families. They complete demographic sections including name, birth date, birthplace, residence, occupation, parents' names, marital status, and other details. Medical certifiers then add cause of death information.

Doctors who treated the deceased sign certifications for natural deaths. Medical examiners or coroners handle sudden, unexpected, or suspicious deaths. They investigate and determine cause and manner of death. All parts must be finished before the state registrar accepts the certificate for registration. This process takes time. Very recent deaths need thirty to ninety days to complete certification and registration steps.

Arizona maintains closed death records. Arizona Revised Statutes Section 36-342 prohibits vital records staff from releasing information to the public. Only eligible persons with proper ID and relationship proof can obtain copies. This law protects personal privacy and medical information. Government agencies get separate access for official purposes under specific provisions.

Death records become public fifty years after death. Arizona Revised Statutes Section 36-351 requires the Bureau of Vital Records to transfer certificates to state archives at this point. Historical records appear in genealogy databases where anyone can search them. Certified copies still require ordering through vital records offices even for old public records.

Other Death Record Sources

The Arizona Department of Health Services Bureau of Vital Records serves as the state central office. Located at 150 North 18th Avenue, Suite 120, Phoenix, AZ 85007, the state office processes mail orders only. No walk-in service available. Send applications to PO Box 6018, Phoenix, AZ 85005. Call 602-364-1300 for state office help. VitalChek offers expedited online ordering at 888-816-5907 with additional fees. Order pre-2008 death records through the state office since Navajo County only handles deaths from February 2008 forward.

The Arizona genealogy database contains historical death records from 1870 through fifty years ago. Search free online for old death records. The database shows names, dates, places, and images of historical certificates. These work for family history and genealogy research. Order certified copies through vital records offices if you need legal documents. The genealogy database provides search capability without issuing copies.

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 search premium genealogy databases. Free access works only on library computers during library hours. You cannot access these databases from home without your own paid Ancestry subscription.

Nearby Counties

Navajo County sits in northeastern Arizona. It borders Apache County to the northeast, Greenlee County and Graham County to the southeast, Gila County to the south, Yavapai County to the southwest, and Coconino County to the west. Each Arizona county operates vital records offices that can issue death certificates for deaths in their service areas.