Pinal County Death Certificates
Pinal County Public Health provides death certificate assistance at four in-person locations across central Arizona. Offices in Casa Grande, Maricopa, Oracle, and San Tan Valley all process applications for Arizona death records. You can pick up requested certificates the same day or have them sent by mail. Same-day pickup depends on staff completing processing while you wait. Each certified death certificate costs $20. Payment methods include cash, money orders, and credit cards. Call the central appointment desk at 866-960-0633 to schedule your visit or ask questions. Mail applications go to P.O. Box 2945, Florence, AZ 85132. Processing times vary based on workload but typically complete within one to two weeks for mail requests.
Pinal County Vital Records
Four Pinal County Public Health Offices
Pinal County Public Health operates vital records services from four locations. The Casa Grande office sits at 1729 N Trekell Road, Suite 120, Casa Grande, AZ 85122. The Maricopa office serves the city at 41680 W Smith-Enke Road, Suite 110, Maricopa, AZ 85138. Note that the city of Maricopa is in Pinal County, not Maricopa County. The Oracle office provides services at 1870 W. American Ave, Oracle, AZ 85623. San Tan Valley residents use the office at 36235 N Gantzel Road, San Tan Valley, AZ 85140.
All four locations handle death certificate requests for any Arizona death. You do not need to visit the office closest to where the death occurred. Any Pinal County office can help you. Staff at each location process applications and can provide same-day service if you choose to wait for your certificates. You can also request mail delivery if you prefer not to return to pick up.
Call the central appointment desk at 866-960-0633 for all vital records questions. This toll-free number connects to staff who can help schedule appointments, verify office hours, check application status, or answer questions about required documents. The central desk serves all four locations. Mail applications go to P.O. Box 2945, Florence, AZ 85132. Do not send mail to the physical office addresses. The Florence post office box ensures faster processing.
Death Certificate Application Requirements
Arizona restricts access to death certificates. Arizona Administrative Code R9-19-314 lists eligible persons. Surviving spouses can request copies. Parents, adult children, siblings, grandparents, and grandchildren qualify as immediate family. 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 can obtain certificates. Insurance companies holding policies on the person qualify. Hospitals and health care providers processing claims against the estate have access. Anyone with a documented 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 to receive a certified copy.
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 show parent or child relationships. Marriage certificates prove spouse status. Wills or probate documents demonstrate executor or beneficiary authority. Insurance policies work for beneficiaries. Bank statements establish financial institution interest. Court orders show legal claims.
Complete the death certificate application form with accurate information. Provide the deceased person's full legal name as it appears on the certificate. Include first, middle, and last names spelled correctly. Give 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. Electronic signatures do not meet Arizona requirements.
You can choose same-day pickup or mail delivery. Same-day pickup means you wait while staff process your application. This works if you have all required documents and the record exists in the database. Mail delivery lets you submit your application and leave. Staff mail the certificates to you once processing completes. This option works better if you cannot wait or if very recent deaths might not be in the system yet. Very recent deaths need thirty to ninety days to complete medical certification and state registration.
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. Pinal County accepts cash, money orders, and credit cards. Personal checks and debit cards are not mentioned in county materials. Verify current payment methods when you visit or call. Bring cash or a money order to be safe. Credit cards may include processing fees. Staff can tell you the exact total when you apply.
Arizona Death Registration Laws
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. Allow thirty to ninety days for recent deaths to complete all 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 business under specific rules.
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 handles mail orders but does not provide walk-in service. Send applications to PO Box 6018, Phoenix, AZ 85005. Call 602-364-1300 for state office assistance. VitalChek offers expedited online ordering at 888-816-5907 with additional processing fees.
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.
Pinal County Cities
Pinal County includes Queen Creek, Maricopa, and Casa Grande among its larger communities. San Tan Valley, Apache Junction, and smaller towns also sit in the county. The four public health offices provide convenient access across this geographically large county.
Nearby Counties
Pinal County sits in central Arizona. It borders Maricopa County to the north and west, Pima County to the south, Graham County to the east, Gila County to the northeast, and Cochise County to the southeast. Each Arizona county operates vital records offices that can issue death certificates for any state death.