Amherst Death Records

Death records for the Town of Amherst are kept by the Amherst Town Clerk at the Municipal Building on Main Street in Williamsville. Amherst is in Erie County, one of the largest counties in western New York. The town clerk serves as the local registrar of vital statistics, which means they file and issue death certificates for deaths that happen within town limits. This page covers how to get Amherst death records, what you need to bring, and where else you can look for records in the area.

Where to Get Amherst Death Records

The Town of Amherst clerk's office is the main place to go for death records in Amherst. The office is at the Amherst Municipal Building, 5583 Main Street, Williamsville, NY 14221. You can call them at (716) 631-7021. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM. The town clerk is the registrar for all births, deaths, and marriages that happen in the town.

One thing to keep in mind is that Amherst death records only cover deaths that took place within town limits. Deaths that occurred in the Village of Williamsville are filed separately with the village clerk, not the Amherst town clerk. But deaths at Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital are filed with Amherst since the hospital sits inside town boundaries.

A certified copy of a death certificate from the Amherst town clerk costs $10. You can walk in during business hours, send a mail order, or use their online request system. For mail orders, you will need to include a copy of your photo ID and a check or money order for the fee.

The Town of Amherst website shown below has contact information and forms for the clerk's office.

This is the town's main portal where you can find the clerk's office page and download request forms.

Erie County and Amherst Death Records

Amherst is in Erie County. Unlike some other New York counties, the Erie County Clerk does not maintain death records. Death certificates in Erie County are kept by the individual town clerks where each death took place. So if someone died in Amherst, you go to the Amherst town clerk. If they died in the City of Buffalo, you contact Buffalo City Hall.

The Erie County Clerk's office is at 92 Franklin Street, Buffalo, NY 14202. Phone is (716) 858-8785. While they do not have death records, they do keep marriage records from 1878 to 1935, naturalization records, and some Buffalo birth records on microfilm from 1881 to 1913. These can be useful if you are doing genealogy work alongside your death records search.

The Erie County Surrogate's Court is on the 2nd floor at 92 Franklin Street. This court handles probate, wills, and estate matters. If you are trying to settle an estate after a death in Amherst, this is the court you will deal with. Phone is (716) 845-2560. You can search some records online through the WebSurrogate system.

How to Order Amherst Death Records

You have three ways to get a death certificate from the Amherst town clerk. You can go in person, send a request by mail, or use the online system. For in-person visits, just show up during business hours with your photo ID and the $10 fee. Staff can usually process your request the same day.

For mail orders, write a letter or fill out a request form that includes the full name of the person who died, the date of death, and your relationship to them. Include a copy of your photo ID and a check or money order for $10 made payable to the Town of Amherst. Mail it to Amherst Town Clerk, 5583 Main Street, Williamsville, NY 14221.

You can also go through the New York State Department of Health. The state has death records from 1881 onward for all of New York except NYC. State mail orders cost $30 per copy. Online orders through VitalChek run $45 plus a processing fee. The state is slower than the local clerk, but it can be useful if you are not sure which town the death took place in.

Genealogy requests cost $22 from the town clerk. These are for uncertified copies of death records that are at least 50 years old. If you need records for family history research, ask the clerk about genealogy copies since they cost more but have different eligibility rules.

Who Can Request Amherst Death Records

New York law says that only certain people can get a certified death certificate. The spouse, parent, child, or sibling of the deceased has the right to a copy. If you are not an immediate family member, you need to show proof of a lawful reason. That might mean a letter from a court, an insurance company, or a government agency explaining why they need the death record.

You must present valid photo ID. Accepted forms include a driver's license, state-issued non-driver ID, passport, or military ID. Without photo ID, you can use two other documents that show your name and current address, such as a utility bill and a letter from a government agency within the last six months.

For genealogy purposes, death records on file for 50 years or more can be released as uncertified copies. Direct line descendants do not need to wait the full 50 years. They just have to prove their relationship and that the person on the record is deceased.

Amherst Death Records Research Resources

The Buffalo and Erie County Public Library is a strong resource for death records research in the Amherst area. The Grosvenor Room at the Central Library, One Lafayette Square, Buffalo, NY 14203, holds the NYS Vital Records Index, census records, city directories, and newspaper files. Phone is (716) 858-8900. They also have Erie County coroner's reports on microfilm from 1878 to 1902 and poorhouse death records from 1898 to 1925.

The library's Grosvenor Room is one of the best places in western New York for genealogy and death records research.

FamilySearch has some 18th and 19th century vital records that were filed by the Amherst Town Clerk with the state. The Historical Society of Amherst also has vital statistics pulled from early town reports. The New York State Death Index, free at newyorkdeathindex.com, covers deaths from 1880 to 1956 and can help you find the year and county of a death before you request the full record.

Nearby New York Cities

Other cities near Amherst with death records pages on this site: