Mount Vernon Death Records Search

Death records in Mount Vernon date back to 1885, making this one of the oldest collections in Westchester County. The City Registrar handles all death certificates for deaths that happened within city limits. Mount Vernon runs its own vital records system separate from the county, so the City Registrar at One Roosevelt Square is the place to start. Whether you need a certified copy for legal matters or an uncertified copy for genealogy, this page walks you through the process.

Mount Vernon Death Records at City Registrar

The Mount Vernon City Registrar is the primary source for death records in this city. The office is at One Roosevelt Square, Room 115, Mount Vernon, NY 10550. Call (914) 665-2356 for questions. The current Registrar is Tanesia M. Walters and the Deputy Registrar is Kelley E. Thomas. Hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, except New York state holidays.

A certified death certificate costs $10 per copy. Genealogy copies cost $22 each. If you pay by credit card, there is an extra 3.25% fee. The office takes cash, money orders, certified bank checks, and Visa or MasterCard for in-person visits. For mail orders, send a money order or certified bank check payable to "City of Mount Vernon." They do not take personal checks.

This office only has death records for deaths that happened in Mount Vernon. Not where the person lived. If someone was a Mount Vernon resident but died in a hospital in another city, you need to contact the clerk in that other city instead.

The Mount Vernon city website shown above provides access to vital records forms and contact details for the City Registrar's office.

Who Can Get Mount Vernon Death Records

Not everyone can get a death certificate. You must fall into one of the eligible groups. The rules come from New York State Public Health Law, Article 41. Here is who qualifies:

• Spouse of the deceased (if married at time of death, one valid ID is enough)
• Adult child or sibling (must show a certified birth record with parents' names)
• Attorney acting on behalf of an eligible person (request must be on law firm letterhead)
• Anyone with a documented legal claim or medical need

You need to bring a current, non-expired photo ID. That means a driver's license, passport, military ID, or non-driver's license. If you are an adult child or sibling, you also need your own certified birth certificate to prove the family connection. Attorneys must submit requests on firm letterhead with payment from a firm check.

How to Order Death Records

Mount Vernon offers three ways to request death records. You can go in person, order by mail, or submit an online request. In-person visits are by appointment only. No walk-ins are accepted. Call (914) 665-2348 to schedule. Online requests will either be mailed to you or held for pickup by appointment.

If you order by mail, your application must be signed in front of a notary public. Include a copy of your photo ID, proof of your relationship to the deceased, and payment. Mail everything to the Registrar Office at One Roosevelt Square, Room 115, Mount Vernon, NY 10550. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope for the return of your certificate.

The application asks for the full name of the deceased, the date of death, and the place of death (which must be Mount Vernon). If you do not have the exact date, provide your best estimate. The office can search a range of years, though wider searches may cost more.

Genealogy Research in Mount Vernon

Researchers can get uncertified copies of death records for genealogy. The record must be on file for at least 50 years. Birth records need 75 years. The person must be known to be deceased. All genealogy copies are stamped "FOR GENEALOGICAL PURPOSES ONLY" and cannot be used for legal matters.

The genealogy fee is $22 for a basic search. If you need a wider search window, the cost goes up. A 4 to 10 year search is $42. An 11 to 20 year search costs $62. It keeps going up from there, all the way to $182 for a 71 to 80 year range. You must know the year the death happened since records are filed by year. No information from confidential files will be released.

Mount Vernon has some of the oldest vital records in Westchester County. Death records here go back to 1885. That is before the state really started enforcing the vital records law around 1917. This makes the City Registrar a key source for early records that the state may not have on file.

The New York State Death Index is a free tool that covers 1880 to 1956. You can search by name and get the year and county of death. The New York State Archives has microfiche indexes from 1880 to 1943 you can search for free in Albany.

Mount Vernon Death Records and County Resources

The Westchester County Clerk is at 110 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd in White Plains. While vital records like death certificates go through the local city registrar or town clerk, the county clerk handles other public records that may be useful. Property records, court filings, and naturalization records are all at the county level.

The Westchester County Archives at 2199 Saw Mill River Road in Elmsford has a reading room open by appointment. They hold deeds, naturalization records, some vital records, maps, cemetery records, and genealogical information. Call (914) 231-1500 to set up a visit. The WebSurrogate system also lets you search Surrogate's Court records online for estate and probate filings related to deceased persons.

State-Level Options for Death Records

The New York State Department of Health also has Mount Vernon death records on file. Mail orders cost $30 per copy. Online orders through VitalChek cost $45 plus a processing fee. Send mail requests to P.O. Box 2602, Albany, NY 12220-2602. The state is dealing with big delays though. The local registrar in Mount Vernon is almost always faster.

You can call the state's Vital Records Call Center at (855) 322-1022 for help. The same eligibility rules apply at the state level. You need to be an immediate family member or show a documented legal claim. Bring one photo ID or two documents showing your name and address.

Nearby Cities

Other cities near Mount Vernon with death records information: