Clinton County Death Records

Death records in Clinton County date back to 1880 and are available through local town clerks and the New York State Department of Health. The county seat is Plattsburgh, and the population is about 80,000. Clinton County sits in the northeastern corner of New York, bordering both Vermont and Canada. It was formed in 1788 from Washington County and was named after George Clinton, the first Governor of New York. The Clinton County Clerk does not hold birth or death records, so you will need to contact the right town clerk or the county health department to get a death certificate.

Where Clinton County Death Records Are Kept

The Clinton County Clerk at 137 Margaret Street in Plattsburgh, NY 12901 does not have records of births or deaths. The phone number is (518) 565-4700 and the fax is (518) 565-4718. Office hours are 8 AM to 5 PM. The clerk handles divorce records, land records, and state census records. But for a death certificate, you need to go somewhere else.

Marriage, birth, and death certificates can be obtained from the clerk of the specific township within Clinton County where the event occurred. The Archives.com Clinton County page notes that the County Clerk's website has a full listing of all town clerks. Clinton County towns include Altona, Ausable, Beekmantown, Black Brook, Champlain, Chazy, Clinton, Dannemora, Ellenburgh, Mooers, Peru, Plattsburgh, Saranac, and Schuyler Falls.

The Clinton County Health Department also handles vital records. You can reach them at (518) 563-7702. The Clinton County public records page confirms that the health department maintains birth and death certificates.

Ordering Clinton County Death Certificates

You have three main paths to get a Clinton County death certificate. First, contact the town clerk where the death happened. Each town sets its own fees, but most charge around $10 for a certified copy. Second, contact the Clinton County Health Department at (518) 563-7702. Third, go through the NYS Department of Health, which charges $30 by mail or $45 online.

Government-issued photo ID is required for all vital records requests. A driver's license, state ID, passport, or military ID all work. Certain records may also carry a copying or processing fee on top of the base charge. The county and town clerks accept checks and money orders. Some take credit cards.

You can submit requests in person, by mail, or through online portals where available. The town clerks are the fastest option for most people in Clinton County. The state office in Albany is dealing with significant processing delays.

Clinton County Death Record History

Statewide registration for births and deaths in New York started in 1880. Clinton County's known start dates are 1880 for births, marriages, and deaths. Court records go all the way back to 1788 when the county was formed. Land records start even earlier at 1778, and probate records also begin at 1788. Vital records were first entered in the village, town, or city clerk's ledger book at the local level.

Starting in 1880, the town clerks recorded marriages and a copy went to the NYS Department of Health. The county clerk recorded marriages until 1909, which is slightly different from most New York counties where the county clerk had that role from 1908 to 1935. That small difference can matter if you are trying to track down a marriage record that connects to a death record.

Clinton County was created from Washington County in 1788. It is one of the older counties in New York. The county seat of Plattsburgh has been an important northern New York city for over two centuries.

Clinton County Death Records for Genealogy

The Clinton County Genealogical Society has historical records available online and within the public library in Plattsburgh. The Daughters of the American Revolution have a Champlain Chapter in Champlain, NY that may have local genealogical records. The county also has a list of local historians who do private genealogical research for a fee.

Cemetery records for Clinton County are available through various online sources and the county historian's office. The 1800 Census enumeration for Clinton County has been transcribed and is accessible for researchers working on early family history. For pre-1880 death information, church records and cemetery inscriptions are often the best sources since official vital records did not exist yet.

Clinton County Surrogate's Court and Probate

The Clinton County Surrogate's Court handles probate cases for the county. Probate records go back to 1788 and contain death dates, names of family members, and estate details. These records can be searched online through WebSurrogate. If you cannot find a death certificate through the regular channels, the probate file may confirm the date of death and provide other useful information. The Surrogate's Court also handles guardianships, adoptions, and estate accountings. A certified death certificate is required to start a probate case, so the court file itself proves that a death record was issued at some point.

Clinton County Death Records Screenshots

The Clinton County public records page explains which offices handle different types of records and how to submit requests.

This page confirms that the Health Department maintains vital records including death certificates, while the Clerk of Court handles civil and criminal case files.

The Archives.com Clinton County page provides contact details for the county clerk and information about local genealogy resources.

This resource lists the county clerk's hours, phone number, and vital records phone line at (518) 563-7702 for direct questions about death certificates.

Nearby Counties

Clinton County borders Franklin County to the west, Essex County to the south, and the state of Vermont across Lake Champlain to the east. The Canadian border is to the north. If the death you are researching happened in a neighboring county, you will need to contact that county's local town clerks or the NYS Department of Health.