Westchester County Death Records Search

Westchester County death records can be obtained from multiple sources depending on where and when the death took place. The county seat is White Plains. Westchester is a large suburban county just north of New York City, with 6 cities, 19 towns, and 23 villages. Death records date back to 1880 under the statewide system. The Westchester County Department of Health maintains death certificates, and local city and town clerks also keep vital records for their jurisdictions. Westchester has some unique features: it is the only county in New York where warrant tax rolls are retained by towns, and the Yonkers city clerk holds some vital records not available at the state level.

Westchester County Department of Health

The Westchester County Department of Health is at 145 Huguenot Street, New Rochelle, NY 10801. Call (914) 813-5000. The department maintains both birth and death certificates for the county. Death certificates cost $10 per copy. Birth certificates are also $10.

This is one of your primary options for getting a Westchester County death certificate. The Health Department covers the whole county, so you do not have to figure out which specific town or city the death happened in. However, individual city and town clerks also maintain their own records, so you have choices about where to send your request.

The state vital records page provides information about how to order death records from Westchester County and other New York counties.

You can order Westchester County death records through the state or go directly to the county Health Department or a local clerk.

Westchester County Clerk's Office

The Westchester County Clerk is at 110 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., White Plains, NY 10601. Call (914) 995-3080 or (914) 995-3070. The clerk keeps land records and court records from 1683, deeds, property surveys, maps, legal records, judgments and liens, divorce records, and trades licenses. Naturalization records are held at the County Archives.

The clerk has a searchable online database for land and legal records on their website. Public records fees include $0.25 per page for standard photocopies, $5 for large format documents, $10 for digital records on CD/DVD, $8 for certified court record copies, $10 for certified vital record copies, $5 per name for record searches, and $20 per hour for extensive research after the first free hour.

While the county clerk does not directly issue death certificates, their records can help with death-related research. Divorce records, land records, and court files often contain information that connects to death records.

City and Town Clerks in Westchester County

Westchester County has many municipalities, and each city and town clerk keeps vital records for their area. The standard fee for a death certificate is $10 per certified copy. Birth and marriage certificates are $10 each. Marriage licenses cost $40.

The Yonkers city clerk is worth special mention. Yonkers holds some vital records that are not available at the New York State Department of Health. If you are looking for a Yonkers death record, try the city clerk first. This is unusual in New York. Most local clerks have the same records that the state has, but Yonkers has some that the state does not.

You need a valid photo ID for any vital records request. The spouse, parent, child, or sibling of the deceased can get a certified death certificate. Others must prove a lawful right or claim. Genealogy copies are available after 50 years.

Westchester County Surrogate's Court

The Westchester County Surrogate's Court is at 111 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., 19th Floor, White Plains, NY 10601. Call (914) 824-5656 or email SurrogateWestchester@nycourts.gov. The surrogate is Hon. Brandon R. Sall. The chief clerk is Eugene Yates. Court hours are 9 AM to 5 PM on weekdays, with payments accepted until 3:30 PM.

Probate records in Westchester County go back to 1775. That is over 250 years of estate records. The court handles wills, estate administration, letters testamentary, guardianships, and adoptions. The Pro Se Help Center at 914-824-5701 can assist people who are filing without a lawyer.

The WebSurrogate system lets you search Westchester County court filings online for free. You can also visit in person to access records. Probate files often contain the date of death, names of heirs, family relationships, and estate details that are not on a death certificate.

Westchester County Archives

The Westchester County Archives are at 2199 Saw Mill River Road, Elmsford, NY 10523. Call (914) 231-1500 or email archivesreferencedesk@westchestergov.com. The archives website is at archives.westchestergov.com. They have naturalization records with an online index and historical county records that can aid in death records research.

The naturalization records index is searchable online, which is handy if you are trying to track down information about an immigrant ancestor. Naturalization files sometimes contain death-related details or can help you confirm identities when searching for death records.

State Death Records for Westchester County

The New York State Department of Health has Westchester County death records from 1880 forward. Mail orders cost $30. Online orders are $45 plus a vendor fee. The state office takes at least eight months to respond. The county Health Department or local clerk will be faster.

For genealogy, the state offers uncertified copies of records over 50 years old for $22. The New York State Archives has death record indexes from 1880 to 1943 on microfiche. The New York State Death Index from 1880 to 1956 is free to search online.

Free Online Death Record Resources

The New York State Death Index at newyorkdeathindex.com is free and covers 1880 to 1956. FamilySearch has free collections including the state death index with images, Deaths and Burials (1795-1952), and Church and Civil Deaths (1824-1962). Ancestry.com has paid collections with Westchester County data. The Westchester County Archives online index for naturalization records can also help piece together family histories.

Death Records in Westchester County Cities

Westchester County has several large cities where death records can be obtained. Each city clerk maintains vital records for deaths that happened within city limits. Select a city below for more information about local death records resources.

Yonkers is the largest city in Westchester County and holds some death records not available at the state level. Contact the Yonkers city clerk if you are looking for a death that happened there.

Nearby Counties

Death records near the Westchester County border may be filed in one of these neighboring counties.