Death Certificates

Death certificates are normally ordered through the mortuary handling funeral arrangements, through the mail, or in person at our office (see, hours below). On May 1, 2023, the death online ordering system launched to alleviate mail in requests.  Adjustments are being made to enhance the system and when complete, a formal announcement will be made.  In the meantime, should you wish to use the online ordering system now, there is a $2.50 fee, in addition to the cost of the certificate.  Of course, you may still order death certificates through the mortuary, mail or come in person to request the death certificate.  See below for details.

How to Apply

You may order online, mail in, or come in person to request a death certificate.

The requestor must provide their government issued photo identification or upload or submit a copy when ordering online or through the mail.

The requestor must provide documentation showing eligibility to obtain the death certificate, if you are not eligible to receive the certified copy that you requested, your order will not be fulfilled.   Check eligibility below.

Office Hours:

  • Our office is open Monday through Friday from 7:45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
  • Location: 1250 Punchbowl Street, Room 103 (1st floor) at the main Hawaii Department of Health building (corner of Beretania and Punchbowl Streets)
  • Parking: Metered parking is available in front of the building with entry from Punchbowl Street.  Fees (subject to change) currently $2 per hour, payable by cash or credit card.
  • Marriage License Office open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
  • Correction and Registration Office open Monday through Friday, 7:45 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
  • All other Department of Health offices Remain Open, Monday through Friday, 7:45 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

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On the neighbor islands, you may contact the local District Health Office location in your area for assistance:

Apply for Death Certificates

1. ONLINE at:  https://vitrec.ehawaii.gov

Your government issued photo identification, documents showing you are entitled to the certificate (see, eligibility below) must be uploaded with your order.    If you order online and mail in your identification and documentation, please put your order number on the copy.

2.MAIL:

Send your completed request for certified death record form, copy of your government issued photo identification, documents showing you are entitled to the certificate (see, eligibility below), and payment to the following address:

State Department of Health
Office of Health Status Monitoring
Issuance/Vital Statistics Section
P.O. Box 3378
Honolulu, HI 96801

Form: CLICK HERE FOR A REQUEST FOR CERTIFIED DEATH RECORD.

3.IN PERSON:

Bring your completed request form above, your government issued photo identification, documents showing you are entitled to the certificate (see, eligibility below), and payment to the Honolulu office.  Additional forms are available.

Costs & Payment

Fees for certified copies of death certificates are as follows:

  • $10.00 for the first copy of each certificate, and
  • $4.00 for each additional copy of the same certificate ordered at the same time.
  • $2.50 fee for online orders up to 5 certificates; (Add another $2.50 fee for each additional increment up to 5 copies. For example, 6 through 10 copies equals a $5.00 fee and 11 through 15 copies equals a $7.50 fee).

Payment Methods:

  • For online orders, you may pay with your credit card or debit card.
  • For orders completed by mail, you may pay with a cashier’s check, certified check or money order payable to the State Department of Health. Cash and personal checks will not be accepted for mail orders.
  • For orders completed in person, you may pay with cash, cashier’s check, certified check or money order payable to the State Department of Health.

Eligibility

A certified copy of a vital record (death certificate, divorce certificate, birth certificate, or marriage certificate) is issued only to an applicant who has a direct and tangible interest in the record. The following persons are considered to have such an interest:

  • The registrant (the person whom the record is concerned with);
  • The registrant’s spouse;
  • The registrant’s parent(s);
  • A descendant of the registrant (e.g., a child or grandchild);
  • A person having a common ancestor with the registrant (e.g., a sibling, grandparent, aunt/uncle, or cousin);
  • A legal guardian of the registrant;
  • A person or agency acting on behalf of the registrant;
  • A personal representative of the registrant’s estate;
  • A person whose right to obtain a copy of the record is established by an order of a court of competent jurisdiction;
  • Adoptive parents who have filed a petition for adoption and need to determine the death of one or more of the prospective adopted child’s natural or legal parents;
  • A person who needs to determine the marital status of a former spouse in order to determine the payment of alimony;
  • A person who needs to determine the death of a non-related co-owner of property purchased under a joint tenancy agreement; and
  • A person who needs a death certificate for the determination of payments under a credit insurance policy.

If you are not able to establish a direct and tangible interest in the record, you are ineligible and will not be issued a certified copy of the record.

A search of the records on file with the Department of Health will only be conducted to process an application requesting either a certified copy or a letter of verification. If the search establishes that the requested record is not on file, you will be notified that no record has been found. No searches of the records on file with the Department of Health will be conducted prior to or outside of the receipt of an application and payment of fees.

Letters of Verification

This service is available by mail or in person only.   If requesting in person, you may not receive the verification letter(s) immediately and may need to arrange for pickup or it be mailed to you.

The fee for a letter of verification is $5 per letter.

Letters of verification may be issued in lieu of certified copies (HRS §338-14.3). This document verifies the existence of a birth/death/civil union/marriage certificate on file with the Department of Health and any other information that the applicant provides to be verified relating to the vital event. (For example, that a certain named individual was born on a certain date at a certain place.) The verification process will not, however, disclose information about the vital event contained within the certificate that is unknown to and not provided by the applicant in the request.

Letters of verification are requested in a similar fashion and using the same request forms as for certified copies.

Upon request, a letter of verification attesting to the existence of a requested record on file with the Department of Health may be issued. Instructions for applying for letters of verification are included in the next section and immediately follow the set of instructions on applying for certified copies. The same eligibility requirements apply for both certified copies and verification letters, see, eligibility above.

Divorce Certificate

This service is available by mail or in person only. 

The Department of Health only has limited DIVORCE records from January 1951 through December 2002.  The divorce certificate issued by the Department of Health does not replace your Divorce Decree.

For divorce decrees before 1951 and after 2002, please contact the appropriate court in Hawaii upon which the divorce was granted.  On Oahu, contact the Kapolei Judiciary Complex, Legal Documents Branch- Divorce Records at (808) 954-8310; On Maui, Molokai, Lanai, contact the Hoapili Hale, Legal Documents Branch at (808)244-2969; On Hawaii island, contact Hale Kaulike, Legal Documents Branch, Hilo at (808) 961-7404 and,  Keahuolu Courthouse, Kona at (808) 443-2112; and, Kauai, Puuhonua, Legal Documents Branch at (808) 482-2330.

On the neighbor islands, you may contact the local District Health Office location in your area for assistance:

Apply for Divorce Certificates

1. MAIL:  Send your mail in request to the following address:

State Department of Health
Office of Health Status Monitoring
Issuance/Vital Statistics Section
P.O. Box 3378
Honolulu, HI 96801

2. IN PERSON:  If requesting a certified divorce record in person, you may not receive the certificate immediately, you will need to make arrangements to pick up at a later date or have it mailed to you.

NOTE:  When requesting by mail or in person, you must include along with the completed request form a photocopy of your government issued photo identification, (such as a State ID, driver’s license, etc.) or have with you, copy of documents showing your entitlement to obtain the certificate (see, above for eligibility), and payment.

Form: CLICK HERE FOR REQUEST FOR CERTIFIED DIVORCE RECORD.