Kokomo Death Records Search
Kokomo death records are managed by the Howard County Health Department on Mulberry Street in downtown Kokomo. The city is the county seat of Howard County and home to about 59,000 people. All deaths in the county are filed with this office, and they keep records going back to 1875. Walk-in service is the main way to get copies, since the office does not have an online ordering system. The health department is open weekdays and can help you find the death record you need.
Kokomo Quick Facts
Howard County Health Department
The Howard County Health Department is the local source for death records in Kokomo. It sits at 120 E. Mulberry Street, Kokomo, IN 46901. The phone number is (765) 456-2403. Office hours are 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. This office handles all death certificate requests for deaths that took place in Howard County.
Kokomo has some of the oldest local death records in the state. The Howard County office has files dating back to 1875. That said, records from 1875 to about 1920 can be spotty. Not all deaths were properly filed during those early years. Filing became more reliable after the state tightened its rules. Still, the office may have records from that era, and it is worth asking if you are looking for something old.
The cost for a certified death certificate in Kokomo is $10 per copy. That makes Howard County one of the more affordable places in Indiana to get a death certificate. You pay at the office when you pick up your copy. The office does not offer online ordering for local records, so a visit or a phone call is the way to start the process.
| Office | Howard County Health Department |
|---|---|
| Address | 120 E. Mulberry St, Kokomo, IN 46901 |
| Phone | (765) 456-2403 |
| Hours | 7:30 AM - 5:00 PM, Monday - Friday |
| Fee | $10 per certified copy |
The Howard County Health Department page on the state site has more info about the office and its services.
This state-hosted page lists the department's contact details and links to vital records forms for Howard County.
Getting Death Records in Kokomo
The main way to get a death certificate in Kokomo is to go to the Howard County Health Department on Mulberry Street. Bring your photo ID and the name of the person whose record you want. If you know the date of death, give that to the staff too. They search the files and print a certified copy for you. The fee is $10. Walk-in service is usually quick, and most people get their record the same day.
If you are not able to visit Kokomo, the Indiana Department of Health offers mail-in orders. Print Form 49606 from the state website. Fill it out and mail it with a check or money order for $8. Send it to P.O. Box 7125, Indianapolis, IN 46206-7125. The state keeps all Indiana death records from 1900 forward, so any Kokomo death from that year on should be in their system. Extra copies from the same order cost $4 each.
Online ordering through VitalChek is another option. You use a credit card and pay an added service fee. Phone orders go through (866) 601-0891 at any time of day. Both of these methods work for Kokomo death records even though the local Howard County office does not have its own online system.
Who Can Request Kokomo Death Records
Under IC 16-37-1-10, death certificates at a local health department are public records. Anyone can get a non-certified copy. The Social Security number is removed from these copies. Non-certified copies are fine for research but not for legal use.
Certified copies are limited to people with a direct interest. Family members like spouses, parents, children, and siblings qualify. So do grandparents, aunts, uncles, and legal guardians. Attorneys and court-appointed representatives can also get certified copies. You need a valid photo ID and proof of your tie to the person who died. The Howard County staff will verify your information before they release a certified death certificate.
Note: For genealogy requests, the deceased must have been dead for more than 75 years for a non-family member to qualify.
Details on Kokomo Death Certificates
A death certificate from Kokomo includes the full legal name of the deceased, the date of death, and where the death took place. The cause and manner of death are listed based on what the doctor or coroner reported. Personal details on the record include age, date of birth, place of birth, and last known home address. Marital status and occupation also appear on the certificate.
The record identifies the funeral home that handled the arrangements. It also names the informant, which is the person who provided the personal facts about the deceased. Under Indiana Code Title 16, Article 37, the death certificate must be filed with the local registrar within five days of the death. For Kokomo, that registrar is the Howard County Health Department. The Indiana Department of Health also receives a copy of every death certificate filed in the state.
Historical Kokomo Death Records
Howard County has some of the oldest death records in Indiana. Files go back to 1875. Records from that era through about 1920 are described as sketchy by the office. Not all deaths were filed in those years, and the records that do exist may have less detail than modern ones. If you are looking for a death record from the late 1800s in Kokomo, the county office is your best shot, but there are no guarantees.
The state has records from 1900 on. The local health department map from the Indiana Department of Health confirms that Howard County serves as the local registrar for all of Kokomo. For older records, the Indiana State Library and the Indiana State Archives may have materials that the county does not. These sources are useful for genealogy work on Kokomo families from the 1800s.
Howard County Death Records
Kokomo is the county seat of Howard County. All death certificates for the city and surrounding areas go through the same health department. For more details on county-wide resources and related records, visit the county page.
Nearby Cities
These cities near Kokomo also have death records pages with local info on where to search and how to get copies.