Daviess County Death Records

Daviess County death records are managed by the county health department in Washington, Indiana. Searching for a death certificate here starts with reaching the vital records division, which keeps files going back many years. The office on East Hefron Street handles all requests for certified copies, and staff can help you look up records by name or date. Whether you visit in person, call, or use an online form, Daviess County has a few different ways to get what you need.

Daviess County Health Department Records

The Daviess County Health Department vital records office is the main source for death certificates in the county. It sits at 1211 E. Hefron Street in Washington. Staff there keep records of deaths that took place in Daviess County, and they can pull up files going back to 1882. The office also has an online application you can use if you prefer not to visit in person. This makes Daviess County one of the more accessible rural counties for vital records requests in Indiana.

You can reach the vital records team by phone at 812-254-8666, extension 2265. Email works too if you have questions before you make a formal request. Send a message to vitalrecords@daviesshealth.com and they will get back to you with details on what you need to submit. In-person visits tend to be the fastest option for getting a certified death certificate from Daviess County. Walk in during business hours, fill out a short form, and pay the $15 fee. Most requests are ready the same day.

Getting Death Certificates in Daviess County

There are a few ways to get a death certificate from Daviess County. In-person visits to the health department are the quickest route. You fill out the request form, pay the $15 fee, and staff search their files while you wait. Bring a valid photo ID. You should also know the full name of the person who died and an approximate date of death. That helps narrow the search down fast.

Daviess County also offers an online application for death certificate requests. This is a form you fill out on the county website, and the office processes it once they get your payment. The online method is useful for people who live far from Washington or have trouble getting to the office during work hours. Processing times for online and mail requests are a bit longer than in-person, usually one to two weeks from when the office gets everything it needs. Check the Daviess County vital records page for the most current instructions on how to use the online form.

Mail requests are another choice. Send a letter with the person's full name, date of death, your name, your reason for the request, and a check or money order for $15 payable to the Daviess County Health Department. Address it to the office on Hefron Street. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope if you want the certificate mailed back to you.

Note: The Daviess County office may ask for extra details on older records where the name alone is not enough to find the right file.

State Death Records for Daviess County

The Indiana Department of Health in Indianapolis also keeps death records for every county, including Daviess. If you cannot reach the local office or need records from multiple counties, the state office is a solid choice. They accept mail requests using Form 49606, which covers death certificates from any Indiana county. Fill out the form, attach your fee, and mail it to the state vital records office.

You can also order through VitalChek, which lets you place your request online or by phone. VitalChek adds its own service fee on top of the state fee. Phone orders go through 1-866-866-1238. This is a good option if you want to avoid the mail process entirely and do not mind the added cost. State processing times run longer than local ones, sometimes three to four weeks by mail.

Daviess County Death Record Laws

Indiana law governs how death records are kept and who can get them. Under Indiana Code 16-37-1-10, the local health officer in each county must keep vital records and make them available. For Daviess County, this duty falls on the health department in Washington. Deaths must be reported within 72 hours of the event, and the funeral home or attending physician is responsible for filing the death certificate with the local registrar.

Once the death certificate is filed in Daviess County, it becomes part of the permanent record. Certified copies carry a raised seal and serve as legal proof of death. These are used for settling estates, claiming life insurance, and other official purposes. Non-certified copies are also available but lack the seal. The full rules on vital records in Indiana are laid out in Indiana Code Title 16, Article 37. Daviess County follows these state rules on top of any local procedures.

Daviess County Records Resources

The Daviess County vital records page provides current information on how to request death certificates and other vital records from the health department.

Check this page before making your request to confirm office hours, fees, and what documents you need to bring along. The online application link is also on this page.

Local Health Department Map

The Indiana Local Health Department Map shows every county health office in the state. For Daviess County, it points to the Washington office. This tool is handy if you are not sure which county a death occurred in, or if you need contact info for a neighboring county. Daviess County sits in the southwest part of Indiana, surrounded by Greene, Knox, Pike, Martin, and Dubois counties. Each of those has its own health department that handles death records separately.

Note: If a death took place near a county line, the record may be filed in either Daviess County or a neighboring county depending on the exact location.

Cities in Daviess County

Daviess County includes Washington, the county seat, along with several smaller towns like Montgomery, Odon, Elnora, and Plainville. None of these cities have populations over the threshold for individual pages. All death records for cities and towns in Daviess County are handled through the county health department in Washington. There are no separate city offices for vital records here.

Nearby Counties

These counties share a border with Daviess County. If you are not sure where a death took place, you may want to contact a neighboring county health department. Each one keeps its own death records.