Find Howard County Death Certificates
Howard County death records are on file at the Howard County Health Department in Kokomo, going back to 1875. This is one of the older collections in Indiana, though records from 1875 to about 1920 can be sketchy and incomplete. The health department on East Mulberry Street handles all death certificate requests for Howard County. Kokomo is the county seat and the largest city in the county. You can get copies in person or by mail. The fee is $10.00 per certified copy, which is one of the lower rates in the state.
Howard County Quick Facts
Howard County Health Department
The Howard County Health Department is at 120 East Mulberry Street in Kokomo. This is where all death certificates for Howard County are stored and issued. The office has records going back to 1875, making it one of the earliest collections in the state. However, records from the late 1800s and early 1900s are not always complete. Some years have gaps. If you need a death record from before 1920, the staff will do their best to find it, but there is no guarantee it exists in their files.
For deaths after 1920, the records are much more consistent. The Howard County health department processes requests during regular business hours. Walk-in service is available. Bring a photo ID and tell the clerk the name of the person who died and the date of death. The fee is just $10.00 per copy, which is well below what many Indiana counties charge. You can reach the office by phone at 765-456-2403 if you have questions before your visit.
The Howard County office works with funeral homes in the Kokomo area who file the original death certificates. Once a death is reported, the funeral director submits the paperwork to this office. The health department keeps the county copy and sends one to the state.
| Office | Howard County Health Department |
|---|---|
| Address | 120 E. Mulberry Street, Kokomo, IN 46901 |
| Phone | 765-456-2403 |
| Website | in.gov/localhealth/howardcounty |
| Certified Copy | $10.00 |
How to Get Howard County Death Records
The main way to get a Howard County death certificate is to visit the health department in Kokomo. Go to 120 East Mulberry Street during business hours. Fill out the request form at the counter. You need the full name of the deceased and the approximate date of death. Show your photo ID and pay $10.00. The clerk searches their files and prints the certified copy for you. Most walk-in requests at the Howard County office take less than 30 minutes.
You can also request by mail. Write to the Howard County Health Department at the address listed above. Include the full name of the deceased, date of death, your name, your mailing address, a phone number where they can reach you, and a check or money order for $10.00. The office processes mail requests and sends the certified death certificate back to you. Mail turnaround from Howard County is about one to two weeks, depending on how busy they are. Include as much detail as you can about the deceased to help the staff find the right record.
Note: Howard County does not currently offer online ordering through their own website, so in-person or mail are your options for going through the local office directly.
State-Level Death Records Access
If you want to order online, the Indiana Department of Health accepts death certificate orders through VitalChek. The state keeps copies of all death records filed in Indiana, including those from Howard County. You can use Form 49606 for mail orders to the state office in Indianapolis. The state fee is different from the Howard County fee, so check the current rate before ordering.
Going through the state office is handy if you need death records from more than one Indiana county. One request to the state can cover records from Howard County and anywhere else in the state. The trade-off is that the state office typically takes longer to process requests. For a single Howard County death certificate, the local Kokomo office is usually faster and cheaper at $10.00 per copy.
Death Record Regulations in Howard County
Howard County follows Indiana state law on vital records. Indiana Code 16-37-1-10 makes vital records public after a certain period. Death certificates are generally available to the public in Indiana. You do not need to prove you are a family member to get a copy. Anyone who pays the fee and gives the right details can get a death certificate from Howard County.
Under Indiana Code Title 16, Article 37, deaths must be reported within 72 hours. The funeral director or the person handling the remains files the certificate with the local registrar. In Howard County, that is the health department in Kokomo. The office logs the record and forwards a copy to the state. Certified copies carry the county seal and are valid for legal use, including estate settlement, insurance claims, and property transfers.
The $10.00 fee in Howard County covers one certified copy. If you need more than one, ask the clerk about the cost for extra copies. Some counties give a discount on additional copies ordered at the same time.
Howard County Health Department Portal
The Howard County Health Department website lists the vital records services available at the Kokomo office.
Visit the site for current hours, contact information, and any updates to how Howard County processes death certificate requests.
Local Health Department Resources
The Indiana Local Health Department Map shows you which health department handles death records for each part of the state. Howard County is in north-central Indiana, and the map confirms the Kokomo office on Mulberry Street is the right place to contact for death certificates filed in Howard County. If a death happened near a county line, check the map to see if a neighboring county might have the record instead.
Note: For deaths that happened in Kokomo before 1920, the Howard County records may be incomplete, and the state office in Indianapolis could be an alternate source to check.
Cities in Howard County
Howard County is home to Kokomo, which is the county seat and the largest city in the county. All death records for Howard County go through the health department in Kokomo.
Other communities in Howard County include Greentown, Russiaville, and West Middleton. Death records for all of these areas are handled by the Howard County Health Department on Mulberry Street in Kokomo.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Howard County. If a death happened close to a county line, the record may be in a neighboring county's files. Each county keeps its own set of death records.