Search Lake County Death Records
Lake County death records are maintained by the Lake County Health Department in Crown Point. This is the most populated county in northwest Indiana, with close to half a million residents spread across cities like Gary, Hammond, East Chicago, and Crown Point. The health department keeps death certificates from 1920 to the present. Because of the large population, Lake County handles a high volume of death certificate requests each year. You can order copies in person, by mail, or online through VitalChek at $20.00 per certified copy.
Lake County Quick Facts
Lake County Health Department
The Lake County Health Department is at 2900 West 93rd Avenue in Crown Point. This is the central office for all death certificate requests in the county. It covers every city and town within Lake County, from Gary in the north to Crown Point in the south. Walk-in service is available during business hours. Bring a valid photo ID, give the clerk the name of the deceased and the date of death, and pay $20.00 for a certified copy.
Lake County is a busy office. With nearly half a million residents, the health department processes thousands of death certificate requests each year. Wait times can be longer here than in smaller counties, especially during peak hours. Calling ahead at 888-985-7536 is a good idea to check hours and ask about current wait times. The staff can also tell you if the record you need is on file. Since Lake County records only go back to 1920, you will need to contact the state for anything older than that.
The health department works closely with funeral homes throughout Lake County. When a death occurs in Gary, Hammond, East Chicago, or any other Lake County city, the funeral director files the certificate with this office. They keep the county copy and send one to the state.
| Office | Lake County Health Department |
|---|---|
| Address | 2900 W. 93rd Avenue, Crown Point, IN 46307 |
| Phone | 888-985-7536 |
| Website | lakecountyin.gov |
| Certified Copy | $20.00 |
Note: Lake County death records begin in 1920, so for deaths that occurred before that year, you will need to request from the Indiana Department of Health.
How to Get Lake County Death Certificates
Visit the health department at 2900 West 93rd Avenue in Crown Point for the fastest service. Walk in during business hours with your photo ID. Fill out the request form. Give the clerk the full name of the person who died and the date of death. Pay $20.00 per certified copy. The office searches their files and prints the certificate. For common names, bringing extra details like the place of death or age helps the clerk find the right record faster.
Mail requests are accepted too. Send a letter to the Lake County Health Department at the address above. Include the deceased's full name, date of death, your name, your address, a phone number, and a check or money order for $20.00. Mail turnaround from Lake County varies. During busy times, it can take two to three weeks. The office mails the certified copy back to you at the address you provide. Make sure to include enough detail to help the staff locate the right record, since Lake County has a large population and common names come up often.
The large number of cities in Lake County means deaths are filed from many different locations. Whether the death happened in Gary, Hammond, Merrillville, Schererville, or Hobart, the record ends up at the same office in Crown Point. You do not need to contact each city separately.
Online Death Record Orders
Lake County death records are available online through VitalChek. This is the most convenient option if you live outside the Crown Point area. Select Indiana and Lake County on the VitalChek site, enter the information about the deceased, and pay with a credit or debit card. There is a service fee on top of the $20.00 certificate cost, so the total will be higher than ordering in person.
VitalChek sends the order to the Lake County health department for processing. The office fills the order and mails the certified death certificate to your address. Standard shipping takes roughly two weeks from Lake County. Rush shipping is available for an extra charge. Given that Lake County is a high-volume office, online orders may sometimes take slightly longer during busy periods.
Indiana State Death Records
The Indiana Department of Health has copies of all death certificates filed in Indiana. This includes records from Lake County. You can order from the state by mailing Form 49606 or by using VitalChek. The state is especially useful for Lake County death records from before 1920, since the local office only has records from that year forward.
If you need death records from multiple Indiana counties, the state office lets you make one request instead of contacting each county. The state office in Indianapolis usually takes three to four weeks for mail requests. For a single Lake County death certificate from after 1920, the Crown Point office is the faster option. But for older records, the state may be your only source.
Lake County Death Record Regulations
Lake County follows Indiana state law on vital records. Under Indiana Code 16-37-1-10, vital records become public after a certain period. Death certificates in Lake County are available to anyone who pays the fee. You do not have to be a family member. Just provide the details of the deceased and the $20.00 fee, and the office will issue a certified copy.
Indiana Code Title 16, Article 37 requires that deaths be reported within 72 hours. The funeral director files the death certificate with the local registrar. For Lake County, that is the health department in Crown Point. They log the record and forward a copy to the state. Certified copies carry the county seal and work as legal proof of death for estates, insurance, and property transfers. Lake County issues a high number of these certificates each year given the population size.
Lake County Health Department Portal
The Lake County government website provides information about the health department and its vital records services.
Visit the site for hours, fees, and contact details for the vital records office at the Crown Point location. The website also has general information about other county services.
Local Health Department Resources
The Indiana Local Health Department Map shows which health department covers each area of the state. Lake County sits in the far northwest corner of Indiana, bordering Illinois and Lake Michigan. The map confirms that the Crown Point office on West 93rd Avenue is the place to go for death records in Lake County. Deaths near the border with Porter, LaPorte, or Jasper County may sometimes be filed in those counties, so check the map if you are unsure.
Cities in Lake County
Lake County has several major cities. All death records are processed through the Lake County Health Department in Crown Point, regardless of which city the death took place in.
Other communities in Lake County include Griffith, Highland, Munster, Dyer, St. John, and Lowell. Death records for all of these areas go through the Lake County health department in Crown Point.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Lake County. If a death took place near the county line, the record might be filed in a neighboring county. Each county keeps its own death records.