What Shows Up on Death Records in Massachusetts?
A Massachusetts death record is a legal document serving as proof of death in the state. Typically, it provides details about the injury or disease responsible for the deceased’s death (i.e. the cause of death), and explanations as to the circumstances surrounding the cause of death, (i.e. the manner of death). Death records also include fetal death and stillbirth records, as they are an important aspect of vital health statistics. All Massachusetts Vital Records, including death, marriage, and divorce, are generated and maintained by local custodians, the state vital statistics office, and the National Center for Vital Statistics.
Some common details that may be found in a death record include:
- The deceased’s full name
- Birth parents
- The date of death
- The cause of death
- The manner of death
- The place of death
- The deceased’s gender
- The decedent's social security number
- Previous occupation of the deceased
- The deceased’s address
- Decedent's spouse
- Name of birth parents in the case of a dependent.
Massachusetts death records serve several legal, administrative, and record-keeping purposes. Aside from providing the deceased’s relatives with a cause of death, certified death records are usually required to arrange burial or cremation services, notify social security, settle the deceased’s estate, and claim pension, insurance, and death benefits.
In addition, the mortality data documented from death certificates are also used to establish public health policies, monitor disease trends, and disburse health funding.
How are Death Records Created in Massachusetts?
After a person's death has been confirmed by an attending physician, registered nurse, practitioner, or physician assistant, the funeral director coordinates the process of registering the Certificate of Death. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Registry of Vital Records and Statistics (RVRS) collates all death records in the state through the web-oriented Vitals Information Partnership (VIP).
The registration process usually involves the input of the state and local government, funeral homes, medical staff, and sometimes, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. The medical certifier first initiates the process of filing the death certificate and has the primary responsibility of certifying and documenting the deceased’s cause(s) of death. This process is to be carried out within 24 hours of death.
After the medical examiner or certifying physician pronounces a person dead, the funeral home checks the record to certify that the medical certifier did indeed complete their section in the death record. Medical certifiers may certify deaths either by paper-based attestation or online.
The funeral director, together with the Local Board of Health in the place where the death occurred, then completes the deceased’s personal data. This is necessary so that a burial permit can be obtained before the disposition of the deceased. The funeral home then goes on to complete the online processing of the death record, provided they have an online account to do so. A funeral home without an online account may use the account of any other Massachusetts funeral home with one.
The local board of health or its agent acting in its place collects the completed death record from the funeral director, reviews it, releases a burial permit, and dispatches the record to the city/town clerk for registration.
Upon receiving the death record from the local board of public health, the city/town clerk examines the record to identify omissions or errors. If there is none, the record is accepted and recorded in the official records of the community.
How to Find Death Records Online in Massachusetts
Massachusetts does not provide a central online repository where death records can be accessed. However, the state makes provisions for those interested in ordering copies of death records online.
The State Archives serves as a repository for all death records filed between 1841 and 1920. Interested persons may search for available death records through the Massachusetts State Archives website.
Usually, the details provided in these records are the deceased’s name, the deceased’s date of birth and death, occupation, names of parents, and previous place of residence. In addition, records of deaths that occurred between 1903 and 1920 also include information on the place of burial.
Online public libraries and genealogical societies are also great places to search for Massachusetts death certificates or any online death information, as most of them keep an internet database of compiled vital records and genealogical resources. Boston Library, for example, provides an online search platform for anyone interested in accessing death information in the state.
Death records are considered open to citizens of the United States, public records are available through both traditional, government sources, and through third-party websites and organizations. In many cases, third-party websites make the search easier as they are not limited geographically or by technological limitations. They are considered a good place to start when looking for a specific record or multiple records. To order online from an aggregate site or online vendor, interested persons must furnish the custodian with:
- The name of the person listed in the record. Juveniles are typically exempt from this search method.
- The last known or assumed location of the person listed in the record. This includes cities, counties, and states.
While third-party sites offer such services, they are not government-sponsored entities and record availability may vary on these sites when compared to government sources.
Death Record Search by Name in Massachusetts
Massachusetts death records search by name can be performed by researching the vital records at the Massachusetts archives. The results of a search using the deceased's name will produce images of the state of Massachusetts' death certificates and registers as well as the Name Index.
People can also get Massachusetts death certificates for someone by searching for their name on the Department of Death Registry in select Massachusetts cities, such as Boston. Massachusetts death record searches by name can also be done on third-party websites for a modest price.
Death Record Search by Address
The Massachusetts archives also allow members of the public to conduct a death record search by address. This can be processed by entering the last known address, county or city of the deceased into the search box provided.
How to Find Death Records for Free in Massachusetts
Generally, copies of death certificates in Massachusetts have to be paid for through the Registry of Vital Records and Statistics (RVRS). However, requesters can access death information for free through historical societies, public libraries, genealogical societies, gravestone collections, newspapers, Massachusetts church records, etc.
Also, the American Ancestors and New England Historic Genealogical Society offer requesters the opportunity to access death information for free from several records available online. For information regarding deaths in a specific judicial district such as a county or city, interested persons may query the National Center for Vital Statistics.
How to Obtain Death Records in Massachusetts
There are several ways through which a person can obtain a death record in Massachusetts, although the means used depends on the period of the death record being requested.
Records of deaths from before 1841 are available in the Clerk’s Office in the towns or cities where the deaths occurred. Death records from before 1850 are available on request at many libraries, including the Massachusetts State Library.
Death records from between 1841 and 1925 are maintained at the Massachusetts Archives. Hence, anyone interested in a copy can order the death record through the Massachusetts State Archives website. The Massachusetts State Archives can be queried in person, by email, or by mail. Applicants are required to complete the Application for Certified Vital Records Order Form and email it to the State Archive at archives@sec.state.ma.us. They can also print and mail the request form using the address below:
Massachusetts Archives
220 Morrissey Boulevard
Boston, MA 02125
In applying for a death certificate, a requester is required to fill in the date of death. If the date of death is not known, the applicant may provide a ten-year range to search. The page number of the record and volume are also to be provided in the form for ease of search. However, It can be left blank if it happens to be unavailable. For each certificate requested, a separate money order or check must be provided.
Finally, applicants can order copies of certified death records through the Registry. The Registry of Vital Records and Statistics has served as a repository for Massachusetts death records since 1926. This can be done by:
- In-person request
- Mail request
In-person request
Applicants can visit the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Registry of Vital Records and Statistics and order for death records in person at the Registry counter. Office hours for in-person requests are from Monday to Friday, between the hours of 8:45 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. Payments are to be made by check or money order, as the Registry has placed a ban on cash.
Before requesting a Massachusetts death record, an applicant will need to provide the date of death, the deceased’s name, the place of death, and a valid means of identification.
Mail Request
Parties may also order death certificates from the state’s Vital Records Office via mail. A requester applying via mail will be required to download, fill, and submit the Vital Records Mail Order Form, along with the applicable fees, proof of identification, and a stamped, self-addressed, business-letter-sized envelope to the address below:
Registry of Vital Records and Statistics
150 Mount Vernon Street
1st Floor
Dorchester, MA 02125
Can Anyone Get a Copy of a Death Certificate in Massachusetts?
Death certificates in Massachusetts are public records; hence, they are available on request to anyone who requires a copy.
How Much Does a Death Certificate Cost in Massachusetts?
The Fees For Vital Records Service guide spells out the fees that accrue to ordering death records from the state vital records office in Massachusetts. For mail requests to the Registry, the fee to conduct a ten-year search for a Massachusetts death certificate costs $32. This includes one certified copy of the death record or an official statement declaring that the record is not on file i.e. a Negative Statement. Mail orders requesting expedited service costs $42. If the request is made in person, the applicant will pay a fee of $20 instead.
For requests routed through the State Archives, applicants will be required to pay $3 for each copy of a certified death record requested. Applicants may only order five copies per order. Search fees for records that were not found in the State Archives will be refunded.
All cash, checks, and money orders for death records requests are to be made payable to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
How Long Does It Take to Get a Death Certificate in Massachusetts?
It takes approximately two weeks for the processing of orders routed through the State Archives. Online requests routed through the Massachusetts Vital Records Office are usually processed in 7-10 business days. However, applicants can request expedited delivery to receive next day/ overnight service.
Mail orders usually take about 30 days from the day the order was made to be processed. However, applicants can expedite the process to 7-10 business days. The envelope must be addressed to the attention of “Expedited Mail Service” to expedite the delivery time.
How Long to Keep Records After Death
Generally, the deceased’s paperwork and documents should not be tampered with until at least three years after the year of death. This includes the deceased’s financial documents, medical reports and documents, legal records, and miscellaneous documents.
On the other hand, the vital records and documents containing the deceased’s medical information should be held for at least 10 - 12 years after the death and should be replaced immediately if misplaced within that time frame.
How to Expunge Death Records in Massachusetts
An expungement order is an order given by a judge or the court allowing for a person's criminal record to be sealed, destroyed, and taken off the book. Death records do not fall under the category of vital statistics records that can be expunged in Massachusetts.
How to Seal Death Records in Massachusetts
Likewise, death records are not sealable in Massachusetts. Other vital records, such as pre-adoption birth records can, however, be sealed. Sealed records in the state are unavailable to the general public and are only accessible to those given authorization.
How to Unseal Death Records in Massachusetts
There are no legal provisions for the sealing or unsealing of death records in the State of Massachusetts. Hence, death records present in the state can neither be sealed or unsealed.
How to Find an Obituary for a Specific Person in Massachusetts
Public libraries in Massachusetts are the best place to find information on obituaries. Libraries typically carry newspapers, most of which have collections comprising both current and old newspapers that have been put in an online database format. Numerous libraries contain sections dedicated to genealogy. For instance, the Boston Public Library offers a search engine for obituaries online. Another library in Massachusetts is Fall River which has classified over 50 years' worth of obituaries from the local newspaper, the Fall River Herald News. Requestors may submit an obituary request via mail or email and do a search of this database using the deceased's complete name and the date of their passing. It costs $2.00 to request a Massachusetts obituary search from this database.
How to Conduct a Free Obituary Search in Massachusetts
Interested persons may request a full obituary or death notices of the subject by visiting any online funeral service in Massachusetts located where the deceased passed away. To find these funeral home services, requestors may perform a simple search. These funeral services have a searchable listing of the obituaries that they have handled, and interested people can search for these obituaries by name for free.
What are Massachusetts Death Notices?
A concise statement that notifies the public of someone's passing is known as a Massachusetts death notice. The information contained in a Massachusetts death notice includes the name, age, birth date, and death date of the deceased.
What is Considered a Death Notice in Massachusetts?
Death notices are a concise summary of an obituary that only includes key details. A death notice leaves out the majority of the deceased's biographical information. A more thorough announcement of death is an obituary. Obituaries are typically written by the newspaper's editors or reporters, as opposed to death notices, which are written by the family.
What is the Difference Between a Death Certificate and Other Death Records?
A death certificate is a legal document that is issued by a physician or government civil registration office. It states the date, place, and cause of death as recorded in an official register of deaths. A death certificate, unlike other death records, is a legal document that provides information that is typically not found in other types of death records, such as the deceased's marital status and occupation. A death certificate is necessary when applying for insurance benefits, paying out pension claims, or transferring property. The cause of death and final disposition of the deceased are specified in this legal document. The death certificate is evidence and proof of death if the subject of death is raised in a legal procedure. Other death records cannot be used as legal documents.
