Montana Death Records

Montana death records are documents containing records of the demise of people in the state, and they typically have information such as the date of death, the place of death, the cause of death, and personal details of the deceased. While some jurisdictions in the state registered death events dating back to the 1880s, mandatory statewide registration of death records was not required until July 1, 1907.

The recent trend in death rates indicates a falling death rate in Montana. At 816.1 deaths per 100,000 residents, the state's adjusted mortality rate is only slightly higher than the national average of 805.6 per 100,000 people. According to a CDC report, like several other states in the United States, the leading causes of death in Montana are heart disease, cancer, accidents, and chronic respiratory diseases. An average of 11,603 deaths is recorded in the state every year.

The most widely available form of death record in Montana is the death certificate. It is the official and legal copy of an individual's death, and it can either be a certified or an informational copy. Both certified and informational copies of a Montana death certificate are issued from the original certificates.

Per Section 50-15-403 of the state's Code Annotated, the person in charge of the disposition of a deceased's body is primarily responsible for filing their original death certificate with the local registrar in the jurisdiction where the death occurred. However, the cause of death must be medically certified by a healthcare practitioner before filing the certificate. Once an original death certificate is filed with the appropriate agency in Montana, the agency can issue certified copies of such certificates to eligible individuals. Generally, a certified copy of a death certificate is a duplicate copy of the original document that bears an official seal of the government, and it is legally acceptable and recognized anywhere in the state.

How Do I Get a Certified Copy of a Death Certificate in Montana?

The Office of Vital Records in Montana, under the state's Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS), issues certified copies of death certificates. Interested persons may adopt any of the following methods to get certified copies of any death certificates of their interest:

• Mail-in Application - Take the following steps to obtain a certified copy of a Montana death certificate by mail:

  • Complete the Death Certificate Application Form.
  • Provide a legible photocopy of a valid photo ID, which may be any of a driver's license, passport, state ID card, tribal card, or military ID card. Alternatively, a requester who does not have any of the valid IDs can have their paper application notarized, affirming their identity, or they can provide any two of the acceptable secondary ID documents (one must have the applicant's ID).
  • Pay the appropriate fee. Each certified copy of a Montana death certificate costs $16 (non-refundable)

  • Mail the completed death certificate application form and other requirements to the DPHHS at:

    Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services

    Office of Vital Records

    P.O. Box 4210

    Helena, MT 59604-4210

• In-Person Application - Interested and eligible parties may also obtain certified copies of Montana death certificates by submitting all the requirements at any local County Clerk and Recorder's Office or the state office of Vital Records at:

  Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services

  Office of Vital Records

  111 N Sanders, Room 6

  Helena, MT 59604

  Office Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (the office is closed between 10:30 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. on Fridays)

  There is no specific processing time for death certificate requests submitted to the Montana Office of Vital Records. The processing time varies and largely depends on the volume of requests and staffing. Applicants may check the status of their requests by contacting the Office of Vital Records at (406) 444-2685 or by email.

Are Montana Death Records Public?

Yes, Montana death records are considered public records and may be accessed by anyone. According to Section 50-15-121 of the state's Code Annotated, a death record must be issued to any interested person upon request. This includes certified copies or any other copy (excluding the original) of a death record.

Who Can Request an Original Death Certificate in Montana?

Once registered with the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) through the Office of Vital Records, an original death certificate remains permanently filed with the DPHHS. As a result, no person may request or obtain an original death certificate in the state. However, under state law, anyone may request certified copies of a death certificate or any other copy in Montana. Nevertheless, interested parties will have to submit completed applications, establish their identity, and state the reasons for requesting copies of death certificates.

How Long Does It Take to Get a Death Certificate in Montana?

How long it takes to get a copy of a death certificate in Montana varies, and generally depends on the staffing and workload of the state's Office of Vital Records at the time of submitting a request. However, one thing that can impact the time it takes for a final, original death certificate to be filed with the DPHHS is the cause of death. Generally, a certificate of death for a death event that occurred naturally is expected to be filed with the local registrar within 10 days, and afterward, anyone may request copies of the death certificate. However, when an autopsy is required, there is usually a delay in preparing a final, original death certificate, and this may translate to a delay in getting a copy of a death certificate that includes the cause of death.

In Montana, autopsies are typically performed when the cause of death is unexpected, violent, uncertain, or unusual. Under such circumstances, the Coroner is required to inquire into and determine the manner and the cause of death. In most situations, more extensive testing is required to determine the cause of death after the initial examination, in which case, pending death certificates are issued to enable the deceased's family to make funeral arrangements. Where complicated laboratory testing like toxicology is required, it may take about 8 weeks or longer before the final autopsy reports are available.

By the time a final autopsy report is ready and the final death certificate containing the cause of death is prepared and ready for filing with the local registrar, several weeks or months would have passed. This can automatically cause a delay in getting copies of a Montana death certificate with the cause of death.

Can I View Montana Death Records Online for Free?

Yes, there are multiple ways to access Montana death records online for free. For instance, FamilySearch.org is a reliable online source of death records in the state. It has a collection of historic death records that may be accessed free of charge once a person signs up for an account on the site. Similarly, Ancestry.com is an online database of death indexes, including those of death events that took place in Montana from 1907 and 2018.

Additionally, some third-party websites are famous for collecting publicly available records from official sources, including death records, and uploading them to their databases. One such site, Montanapublicrecords.us, offers reliable record search services and provides a platform for interested parties to view death records in the state online, although at a nominal fee.

Other free sources of Montana death records or information are substitute records. Substitute records can provide clues leading to new sources of information regarding death events, or they may contain basic information about death events that are not officially registered in the state. They include cemetery records, obituaries, newspapers, mortuary records, tax records, probate records, church records, funeral cards, hospital records, military records, insurance records, and census records.

When Would You Require A Death Certificate in Montana?

A Montana death certificate serves other purposes besides being the document that officially registers a person's death in the state. Copies of a death certificate are required for multiple administrative and legal purposes, including the following:

• Selling and transferring ownership of a deceased's property, including real estate and other vehicles, to other persons.
• Filing life insurance claims.
• Making funeral and cremation arrangements.
• Closing a decedent's bank accounts, settling any outstanding debts to their names, and transferring funds to enable the executor of the estate to liquidate the deceased's estate.
• Transferring control of a deceased person's financial accounts to designated or authorized beneficiaries.
• Filing a petition to receive continuing pension payments, veterans' benefits, and Medicaid benefits.
• Notifying several government agencies to close a deceased person's accounts and update their records. Such agencies include the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Social Security Administration (SSA), and the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
• Canceling a decedent's credit cards to safeguard against identity and financial fraud.
• Terminating a deceased's subscription to telephone services and other utility services.
• Informing a mortgage lender or creditor about a person's death.

How Many Death Certificates Do I Need in Montana?

In Montana, the actual number of death certificates needed by anyone following the passing of a loved one varies, depending on certain factors and specific circumstances. Generally, the purposes for which copies of a death certificate are required must be clearly understood to enable an individual to determine the exact number of copies they need or should obtain from the state's Office of Vital Records.

Typically, requesting 8 to 12 copies of a Montana death certificate is ideal. However, it is best to consider the size of a deceased's estate and write a list of entities that require a copy to address a legal or administrative matter to determine the actual number needed. Various government agencies and private institutions, like insurance companies and financial institutions, will need a copy of a person's death certificate to verify a person's passing before settling anything or paying out any funds.