How to File a Death Certificate

Filing a Death Certificate

According to the Arizona State Statute Title 36 section 325 a responsible person who takes possession of the body (family member, next of kin) must file the Death Certificate or hire a Funeral Director to do so. The Death Certificate must be filed within 7 days of taking possession of a body. You can review all the details here.

Families who wish to fill out the Death Certificate without hiring a funeral director can go to their local vital records office to acquire a Death Registration Worksheet. This can be filled out and brought to the vital records office for filing. On weekends or after hours families can call their vital records office and there will be a recording with an emergency/after hours number. Someone will contact you shortly.

The Death Certificate must be filed before a family can get the Disposition Transport Permit. This permit is needed to be able to deliver the body to the final resting place. It is not legally necessary to file a Death Certificate before bringing a body of a loved one home. To get a body released from a medical establishment all that is needed is a Human Remains Release Form. AZ Community Deathcare is working to ensure that all medical establishments understand the law as it is written.