Arkansas Death Records

Arkansas has one of the United States' highest mortality rates. Its age-adjusted death rate of 978.9 per 100,000 residents is notably higher than the national average of 793.7 deaths per 100,000 total population. At 1,337.7 per 100,000 people, Poinsett County is the county with the highest mortality rate in the state, with an average of 388 deaths each year.

Statewide recording of deaths in Arkansas began in February 1914, even though a few records of death events were documented before that year. However, full compliance by different cities and counties was not complete until about 30 years later. In recent times, Arkansas typically records an estimated 36,251 deaths statewide annually.

The main type of death record in Arkansas is the death certificate. It includes the deceased's full name, date of death, gender, place of death, age at the time of death, date of birth, the cause of death, and other vital details. Per Section 20-18-601 of the Arkansas Code, all original death certificates in the state are filed with the Division of Vital Records. Typically, after a person dies, the funeral director fills out the original death certificate and obtains personal information from the deceased's next of kin or the best-qualified source or individual available.

Once the original death certificate is completed with all relevant information, the funeral director will obtain medical certification from a healthcare professional, after which the certificate is filed with the state's Division of Vital Records. Eligible and interested individuals may then obtain certified copies of the death certificate. A certified copy of a death certificate issued by the Division of Vital Records is a duplicate version of the original certificate that has been verified, and it is legally acceptable for various purposes.

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

The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH), through its Vital Records Office, offers multiple ways for eligible individuals to request certified copies of death certificates in the state, including the following:

• Online Ordering - Certified copies of an Arkansas death certificate may be requested online through the ADH Vital Records Online Service. A requester is required to populate the online form with all required information and pay $10 for the first copy of the certificate requested and $8 for each additional copy of the same record in the same order. A standard processing fee of $5 also applies. Also, they must provide valid IDs and proof of relationship to the deceased when placing their orders online. Requesters can pay the required fees by credit or debit card. It takes between 7 and 14 business days to process a certified copy of a death certificate request in Arkansas.

• Mail Ordering - The following steps are required to get a certified copy of a death certificate in Arkansas by mail:
• Complete the Death Certificate Application Form.
• Make a photocopy of a valid, acceptable ID.
• Pay the appropriate fees ($10 for the first certified copy of the requested certificate and $8 for each additional certified copy) by check or money order made out to the Arkansas Department of Health.

• Submit the completed application form and other required documentation by mail to the ADH at:

  Arkansas Department of Health

  Vital Records, Slot 44

  4815 West Markham Street

  Little Rock, AR 72205

  It takes about 10 to 14 working days to process a mail-in request. This excludes mail delivery time.

• Telephone Ordering - Eligible and interested individuals may order certified copies of death certificates in Arkansas by contacting the state's Vital Records Office toll-free at (866) 209-9482. They can pay certificate fees, service fees, and charges for expedited shipping requests (optional) by debit or credit card (Discover, Visa, American Express, or Mastercard is accepted).

• In-Person Ordering - Do the following to order certified copies of an Arkansas death certificate in person:
• Fill out the Death Certificate Application Form
• Have a valid, acceptable ID and make a photocopy of the ID
• Pay the appropriate fees. Acceptable payment options include debit or credit cards, cash, checks, or money orders made payable to the Arkansas Department of Health.

• Submit the completed form, payment proof, and ID to the ADH in person at:

  Arkansas Department of Health

  Vital Records Office

  4815 West Markham Street

  Little Rock, AR 71105

The Vital Records Office is open Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. (state holidays excluded). Eligible requesters who arrive and submit their applications by 4:00 p.m. may have such requests fulfilled the same day. However, requests submitted after 4:00 p.m. are typically processed the next business day. Applicants may opt to pick up their orders afterward or ask the Vital Records Office to mail them.

Are Arkansas Death Records Public?

Records of deaths registered in Arkansas are not considered public. Per Section 20-18-305 of the state's Code, death records under 50 years are confidential and may not be accessed by the public. However, a death record becomes available to the public without restriction after 50 years have elapsed after the date of death. Only certain eligible persons may access Arkansas death records for death events under 50 years.

Who Can Request an Original Death Certificate in Arkansas?

Technically, no individual may request or obtain an original death certificate in Arkansas. Original death certificates are generally maintained indefinitely by the state's Vital Records Office once filled with them. Only copies of the original death certificates on file with the Vital Records Office may be accessed. While a death certificate becomes open for public disclosure after 50 years have passed since the date of the death, access to those less than 50 years is restricted to certain persons.

Under Arkansas law, the following individuals and entities may request certified copies of a death certificate that is less than 50 years old in the state:

• The decedent's spouse
• The decedent's mother
• The decedent's grandchildren and maternal grandparents
• The decedent's father (if named on the deceased's birth certificate)
• Funeral home
• Informant
• Any beneficiary with proper proof or documentation

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

The duration it takes to get a copy of a death certificate in Arkansas after the death of an individual depends on a couple of things. First is the nature of and circumstances around the death event. The method of application can also determine how long it takes to obtain a certified copy of a death certificate in the state.

If a person dies in Arkansas under regular circumstances and the original death certificate is already filed with the state's Vital Records Office, it is possible to obtain a certified copy of the death certificate within 24 hours if requested in person. It takes anywhere from 7 to 14 business days to get the same certificate for an application submitted online or by mail. However, if the circumstances surrounding a death are suspicious and the case warrants an autopsy, it may take several weeks or months before anyone can get a certified copy of the certificate.

In Arkansas, how long it takes to determine the cause and manner of death through an autopsy depends on several factors, especially the complexity of a case. If toxicology testing is required, it generally takes about 6 to 8 weeks for the results to be ready. While a preliminary autopsy report may be ready within a few days or weeks, it can take 4 to 5 months for the completed autopsy report to be ready, depending on caseload. Unfortunately, it is impossible to prepare a final death certificate until a complete autopsy report is available. As a result, getting such a death certificate in Arkansas will take several months.

Can I view Arkansas Death Records online for free?

Although the Arkansas Department of Health (ADC) offers an online service that enables eligible individuals to access death records online, the service typically comes at a fee. Anyone looking to view historic death records in the state online for free may consider checking resources like Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org. These sites have death index collections and digitized collections of death records for certain years that may be viewed and possibly downloaded online.

To view or request publicly available death records online in the state, eligible and interested persons may use credible third-party websites like Arkansaspublicrecords.us. These sites serve as repositories for public records and are always available to use, although at a small fee.

Certain substitute records also serve as free sources of information regarding death events in Arkansas, particularly for deaths that are not officially recorded. Such records include local obituary records, tax records, cemetery records, newspapers, probate records, church records, city directories, and family bible records.

When Would You Require A Death Certificate in Arkansas?

A death certificate serves as legal or official proof of someone's death, and it is needed for several administrative and legal purposes. Any eligible person may require certified copies of a death certificate in Arkansas for the following purposes:

• Filing life insurance claims.
• Changing the ownership of a deceased's property, including real estate and vehicles, to a new beneficiary.
• Filing a petition to continue receiving Medicaid benefits, veterans' benefits, pension benefits, and other retirement benefits of the deceased person.
• Closing a decedent's bank accounts and transferring the balance to designated beneficiaries.
• Arranging burial or cremation.
• Canceling all subscription services, including utilities and phone bills, of the deceased person.
• Notifying certain government agencies and organizations like the IRS, SSA, mortgage lenders, creditors, and insurance companies of an individual's death.

How Many Death Certificates Do I Need in Arkansas?

The actual number of copies of death certificates needed by a person in Arkansas varies, depending on the circumstance and a decedent's estate size. However, requesting copies ranging from 8 to 12 is usually recommended.

It is best to determine the number of transactions for which copies of a death certificate are required and the number of agencies or institutions that need them, to determine how many are needed. For instance, considering the need to file legal paperwork, execute a will, submit insurance claims, and deal with real estate transactions can help determine the exact number of copies of a death certificate needed in Arkansas.