Wyoming Death Records

Wyoming has an age-adjusted mortality rate of 839.8 per 100,000 residents. This is higher than the national age-adjusted death rate of 805.6 per 100,000 total population. The state records approximately 5,835 deaths annually, and the leading causes of death include heart disease and accidents.

Statewide recording of death events in Wyoming began in July 1909. The State Bureau of Vital Statistics was, by 1907, entrusted by the state legislature to register death records, a law that took effect in January 1908. However, some communities in the state registered records of death events at the county or local level before 1909. The death certificate is the primary form of death records in Wyoming. It is an official document prepared by healthcare professionals that states the date and place of an individual's death, as well as the cause of death. It is a permanent record and is generally needed to prove that someone has passed away and for various legal and administrative purposes.

Per Section 35-1-418 of the Wyoming Statutes, a death certificate for every death that takes place in the state must be filed with the local registrar of the registration district where the death occurred. The funeral director of any other person who first assumes custody of a dead body is generally responsible for completing the original death certificate. They are required to obtain personal data from the deceased's next of kin or any qualified person. In addition, they are responsible for obtaining medical certification of the cause of death from a licensed healthcare professional before filing the original death certificate with the local registrar.

The local registrar will forward the death certificate to the state's Vital Statistics Services once it receives it, where any eligible individual may request certified copies of the original death certificate. A certified copy of a Wyoming death certificate is a verified duplicate of the original death certificate. It serves as a certified true copy of an original death certificate and may be used for any legal purposes.

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

Eligible persons may get certified copies of death certificates in Wyoming by submitting their applications to the state's Department of Health through the Vital Statistics Services. An application may be submitted by taking the following steps:

• Complete the Death Records section of the Request for Certified Copy of a Wyoming Vital Record Form.
• Provide a legible photocopy of valid identification, which may be any of a current driver's license, passport, or state ID card. A notarized signature of the applicant is also acceptable.
• Pay the appropriate fees by money order or bank-personalized check. The first copy of a certified death certificate in Wyoming is $25, while each additional copy in the same request costs $20. Where the date of death is unknown, the requester is charged a $35 search fee for every 5 years, which includes a certified copy of a death certificate. The bank-personalized check or money order should be made payable to Vital Statistics Services. Non-personalized or third-party checks are not acceptable.
• Enclose a self-addressed. Stamped envelope with the application.

• Submit the completed form and every other requirement, including ID and payment to the Wyoming Department of Health at:

  Wyoming Department of Health

  Vital Statistics Services

  2300 Capitol Avenue

  Hathaway Building

  Cheyenne, WY 82002

  Generally, the Vital Statistics Services strives to process applications for certified copies of Wyoming death certificates as quickly as possible. However, it takes up to 5 business days to process most requests.

Are Wyoming Death Records Public?

In Wyoming, death records generally become public information after 50 years from the date of death and may be accessed by any member of the public once they become public. However, public access to death records under 50 years in the state is typically restricted. Such records may only be accessed by certain authorized individuals or entities, who may sometimes be required to provide evidence of legitimate legal interest or proof of relationship to the deceased whose death records they seek to access.

Who Can Request an Original Death Certificate in Wyoming?

Original Wyoming death certificates are never issued to the public. Rather, they are maintained on the file of the state's Vital Statistics Services once registered with the Department of Health as required by law. Generally, original death certificates remain permanently in the file of the state's Department of Health. However, when 50 years have elapsed since the date of a death event in Wyoming, anyone who can provide enough information about the death event may request copies of the death certificate. On the other hand, only certain individuals or entities may request certified copies of a death certificate in the state, and they include the following:

• The decedent's immediate family members, which include the current spouse, parents, and children.
• The deceased's insurance companies, banks, executors of estates, or any other person who needs a death certificate to pay death benefits or policy claims on the deceased, to anyone with complete and proper documentation.
• Anyone who can prove their relationship to the decedent. They must be able to provide genuine documentation to prove this.
• Attorneys representing the deceased's immediate family. Such attorneys must have a lawyer's signature and state-issued IDs or a copy of a bar card.
• Other family members of the deceased or an attorney who requires a copy of the death certificate to settle estates or address some other legal matters. However, they will need to provide evidence of relation (if applicable) and proof of the matter.

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

Generally, it can take up to 5 business days to process an application for a certified copy of a death certificate in Wyoming. What sometimes causes a delay in getting a copy of a death certificate after a person's death is how long it takes to file the original death certificate with the state's Vital Statistics Services. Under normal circumstances, and as required by law, an original death certificate should be registered by filing it with the local registrar of the registration district where the death occurred within 3 days after the death event.

Where an original death certificate is filed appropriately within 3 days of a person's passing in Wyoming, any eligible individual may get a certified copy of the death certificate within a few weeks after the death of the person named on it. This is often the case when someone dies of natural causes and the cause of death is easily and quickly determined. However, if the circumstances surrounding a death event suggest that a person died of unnatural or unusual causes or if the death seems suspicious, an autopsy may be required to determine the exact cause and manner of death.

In Wyoming, an autopsy generally involves various examinations and tests, and may sometimes take a long time before a complete report. Depending on the complexity and the number of tests or lab examinations required to determine the cause of death, a final written autopsy report may not be available until about 6 weeks. In more complex cases, it may take beyond 6 weeks. As a result, there may be a delay in getting copies of a death certificate in any case that requires an autopsy to identify the cause of death, without which a final, original death certificate may not be prepared or filed with the state's Vital Statistics Services.

Can I View Wyoming Death Records Online for Free?

Records of death events over 50 years in Wyoming may be accessed online through the State Archives. Alternatively, interested persons may consider checking other online resources like Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org to view some records of historic death events in the state. Users may be able to access a large collection of digitized death records for free using these resources. However, they may be required to create online accounts.

Alternatively, individuals may be able to access some publicly available death records in the state through certain third-party sites like Wyomingpublicrecords.us. However, users are typically required to pay a small fee to gain access.

Another way a person may access death information free of charge in Wyoming is through alternative records, which are commonly known as substitute records. These records generally have important information regarding death events and may help members of the public find information about unregistered death events. They include church records, funeral cards, tax records, probate records, cemetery records, obituaries, newspapers, hospital records, burial records, and census records.

When Would You Require A Death Certificate in Wyoming?

Copies of a Wyoming death certificate are generally required for numerous purposes, including the following:

• Closing a decedent's bank accounts and canceling their credit cards to prevent identity fraud.
• Notifying relevant government agencies like the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) about someone's death.
• Transferring a deceased's property ownership to another individual.
• Notifying the deceased's insurance providers and filing insurance claims.
• Making proper arrangements for a deceased person's funeral.
• Canceling a decedent's cell phone services and other subscription services.
• Submitting a petition for continued pension benefits, Medicaid benefits, and other employer-related benefits.
• Transferring the control of a decedent's financial accounts to anyone designated by the deceased during their lifetime.
• Notifying a deceased's creditor about the person's death.

How Many Death Certificates Do I Need in Wyoming?

When a person dies in Wyoming, their loved ones may request between 8 to 12 copies of the death certificate. This number should help in addressing various legal and administrative matters following a person's death. However, depending on the specific circumstances, the number of copies of a death certificate needed may vary. It is best to consider several factors when determining the actual number that is needed. These include the number of private institutions or government agencies that need a copy of the death certificate and the actual number of transactions for which they are required. In addition, requesting a few extra copies for personal safekeeping is often advised.