Waterbury Death Records Search

Death records in Waterbury are maintained by the Town Clerk at City Hall. With a population over 115,000, Waterbury is one of Connecticut's largest cities and the third largest in New Haven County. The town clerk handles all vital records for deaths that occurred in Waterbury or for Waterbury residents who died elsewhere. You can request death certificates in person, by mail, or through an online service. The fee for a certified copy is $20, the same rate charged throughout Connecticut.

How to Obtain Waterbury Death Certificates

The Waterbury Town Clerk's office is located at City Hall, 235 Grand Street. This is where you go to request death certificates for Waterbury. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Before you visit, you can call (203) 574-6800 to confirm hours and ask what information you need to bring. The clerk can also tell you if the record you want is on file.

To request a death certificate in Waterbury, provide the full name of the deceased, the date of death, and where the death took place. If you know the parents' names, include those too. This information helps the clerk find the right record. The more details you have, the faster they can process your request.

Each certified death certificate costs $20. Payment must be by cash or money order made payable to the Town of Waterbury. Personal checks are not accepted. If you need multiple copies of the same record, each additional copy is $20. Walk-in customers usually get their certificates the same day if the record is on file. Mail requests take longer, typically one to two weeks.

Online Ordering for Waterbury

You can order Waterbury death certificates online through VitalChek. This is the only third-party vendor approved by the Connecticut Department of Public Health for online orders. VitalChek is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Visit vitalchek.com to start your order.

Online orders through VitalChek cost more than in-person or mail orders. The $20 state fee still applies, but VitalChek adds processing fees and shipping fees. You can choose standard or expedited shipping. Faster shipping costs more. All major credit cards are accepted. You can also order by phone at 1-888-279-9888. Phone orders have the same fees as online orders.

State Vital Records Office

Another option is to order Waterbury death records from the Connecticut Department of Public Health. The state office keeps copies of all death records from July 1, 1897 to the present. This includes deaths in Waterbury and deaths of Waterbury residents that took place elsewhere in Connecticut. The state office address is 410 Capitol Avenue, MS#11VRS, Hartford, CT 06106.

State office requests take much longer than town office requests. Processing time is up to twelve weeks. The fee is still $20 per certificate. You must pay with a money order made out to "Treasurer, State of Connecticut." Credit cards and personal checks are not accepted for mail orders. For faster service, use the Waterbury Town Clerk instead of the state.

Walk-in service at the state office is limited. Hours are Monday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Wednesday 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and Friday 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Bring photo ID to enter the building. Walk-in customers can pay with cash, money order, or credit card with a $2.50 fee. Call the state office at (860) 509-7700 for more details. You can also visit portal.ct.gov/dph/vital-records/death-certificates for information.

Eligibility to Request Death Records

Connecticut law allows any person age 18 or older to purchase a certified copy of a death certificate. You do not need to be related to the deceased to order a Waterbury death record. You do not need to give a reason for wanting the certificate. This rule is in Connecticut General Statutes Section 7-51a.

One limit applies to the social security number. For deaths on or after July 1, 1997, only the surviving spouse or next of kin can get a copy that shows the deceased person's social security number. All other requesters receive a certificate with the number redacted. Funeral directors can also get the social security number, but only within 60 days of the death date. After 60 days, even funeral directors get the redacted version.

You must be at least 18 years old to request a death certificate in Waterbury. Minors cannot order records even if related to the deceased. If you visit the town clerk in person, bring a valid photo ID such as a driver's license, state ID card, passport, or military ID.

Free Death Certificates for Veterans

Connecticut provides one free certified death certificate to the spouse, child, or parent of a deceased veteran. This fee waiver is authorized by Connecticut General Statutes Section 7-74. To qualify, you must show a valid government-issued photo ID and proof of your relationship to the deceased veteran.

Examples of proof include a marriage certificate if you are the spouse, your birth certificate if you are the child, or the deceased's birth certificate if you are the parent. The death certificate must show that the deceased was a veteran. If all requirements are met, the Waterbury Town Clerk will give you one free certified copy. Extra copies beyond the first still cost $20 each.

Funeral directors who request a death certificate on behalf of a veteran's family at the time of death are also entitled to one free copy. This helps families save money during a difficult time. The funeral director must request the certificate while making the final arrangements.

Note: The veteran status must be clearly marked on the death certificate for the fee waiver to apply.

Amending Death Records in Waterbury

If there is an error on a Waterbury death certificate, you can request an amendment. Connecticut law sets the rules for amendments. These rules are in Connecticut General Statutes Section 19a-42. Not all errors can be fixed. Clerical mistakes and typos are usually corrected. Changes to the cause of death require medical documentation.

Start the amendment process by contacting the Waterbury Town Clerk. The clerk can explain what forms you need and what proof to provide. Some amendments must go through the state Department of Public Health instead of the town. The state has final authority to approve or deny amendments. A fee may apply for processing your request.

When the cause of death is amended, the original wording must remain visible. A copy of the original certificate is sealed in a confidential file at the state office. Only the Commissioner of Public Health can order it unsealed. The amended version becomes the public record. Future certified copies will show the amended information, not the original.

Historical Death Records

Waterbury death records before 1897 are not kept by the town clerk. Connecticut did not have a statewide vital records system before that year. For older records, contact the Connecticut State Library. The library maintains the Barbour Collection, which includes vital records from many towns for events before 1850. Visit libguides.ctstatelibrary.org/hg/home for more details.

The state library also has a death records index covering 1897 to 2001. This index shows the name, place, and date of death for people who died in Connecticut. It does not include full certificates. The index helps researchers identify which records to order. You can search the index at this page for free.

If you are researching Waterbury family history, the state library staff can assist you. Call (860) 757-6580 or email csl.history@ct.gov for research help. Members of incorporated genealogical societies may have access to records that are 100 years old or more, which are not available to the general public.

New Haven County Death Records

Waterbury is located in New Haven County, but Connecticut does not maintain vital records at the county level. All death records are kept by individual towns or by the state office. For more information on how death records work in New Haven County, including links to other town clerk offices and state resources, see the New Haven County page.

View New Haven County Death Records

Nearby Towns

Other towns near Waterbury in New Haven County include New Haven, New Britain, Southington, and Naugatuck. Each town clerk maintains its own death records. If you need records from multiple towns, contact each office separately. All Connecticut towns charge $20 per certified death certificate.