Access West Haven Death Certificates
West Haven death records are kept by the Town Clerk at City Hall, located at 355 Main Street. The city has about 55,000 residents and is part of New Haven County. When a death occurs in West Haven or involves a West Haven resident, the town clerk maintains the official record. Anyone age 18 or older can request a certified copy. The fee is $20 per certificate, which is the same rate charged across all Connecticut towns and cities.
West Haven Quick Facts
How to Request Death Records
Death certificates in West Haven are available from the Town Clerk's office at City Hall. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. You can call (203) 937-3510 before you visit to ask questions about a specific record or to check if the office will be open. Bring a valid photo ID when you go in person to request a death certificate.
You need to provide info about the deceased when you request a death certificate. Include the full name, date of death, and place of death. Parents' names help too if you know them. The clerk uses this info to find the right record. The more details you give, the faster they can locate your record in the system.
| Office | West Haven Town Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | 355 Main Street West Haven, CT 06516 |
| Phone | (203) 937-3510 |
| Hours | Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Fee | $20 per certified copy |
A certified death certificate costs $20. This is the rate set by Connecticut law. You must pay with cash or money order made out to the Town of West Haven. Personal checks are not accepted. If you want more than one copy 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.
Online Ordering Through VitalChek
You can order West Haven death records online using VitalChek. This is the only online vendor approved by the Connecticut Department of Public Health. VitalChek is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can place an order any time. Visit vitalchek.com to start your order.
Online orders through VitalChek cost more than in-person orders. VitalChek charges the $20 state fee plus 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 West Haven death records from the Connecticut Department of Public Health. The state office has copies of all death records from July 1, 1897 to the present. This includes deaths in West Haven and deaths of West Haven residents that took place elsewhere. The state office address is 410 Capitol Avenue, MS#11VRS, Hartford, CT 06106.
State requests take longer than town requests. Processing time can be up to twelve weeks. The fee is $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. If you need a record fast, go to the West Haven 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. You need 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 info. You can also visit portal.ct.gov/dph/vital-records/death-certificates.
Eligibility Requirements
Connecticut law allows any person age 18 or older to buy a certified copy of a death record. You do not need to be related to the deceased to request a West Haven death certificate. You do not need to state a reason for wanting the record. This rule is in Connecticut General Statutes Section 7-51a.
One restriction involves 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 get a copy 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 West Haven. Minors cannot order records even if they are 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 Certificates for Veteran Families
Connecticut provides one free certified death certificate to the spouse, child, or parent of a deceased veteran. This fee waiver is in 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.
Proof of relationship can 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 West Haven Town Clerk will give you one free certified copy. Extra copies beyond the first still cost $20 each.
Funeral directors can also get one free copy of a veteran's death certificate when they request it on behalf of the family at the time of death. This helps families save money during a difficult time. The funeral director must request the certificate while making the final arrangements for the deceased veteran.
Note: The veteran status must be clearly listed on the death certificate for the fee waiver to apply.
Amending Death Records
If there is an error on a West Haven death certificate, you can request an amendment. Connecticut law sets the rules for how amendments work. 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 West Haven 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 on whether to approve an amendment. A fee may apply for processing your request.
When the cause of death is amended, the original wording must stay 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 wording.
Older West Haven Death Records
Death records from West Haven 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 find which records to order. You can search the index at this page for free.
If you are researching West Haven 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
West Haven is located in New Haven County. 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.
Nearby Towns
Other towns near West Haven include New Haven, Milford, and Branford. Each town clerk maintains its own death records. If you need records from multiple towns, you must contact each office separately. All Connecticut towns charge $20 per certified death certificate.