Westport Death Certificates

Death records for Westport are maintained by the Town Clerk at Town Hall, 110 Myrtle Avenue. Westport has about 28,000 residents and sits in Fairfield County. The town clerk's office handles all vital records for deaths that occurred in Westport or for Westport residents who died elsewhere. Certified copies cost $20 each. Walk-in service is available during business hours, and most requests are filled the same day if the record is on file when you visit.

Requesting Westport Death Records

The Westport Town Clerk's office is at Town Hall on 110 Myrtle Avenue. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call (203) 341-1111 before you visit if you want to ask about a specific record or check on office hours. Bring a valid photo ID when you request a death certificate in person.

When you request a death certificate, you need to give details about the deceased. This includes the full name, date of death, and place of death. If you know the parents' names, include those as well. The clerk uses this info to locate the correct record. More details mean faster service for your request.

A certified death certificate from Westport costs $20. This is the standard rate set by Connecticut law. You must pay with cash or money order made payable to the Town of Westport. Personal checks are not accepted. Each additional copy of the same record costs $20. If you walk in during office hours, the clerk can usually give you the certificate on the same day.

Connecticut State Vital Records Office

You can also order Westport 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 Westport and deaths of Westport residents that occurred elsewhere. The state office address is 410 Capitol Avenue, MS#11VRS, Hartford, CT 06106.

State requests take longer to process than town requests. The state office says it can take up to twelve weeks to get your copy. 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 Westport 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 or visit portal.ct.gov/dph/vital-records/death-certificates.

Online Ordering Through VitalChek

Westport death records can be ordered online using VitalChek. This is the only online service approved by the Connecticut Department of Public Health. VitalChek is available 24 hours a day, every day. You can place an order at any time. Go to 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 work on the site. You can also call VitalChek at 1-888-279-9888 to order by phone. Phone orders have the same fees as online orders.

Who Can Get Death Certificates

Any adult age 18 or older can buy a certified copy of a Connecticut death record. You do not need to be related to the deceased to request a Westport death certificate. You do not need to provide a reason for your request. This rule is in Connecticut General Statutes Section 7-51a.

One restriction 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 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.

Minors under age 18 cannot request death certificates. This is true even if they are related to the deceased. If you visit the Westport Town Clerk in person, bring a current photo ID. Acceptable IDs include a state driver's license, state ID card, passport, or military ID.

Free Certificates for Veteran Families

Connecticut law allows the spouse, child, or parent of a deceased veteran to get one free certified death certificate. This benefit is in Connecticut General Statutes Section 7-74. You must show a valid government-issued photo ID and proof of your relationship to the veteran.

Proof of relationship can be a marriage certificate for a spouse, a birth certificate for a child, or the deceased's birth certificate if you are the parent. The death certificate must show that the deceased was a veteran. If these conditions are met, the Westport Town Clerk will give you one free certified copy. Additional copies beyond the first one 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 hard time. The funeral director must request the certificate while making the final arrangements for the deceased veteran.

Note: The veteran status must be listed on the death certificate for the fee waiver to apply in Westport.

Amending Death Certificates

If you find an error on a Westport death certificate, you can ask for an amendment. Connecticut law sets the rules for amending vital records. The law is Connecticut General Statutes Section 19a-42. Not all changes are allowed. Clerical errors and typos can usually be fixed. Changes to the cause of death need medical records.

Contact the Westport Town Clerk to begin the amendment process. The clerk can tell you what forms to fill out and what proof to send. Some amendments must go through the state Department of Public Health. The state makes the final choice on whether to approve an amendment. There may be a fee to process your request.

When an amendment changes the cause of death, the original wording stays visible. A copy of the original certificate is sealed in a confidential file at the state office. Only the Commissioner of Public Health can unseal it. The amended version becomes the public record. All future certified copies will show the amended info.

Older Westport Death Records

Death records from Westport before 1897 are not at the town clerk's office. Connecticut did not have a statewide vital records system before that year. For older records, try the Connecticut State Library. The library has the Barbour Collection, which includes vital records from many towns for events before 1850. Visit libguides.ctstatelibrary.org/hg/home for details.

The state library also has a death records index covering 1897 to 2001. This index lists the name, place, and date of death for Connecticut residents. It does not have full certificates. The index helps you find which records to order. You can search the index at this page for free.

If you are researching Westport family history, the state library can help. Call (860) 757-6580 or email csl.history@ct.gov for research assistance. Members of incorporated genealogical societies may have access to older records that are 100 years old or more.

Fairfield County Death Records

Westport is located in Fairfield County. Connecticut does not keep vital records at the county level. Each town maintains its own death records. The state office also has copies. For more on how death records work in Fairfield County, including contact info for other town clerks and state resources, see the Fairfield County page.

View Fairfield County Death Records

Nearby Towns

Other towns near Westport include Norwalk, Fairfield, Bridgeport, and Stamford. Each town clerk's office maintains its own death records. If you need records from more than one town, you must contact each office separately. All Connecticut towns charge $20 per certified death certificate.