Windsor Death Records

Windsor death records are maintained at the Town Clerk's office located at 275 Broad Street. The town has about 29,000 residents and is part of Hartford County. If a death occurred in Windsor or the person was a Windsor resident, you can get the certificate from the town clerk. Certified copies are $20 each. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Walk-in customers usually get their certificates the same day if the record is on file when they visit.

How to Obtain Windsor Death Certificates

The Windsor Town Clerk's office handles all death record requests for the town. The office is at Town Hall on 275 Broad Street. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call (860) 285-1810 before you visit if you want to confirm hours or ask about a specific record. Bring valid photo ID when you request a death certificate in person.

To request a death certificate in Windsor, 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 as well. This info helps the clerk find the right record in their system. More detail means faster service for your request.

The cost for a certified death certificate is $20. This is the standard fee across all Connecticut towns. Payment must be cash or money order payable to the Town of Windsor. 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 Windsor death records through 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 Windsor and deaths of Windsor residents that happened elsewhere. The state office is at 410 Capitol Avenue, MS#11VRS, Hartford, CT 06106.

State requests take longer than town requests. The state office says it can take up to twelve weeks to process a request. The fee is $20 per certificate. You must pay with a money order made out to "Treasurer, State of Connecticut." Personal checks and credit cards are not accepted for mail orders. If you need a record fast, go to the Windsor Town Clerk instead.

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 must show photo ID to get into the building. Walk-in customers can pay with cash, money order, or credit card with a $2.50 fee. Call (860) 509-7700 for more info or visit portal.ct.gov/dph/vital-records/death-certificates.

Order Death Records Online

Windsor death records can be ordered online through 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 any time. Go to vitalchek.com to start.

Online orders cost more than in-person orders. VitalChek charges the $20 state fee plus processing fees and shipping fees. You can pick standard or expedited shipping. Faster shipping costs more money. 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 Request Death Records

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 Windsor death certificate. You do not need to give a reason for your request. 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 spouse or next of kin can get a copy that shows the deceased person's social security number. Other requesters get a copy with the number redacted. Funeral directors can also get the social security number within 60 days of the death. After 60 days, they get the redacted version too.

Minors under 18 cannot request death certificates. This is true even if they are related to the deceased. If you visit the Windsor 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 Windsor 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 Windsor.

Correcting Death Record Errors

If you find an error on a Windsor 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 Windsor 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 Windsor Death Records

Death records from Windsor 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 Windsor 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.

Hartford County Death Records

Windsor is in Hartford 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 Hartford County, including contact info for other town clerks and state resources, see the Hartford County page.

View Hartford County Death Records

Nearby Towns

Other towns near Windsor include Hartford, South Windsor, East Hartford, and Enfield. 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.