Access Hartford County Death Records
Death records in Hartford County are maintained by town and city clerks, not by the county. This is how Connecticut works with all vital records. Each town keeps death certificates for events within its borders. Hartford County has 29 towns and cities, and 15 of them have populations over 25,000. You can get copies of death records from the town where the death took place or from the State Vital Records Office. Both charge $20 per certified copy. Town offices usually process requests faster than the state office does in Hartford County.
Hartford County Quick Facts
Hartford County Vital Records System
Connecticut law puts vital records at the town level. Hartford County does not have a county clerk or county vital records office. This makes Connecticut different from most other states. When you need a death certificate from Hartford County, you must know which town the death took place in. That town is the one that filed the record and keeps the original.
The Hartford Town and City Clerk serves the capital city with over 122,000 people. Their office is at City Hall, 550 Main Street, Room 103, Hartford, CT 06103. You can call them at (860) 757-9755 for help. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Hartford offers online ordering through both VitalChek and their own city website. The cost for each certified death certificate is $20 in Hartford County.
The Hartford Town Clerk website provides full details on how to request death certificates. They list all the forms you need, payment methods, and processing times for Hartford County.
Under C.G.S. § 7-36, each town registrar must send a copy of every death certificate to the state by the 15th day of each month. This means the State Vital Records Office has all death records from Hartford County starting in July 1897. You can get copies from either the town or the state, but town offices are much faster.
Town Clerk Contact Information
West Hartford is the second largest town in Hartford County with over 64,000 people. The West Hartford Town Clerk is at Town Hall, 50 South Main Street, Room 313, West Hartford, CT 06107. Call (860) 561-7430 to reach them. Office hours are Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. West Hartford uses VitalChek for online ordering with a $7 expedite fee on top of the $20 certificate cost.
The West Hartford website guides residents through the process of getting death records. Their site makes it easy to find the right form and place your order in Hartford County.
Bristol has over 62,000 residents in Hartford County. The Bristol Town and City Clerk is at City Hall, 111 North Main Street, Bristol, CT 06010. The phone number is (860) 584-6200. Hours are Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Friday, 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Bristol charges $20 per death certificate, and they take cash, check, or money order for in-person visits.
The Bristol Vital Records page explains how to get death certificates from their town clerk. They list office hours, fees, and required information for all requests in Hartford County.
Manchester, East Hartford, Middletown, and other towns in Hartford County all follow the same state law for death records. The fee is $20 per certified copy at every town. Payment methods vary by town, so call ahead if you plan to visit in person. Most towns take money orders, and some take cash or checks.
| Town | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Hartford | 550 Main Street, Room 103, Hartford, CT 06103 | (860) 757-9755 |
| West Hartford | 50 South Main Street, Room 313, West Hartford, CT 06107 | (860) 561-7430 |
| Bristol | 111 North Main Street, Bristol, CT 06010 | (860) 584-6200 |
| Manchester | 41 Center Street, Manchester, CT 06040 | (860) 647-3037 |
| East Hartford | 740 Main Street, East Hartford, CT 06108 | (860) 291-7235 |
| Middletown | 245 Dekoven Drive, Middletown, CT 06457 | (860) 638-4960 |
Online Ordering for Death Records
Hartford has its own online ordering system at hartfordct.permitium.com. This portal lets you order death certificates without using a third party. You pay the $20 fee plus a small processing charge. The system takes credit cards and processes most orders in a few business days. This is faster than mailing a request to Hartford County.
The Hartford online portal makes it easy to request death certificates from home. You fill out a form, pay with your card, and get the copy in the mail within days for Hartford County.
If the town you need does not have its own portal, you can use VitalChek to order from any town in Hartford County. VitalChek is the only third-party vendor approved by the Connecticut Department of Public Health. They charge the $20 certificate fee plus processing and shipping. The site is open all day, every day. Most orders ship within a few days, and you can track them online.
For deaths that took place before the town started using online ordering, you must use mail or in-person requests in Hartford County. Old records may not be in the online system yet, so calling the town clerk first can save you time.
How to Get a Death Certificate
You have three ways to get death records from Hartford County. Walk in to a town clerk office, send a mail request, or order online. Each method works, but the time frame and steps are different.
In-person requests in Hartford County are often the fastest. Go to the town clerk where the death took place. Bring valid photo ID such as a driver's license, state ID, passport, or military ID. The clerk gives you a form to fill out. You write the name of the deceased, date of death, your name, and why you need the record. Pay $20 per copy in cash or money order. Most towns give you the copy the same day if the record is in their files.
Mail requests to Hartford County take longer but work well if you cannot visit in person. Download the town application form from portal.ct.gov/dph/vital-records/applications-and-forms. Fill it out completely. Make a money order for $20 per copy payable to the town name. Include a copy of your photo ID. Mail everything to the town clerk office. They process your request and send the death certificate to your address. This usually takes one to two weeks for Hartford County.
Online ordering is the most convenient option for Hartford County. Go to the town portal or VitalChek. Enter the deceased person's information and your payment details. The site processes your order and mails you the certified copy. You can pay extra for faster shipping. This method is good if you need the record quickly and do not want to wait for mail processing.
Note: Some towns in Hartford County require you to order through the state office if the death is very old, usually before 1950.
Information Needed for Requests
All death certificate requests in Hartford County need certain details. Town clerks use this information to find the right record. The more facts you give, the faster they can locate the death certificate. Have these ready before you start your request:
- Full name of the deceased
- Date of death or the year it took place
- Town where death occurred
- Deceased person's date of birth
- Names of the deceased person's parents
- Your full name and mailing address
- Your relationship to the deceased
- Reason you need the death certificate
If you do not know all of these facts, provide what you can. The town clerk in Hartford County may still be able to search for the record. Parent names and exact dates help a lot when the deceased person has a common name.
Photo ID is required for all requests in Hartford County. Valid ID includes a driver's license, state ID card, passport, or military ID. If you do not have primary ID, you can use two secondary forms such as a Social Security card, utility bill dated within 90 days, voter registration card, or car registration with your name and address.
Who Can Get Death Records
Death records in Hartford County are open to the public under C.G.S. § 7-51a. Any person age 18 or older can buy a certified copy. You do not have to be related to the deceased. You do not have to give a reason that the clerk approves. As long as you pay the fee and fill out the form, you can get the death certificate from Hartford County.
There is one limit on what you can see. For deaths on or after July 1, 1997, only the surviving spouse or next of kin can get a copy that shows the Social Security number. Everyone else gets a certified copy with that number redacted. The funeral director who handled the body can also see the Social Security number, but only within 60 days of the death. After 60 days, even the funeral director gets copies with the number blocked out in Hartford County.
This rule protects against identity theft while still keeping death records public. You can get all other information on the certificate no matter who you are. This includes names, dates, cause of death, place of death, and burial information from Hartford County.
Veteran Death Certificate Fee Waiver
Connecticut offers one free death certificate to families of deceased veterans. Under C.G.S. § 7-74(c), the spouse, child, or parent of a veteran can get one certified copy at no cost. This applies to all towns in Hartford County. The person must show proof of their relationship and the death certificate must show veteran status.
To claim the waiver in Hartford County, bring your valid photo ID to the town clerk. Also bring proof of your relationship. A marriage certificate works for a spouse. Your birth certificate works if you are the child. The veteran's birth certificate works if you are the parent. The town clerk checks the death certificate to see if it lists veteran status. If it does, they give you one free certified copy.
Funeral directors in Hartford County can also get one free copy for the veteran's family at the time of death. This helps families who need multiple copies right away. All additional copies after the first one cost $20 each.
Additional Town Resources
The Manchester Town Clerk serves over 59,000 residents in Hartford County. Their website has information on how to get death certificates and other vital records. Manchester is at 41 Center Street, and office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. They charge $20 per certified death certificate like all other towns in Hartford County.
Manchester provides online resources to help residents understand the process for getting death records. Their site lists all required forms and contact information for Hartford County.
Enfield, Glastonbury, Newington, Vernon, Windsor, Farmington, Wethersfield, South Windsor, and Simsbury all have town clerk offices that keep death records in Hartford County. Each office has its own hours and may have different ways to pay. Some take only cash or money order in person. A few accept credit cards with an extra fee. Call ahead to ask about payment options before you visit a town clerk office in Hartford County.
Fixing Errors on Death Certificates
Mistakes on death certificates can be corrected through an amendment process in Hartford County. Under C.G.S. § 19a-42, amendments must follow uniform procedures set by the Commissioner of Public Health. You cannot just change a death certificate because you want it to say something different. There must be a real error or new information that was not known when the certificate was first filed.
If the error involves the cause of death in Hartford County, special rules apply. The original death certificate is sealed and kept in a locked file at the state office. Only the commissioner can unseal it. A copy is made, and the incorrect information is removed from that copy. The amended copy becomes the public record. This protects the integrity of medical information on death certificates in Hartford County.
For other types of corrections in Hartford County, contact the town clerk where the death took place. They can tell you what documents you need to prove the error. Common errors include misspelled names, wrong dates, or incorrect parent names. You may need to show birth certificates, marriage records, or other proof. There may be a fee for the amendment. Once the correction is made, you pay $20 for each new certified copy with the fixed information.
Major Towns in Hartford County
Hartford County has 15 towns with populations over 25,000. Each one keeps death records for its area. These are the largest towns in Hartford County:
Other towns in Hartford County include Avon, Berlin, Bloomfield, Canton, East Granby, East Windsor, Granby, Hartland, Marlborough, Rocky Hill, Suffield, and more. All of these have town clerk offices that maintain death records.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Hartford County. If you need help figuring out which county a town is in, call the State Vital Records Office at (860) 509-7700: