New Haven County Vital Records

New Haven County death records are kept at each town clerk office across the county. Connecticut does not maintain vital records at the county level. Each of the 27 towns in New Haven County has its own clerk who keeps death certificates for events that occurred within town limits. This system has been in place since the 1800s. Anyone over 18 can request a copy. You need to know the town where the death happened to get the right office. The state also has copies from 1897 to now at the Department of Public Health in Hartford.

How New Haven County Handles Death Records

New Haven County towns keep their own death records. There is no central county office. The town where someone died is the place to start. Each town clerk office can give out copies of death certificates for deaths in that town. This is true for all 27 towns in New Haven County. Staff at town halls answer questions and help with forms.

Some towns offer online ordering through VitalChek. Others take requests by mail or walk-in only. Call the town clerk first to check what methods they allow. Most offices in New Haven County are open on weekdays. Hours vary by town. Same-day service is often available if you go in person. Mail requests take one to three weeks in most New Haven County towns.

The Connecticut Department of Public Health also keeps death records from July 1897 to now. This includes all New Haven County deaths. The state office is at 410 Capitol Avenue in Hartford. They charge $20 per copy. Processing takes up to 12 weeks. Town clerks are faster for most people in New Haven County. The state office is a good backup if the town does not have the record you need.

Major Towns in New Haven County

New Haven County has 10 major towns with more than 25,000 people. These are the busiest town clerk offices. They handle the most requests for death records in the county.

New Haven is the largest city in the county. The New Haven Health Department handles vital records. Their office is at 54 Meadow Street, New Haven, CT 06519. Phone is (203) 946-7066. Hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. They close early on the first Wednesday of each month at 2:00 p.m. New Haven offers online ordering through VitalChek. Death certificates are $20 each. Staff are bilingual in Spanish and English.

Waterbury is the second-largest city in New Haven County. The town clerk office is at City Hall, 235 Grand Street, Waterbury, CT 06702. Call (203) 574-6800 for questions about death records. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Waterbury Town Clerk has online ordering through VitalChek. Walk-in service is available with no appointment needed. Bring your ID and payment. Fees are $20 per certificate.

New Britain is in both Hartford County and New Haven County. The town clerk office is at City Hall, 27 West Main Street, New Britain, CT 06051. Phone is (860) 826-3343. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:15 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Death certificates cost $20 per copy. This office serves a large population and can get busy. Arrive early if you need same-day service in New Britain.

Other major towns in New Haven County include:

• West Haven: Town Clerk at (203) 937-3510
• Wallingford: Town Clerk at (203) 294-2145
• Southington: Town Clerk at (860) 628-7801
• Shelton: Town Clerk at (203) 924-1551
• Naugatuck: Town Clerk at (203) 720-7055
• Cheshire: Town Clerk at (203) 271-6690
• Branford: Town Clerk at (203) 315-0633

All of these towns charge $20 per certified copy. Most are open Monday through Friday. Call ahead to confirm hours and accepted payment methods for death records in New Haven County.

Getting Death Certificates in New Haven County

You need certain facts to request a death certificate in New Haven County. Have the full name of the deceased ready. The date of death helps. The town where the death occurred is required. If you do not know the exact town in New Haven County, start with where the person lived. That town may have the record or can tell you where to look.

Requesters must be 18 or older under Connecticut General Statutes § 7-51a. Anyone can get a death certificate. You do not have to be family. The certificate will not show the Social Security number unless you are the spouse or next of kin. For deaths after July 1, 1997, only the spouse or next of kin can get the full SSN on the certificate. Others get a redacted copy from New Haven County towns.

Fill out the Application to Request a Death Certificate from the state website. Use the town version of the form if you send your request to a town clerk in New Haven County. The form asks for your name, address, and relationship to the deceased. You also state why you need the record. Bring a photo ID if you go in person. Mail requests need a copy of your ID with the form.

Payment is $20 for the first copy in New Haven County. Most towns take cash or money order. Some take checks. Credit cards may be available with a $2.50 fee at certain offices. Make money orders payable to the town name, not the county. Call the town clerk to confirm what they accept before you mail payment for death records in New Haven County.

Note: Veterans' families can get one free copy if they show proof of relationship and the death certificate shows veteran status under C.G.S. § 7-74.

Online Death Record Options

Some New Haven County towns use VitalChek for online orders. VitalChek is the only third-party vendor approved by the Connecticut Department of Public Health. It is available 24 hours a day. You pay extra fees for processing and shipping. All major credit cards work. Orders are processed faster than mail requests in New Haven County.

The Connecticut State Library has a death records index from 1897 to 2001. This index shows names, dates, and places of death. It does not give you a certificate. Use the index to find the town where someone died in New Haven County. Then contact that town clerk to order the actual certificate. The index is free and online at Connecticut Open Data.

The state also publishes Connecticut Registration Reports each year. These reports give death counts by town, county, and health district. They do not list individual names. The reports help researchers understand death trends in New Haven County over time.

Laws on Death Records Access

Connecticut law allows broad access to death records. Anyone 18 or older may buy a copy under C.G.S. § 7-51a. The law limits access to the Social Security number for privacy. Only the spouse or next of kin gets that part of the record for deaths after July 1, 1997. Funeral directors can also get the SSN within 60 days of death. After 60 days, even the funeral director gets a redacted copy in New Haven County.

Registrars in New Haven County towns must keep records secure and accurate. C.G.S. § 7-36 says they send a copy of each death certificate to the state within 15 days. The registrar also notifies the registrar of voters when someone dies. This ensures voter rolls stay current in New Haven County.

Connecticut uses an electronic vital records system. C.G.S. § 19a-41 sets rules for electronic filing and security. Funeral directors, hospitals, and local registrars can file death records online. This speeds up processing in New Haven County. Electronic signatures are valid. The system has safeguards to prevent fraud.

To change a death certificate, you must follow C.G.S. § 19a-42. Amendments need supporting documents. If the cause of death changes, the original stays visible on the record. A copy is made and amended. The state seals the original. Only the Commissioner of Public Health can unseal it. This protects the integrity of death records in New Haven County.

Historical Death Records

Death records before 1897 are not at town clerk offices in New Haven County. The Connecticut State Library has the Barbour Collection. This collection covers vital records from before 1850. It includes births, marriages, and deaths from most Connecticut towns. Contact the State Library History and Genealogy Unit to search the Barbour Collection for old death records from New Haven County towns.

Church records and cemetery records are other sources for old deaths. Many New Haven County churches kept burial registers. Cemeteries have plot maps and burial books. These are not official vital records but can help with genealogy. Local historical societies in New Haven County may have copies or indexes. Ask the town library or historical society where the death occurred.

Members of recognized genealogical societies can access some older records. Connecticut law gives genealogists special access to records over 100 years old. You must be a member of an incorporated society. Apply to the State Vital Records Office with proof of membership to get access for research in New Haven County and other areas.

Cities and Towns in New Haven County

New Haven County has 27 towns. Each one maintains death records for events within its borders. The 10 largest towns with populations over 25,000 have their own pages on this site:

Other towns in New Haven County include Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Bethany, Derby, East Haven, Guilford, Hamden, Madison, Meriden, Middlebury, Milford, North Branford, North Haven, Orange, Oxford, Prospect, Seymour, Watertown, Wolcott, and Woodbridge. Contact the town clerk in the town where the death occurred to request vital records.

Nearby Counties

These counties border New Haven County. If you are not sure which county a town is in, check a map or ask the town clerk. Each town's records stay with that town.