Maricopa County Obituary Records
Maricopa County obituary records include death certificates from the Office of Vital Registration and obituaries from Phoenix area newspapers. This is the largest county in Arizona with over 4 million residents. The county health department has several locations where you can request death certificates in person. You can also find Maricopa County obituaries through the Arizona Republic newspaper, local funeral homes, and online memorial sites. Whether you need a certified death certificate or want to search for an obituary, Maricopa County offers many options for residents and family researchers.
Maricopa County Quick Facts
Maricopa County Office of Vital Registration
The Maricopa County Public Health's Office of Vital Registration handles death certificates for this area. They can issue certified copies of death certificates for any death that occurred in Arizona. You do not have to be a county resident to request a certificate here. The office serves anyone who meets the eligibility rules set by state law.
You can visit the Maricopa County Vital Records website to learn about services and download forms. The main phone number is 602-506-6805. Office hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. On Wednesday, hours are 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The mailing address for requests is PO Box 2111, Phoenix, AZ 85001.
A certified death certificate costs $20 per copy. Corrections cost $30.
Who Can Get Maricopa County Death Certificates
Arizona is a closed record state. Not everyone can get a certified copy of a death certificate. The law limits access to protect privacy. Only certain people qualify to receive these records. If you are not on the list, you cannot get a certified copy of a recent death certificate in Maricopa County.
The Maricopa County death certificate page lists who can request copies. Eligible people include the spouse of the deceased, parents, adult children, grandparents, grandchildren, and siblings. Funeral directors and their staff can request copies for families they serve. Legal representatives like attorneys and those named in powers of attorney also qualify. Executors of estates, life insurance beneficiaries, and people named in court orders can apply too.
For genealogy research on older deaths, the rules are different. Death records that are 50 years old or more are open to the public. You can search these at genealogy.az.gov for free. The database has non-certified copies of historic death certificates.
Maricopa County Vital Records Locations
Maricopa County has five office locations where you can request death certificates in person. This makes it easier for residents across this large county to access vital records services. Each location offers the same services and fees. Pick the one closest to you.
The locations are spread across the Phoenix metro area to serve different communities. The main Phoenix office is at 1645 E. Roosevelt St., West Entrance, Phoenix, AZ 85006. The East Valley location in Mesa is at 331 E. Coury Ave., Mesa, AZ 85210. For northwest valley residents, there is an office at 8088 W. Whitney Dr., Suite 2A, Peoria, AZ 85345. Glendale has a location at 5141 W. Lamar Rd., Glendale, AZ 85301. The west valley office is at 14130 W. McDowell Rd., Goodyear, AZ 85395.
Call ahead to confirm hours. Some locations may have different schedules or temporary closures.
Note: Walk-in service is available at all locations, but wait times vary based on demand.
Maricopa County Medical Examiner
The Maricopa County Medical Examiner investigates certain types of deaths. When someone dies under unusual circumstances, the medical examiner handles the death certificate instead of a regular doctor. This office covers about 9,200 square miles and receives nearly 10,000 death reports each year. It is one of the busiest medical examiner offices in the country.
If a loved one died and the medical examiner was involved, you can check on the case status online. The Maricopa County ME Case Status website lets you look up cases. You need the case number or the name of the deceased. The main office is at 701 West Jefferson Street, Phoenix, AZ 85007. The phone number is 602-506-3322. For death investigations, the 24-hour line is 602-506-1138.
You can get a death certificate through your funeral home or directly from the Office of Vital Registration. The medical examiner does not issue certificates to families directly.
Where to Find Maricopa County Obituaries
Maricopa County obituaries appear in several local newspapers and online sources. The Arizona Republic is the main newspaper for the Phoenix metro area. It publishes death notices and full obituaries daily. You can search their obituaries through Legacy.com. The site has a searchable database of recent obituaries plus an archive going back many years.
Other sources for Maricopa County obituaries include the East Valley Tribune, which covers Mesa, Tempe, Chandler, Gilbert, and Scottsdale. Local funeral homes often post obituaries on their websites too. Some families choose to publish only through the funeral home rather than in a newspaper. If you cannot find an obituary in the newspaper, check funeral home sites in the area where the person lived or died.
For historical obituaries, the Phoenix Public Library has newspaper archives. The Burton Barr Central Library at 1221 N. Central Ave. has Arizona history collections and Ancestry database access for in-library use. They also have census microfilms and other genealogy resources. Call 602-262-4636 for more info.
How to Request Maricopa County Death Certificates
You can request a death certificate in person, by mail, or online. In-person requests are processed quickly at any of the five office locations. Bring a valid photo ID and know your relationship to the deceased. You will fill out an application form and pay the $20 fee. Most in-person requests are handled the same day.
For mail requests, download the application form from the county website. Fill it out completely. Include a copy of your photo ID. Make your payment by money order or cashier's check payable to Maricopa County Public Health. Personal checks are not accepted. Mail everything to PO Box 2111, Phoenix, AZ 85001. Mail requests take about a week to process.
Here is what you need to include in your request:
- Full name of the deceased
- Date of death
- Place of death (city or hospital)
- Your name and relationship to the deceased
- Copy of your valid photo ID
- Payment of $20 per certified copy
Online ordering is available through VitalChek. Extra service fees apply when you order online.
Major Cities in Maricopa County
Maricopa County includes Phoenix and many other large cities. Residents of these cities get death certificates from the county, not from their city. City libraries and local newspapers are good sources for obituaries. Here are the major cities in Maricopa County with populations over 50,000:
Nearby Arizona Counties
Maricopa County borders several other Arizona counties. If you are searching for obituary records and are not sure which county to check, look at the neighboring areas too. Someone may have died in a different county than where they lived.
Counties that border Maricopa include Pinal County to the southeast, Gila County to the east, Yavapai County to the north, and La Paz County and Yuma County to the west. Each county has its own vital records office that can issue death certificates.