Nebraska Death Records

An estimated 18,473 deaths are reported in Nebraska each year, translating to an age-adjusted mortality rate of 785.7 deaths per 100,000 residents. This is slightly lower than the national average death rate of 805.6 per 100,000 United States population. Some of the leading causes of death in the state are heart disease, cancer, chronic lower respiratory diseases, and stroke.

Some counties and city health departments in Nebraska have kept records of death events way before statewide registration of deaths became mandatory. Some cities, like the City of Lincoln and the City of Omaha, maintained death records for death events within their locality from 1889 and 1873, respectively. However, the state did not begin registering death records until late 1904.

In Nebraska, the most common type of death record is the death certificate. It is an official recording of the place and date of death, as well as the cause of death. Original death certificates in Nebraska are typically completed by funeral directors and physicians, nurse practitioners, or physician assistants, after which they are filed with the state's Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). According to Section 71-605 of the Nebraska Revised Statutes, a completed death certificate must be filed with the DHHS within 5 working days after the date of death. Where this is not feasible, the funeral director must inform the DHHS about it and state the reason for the delay.

An original death certificate and a certified copy of the certificate are not the same. The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services keeps original death certificates of all death events in the state, but generally grants eligible individuals access to certified copies of the certificates. A certified copy of a death certificate in the state is a legally verified photocopy of the original document, authenticated by the DHHS, and may be used for all kinds of official purposes.

How Do I Get a Certified Copy of a Death Certificate in Nebraska?

The Office of Vital Records of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) keeps records of death events that occur in the state. It issues certified copies of death certificates to eligible individuals using the following means:

• Online Application - Eligible persons can apply for certified copies of Nebraska death certificates using the DHHS Online Application for Certified Copy of Death Certificate. They must complete the online form with all relevant information and upload relevant documents, including an acceptable proof of identification. In addition, they are required to pay a $16 certificate fee for each certified copy of the death certificate requested. After completing the form with all the required information and uploading copies of the necessary documents, apply online.

  It takes about 3 to 4 weeks to process (minimum of 7 days for in-office processing) and deliver online orders for Nebraska death certificates. Applicants typically get the requested copies in the mail once processed. The Office of Vital Records does not offer expedited shipping for online orders.

• Mail-in Application - To order a certified copy of a death certificate by mail from the Office of Vital Records by mail, follow the steps below:

  • Complete the Application for a Certified Copy of a Death Certificate
  • Include a photocopy of a government-issued photo identification. Acceptable IDs include state-issued driver's licenses, state-issued ID tribal cards, pilot license VA cards, CDL work permits, state-issued learner's permits, local/state/federal government IDs, and concealed carry permit permanent resident cards.
  • Include a check or money order of $16 made out to Vital Records.
  • Enclose a stamped, self-addressed business-size envelope.
  • Provide proof of relationship (if applicable).

  • Submit the completed application form and all other requirements to the DHHS at:

    Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services

    Vital Records

    P.O. Box 95065

    Lincoln, NE 68509-5065

    Although the Office of Vital Records offers expedited services for mail-in orders, it typically takes a minimum of 15 days to process a request (non-expedited) in-office. Afterward, certified copies of the requested certificate are mailed to the requester using the prepaid envelope. If an applicant fails to provide a prepaid envelope, the Office of Vital Records will return the ordered copies of the certificate to the requester by regular mail.

• Walk-in Application - An eligible person may request certified copies of a Nebraska death certificate by submitting (in person) a completed application form and every other requirement, including payment and ID, to the Office of Vital Records at:

  Office of Vital Records

  Nebraska State Building

  301 Centennial Mall South (First Floor)

  Lincoln, NE 86509

  Walk-in requests are typically processed on the same day. It takes a minimum of 30 minutes to process them, meaning that requesters may obtain copies of the requested certificate on the same day.

Are Nebraska Death Records Public?

Nebraska death records are deemed public records, but there are certain restrictions. Death records are typically closed to the public for 50 years, but they become open public records after 50 years have passed since the date of death. Per Section 71-612 of the Nebraska Revised Statutes, a requester must have and state the purpose for requesting a death record in the state.

Who Can Request an Original Death Certificate in Nebraska?

All original death records in Nebraska are preserved permanently by the Office of Vital Records of the state's Department of Health and Human Services. Hence, no individual may request any original death certificate in the state. However, certain persons qualify to request certified copies of death certificates that are still under 50 years old. These include the deceased's spouse, parents, and children.

Anyone whose name is not on the death certificate they are requesting must show proof of relationship to the decedent. Similarly, a deceased person's child and spouse must provide their birth certificate and marriage record, respectively, when requiring their parent/spouse's death certificate in Nevada.

How Long Does It Take to Get a Death Certificate in Nebraska?

How long it takes to get a death certificate in Nebraska varies depending on the specific situation. It is influenced by factors such as the method of request and the circumstances surrounding a death event. For a regular/natural death, state law requires that an original death certificate be filed with the Office of Vital Records within 5 business days of the date of death. Depending on the method of request, it takes anywhere from one day to about 4 weeks to get a certified copy of a death certificate that has already been filed with the DHHS.

However, there are instances where it becomes impossible to complete an original death certificate and file it with the Office of Vital Records within 5 working days in Nebraska. A common example of such cases is a death that occurred under suspicious circumstances. In this instance, an autopsy is typically required to determine the cause of death before preparing a death certificate.

The autopsy process may take several months, depending on the complexity of the case and the need for additional tests like toxicology testing. As a result, it may take a long while before the complete autopsy report is ready and the final death certificate with the cause of death is filed. Overall, this impacts the length of time it takes for anyone to obtain certified copies of such a death certificate.

Can I View Nebraska Death Records Online for Free?

Several thousand historic Nebraska death records may be viewed for free through certain searchable online databases. Similarly, free digitized images of several million entries in the state's death index for certain years are available free of charge online. For instance, Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org may have several records of old death records in Nebraska online for free. However, users may need to register for an account to be able to use these services.

Third-party websites like Nebraskapublicrecords.us are also great sources of public death records in the state, but access to the databases usually requires paying a nominal fee. Furthermore, if looking to find information regarding any death event in the state, free of charge, consider checking substitute records. These records are particularly famous for holding information about deaths not officially registered. They include newspapers, obituaries, cemetery records, church records, tax records, city directories, Social Security Death Index (SSDI), and probate records.

When Would You Require A Death Certificate in Nebraska?

A death certificate is required for many purposes in Nebraska. Generally, when a person dies in the state, their loved ones may require the death certificate to address any of the following legal or administrative matters:

• Notifying the deceased's credit card company and canceling their credit cards.
• Notifying important agencies like the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) of a person's death to access the deceased's social security benefits and file a final tax return, respectively.
• Filing insurance claims.
• Closing the deceased's bank accounts and settling their monetary obligations (debts).
• Transferring the ownership of all assets in the deceased person's name to other individuals.
• Arranging a funeral for the deceased.
• Filing a petition to continue receiving the deceased's pension payments and other retirement benefits.
• Notifying the decedent's creditors of their passing.
• Canceling a deceased person's subscription to utility services, including telephone services.

How Many Death Certificates Do I Need in Nebraska?

On average, an individual should request 8 to 12 copies of a death certificate in Nebraska after losing their loved one. However, the actual number of copies needed by anyone varies by family and typically depends on the number of legal or administrative matters they must address, requiring a certified copy of a death certificate. The number of transactions requiring a death certificate is usually influenced by the number of assets in the deceased's name.

Asking institutions requiring a copy of a death certificate if photocopies will suffice may also help determine the actual number of death certificates needed in Nebraska. While some agencies or organizations may allow photocopies of a certified copy of a certificate, others may emphasize their preference for certified copies. Listing the number of agencies that need a copy of a death certificate and the number of transactions for which copies of the certificate are needed can help determine how many copies to request from the Office of Vital Records in Nebraska.