Death Certificate Wyoming Cost

You need certified copies of a death certificate to close bank accounts, claim life insurance, transfer property, and handle virtually every post-death administrative task. Wyoming's fees are straightforward, but ordering from the wrong source can cost you three to four times the actual price.

Current Death Certificate Fees in Wyoming

Wyoming Vital Statistics Services charges the following fees:

• First certified copy: $25
• Each additional copy (ordered at the same time): $20

These fees include a $5 surcharge that was added to support the state's indigent burial fund. If you need five copies — a reasonable number for most estates — the total cost is $105.

Order directly from the Wyoming Department of Health, Vital Statistics Services in Cheyenne. The Deputy State Registrar has explicitly warned consumers to avoid third-party online aggregators that appear in search results offering to procure Wyoming certificates. These sites charge three to four times the statutory fee while actually delaying the processing time compared to a direct order.

How to Order Certified Copies

You can order certified copies through the official state channels:

• By mail: Send a written request with the required identifying information (full legal name of deceased, date of death, place of death, your relationship to the deceased) and a check or money order to the Department of Health, Vital Statistics Services, Cheyenne, WY.
• In person: Visit the Vital Statistics office in Cheyenne during business hours.
• Online: Use the official state portal — verify you are on a .gov website before entering payment information.

You will need to verify your identity and your relationship to the deceased. Not everyone can order a death certificate — Wyoming restricts access to immediate family members, legal representatives, and those with a documented legal need.

How Many Copies Do You Need?

Most estate administrators should order at least five to ten certified copies. Each institution that requires proof of death — banks, insurance companies, the Social Security Administration, property title companies, the DMV — typically needs its own certified copy. Some will accept copies and return them, but many retain the original.

If the estate involves real property in multiple counties, mineral rights, or vehicles with beneficiary designations, you may need additional copies beyond ten. It costs less to order extras upfront ($20 each) than to place a separate order later ($25 again for the first copy of a new order).

The Death Certificate Filing Process

Before copies can be ordered, the death certificate must first be filed. Wyoming law requires the death certificate to be completed and submitted to the local health registrar within three days of the death.

Wyoming uses an Electronic Death Registration (EDR) system. When a licensed funeral director handles arrangements, they access the EDR system to file digitally, coordinating with the attending physician or coroner to complete the medical certification portion.

For families conducting a family-directed funeral without a funeral director, the EDR system is not accessible. Wyoming maintains an all-paper system as a backup. The family must physically obtain a blank death certificate from a local registrar, county coroner, or hospital. The attending physician or coroner must sign the medical certification within 24 hours of death, and the family then completes the demographic sections and files the paper document with the local registrar.

Common Problems and Delays

The most frequent cause of delay is an incomplete medical certification. If the physician has not signed the cause-of-death section, the registrar cannot process the certificate, and no burial-transit permit can be issued. This can stall all disposition plans.

For deaths investigated by the county coroner — including unattended deaths, accidents, and deaths where the cause is unclear — the medical certification may take additional time. The coroner must complete their investigation before signing.

If you are acting as the family's representative and handling the paperwork without a funeral director, maintain close communication with both the medical certifier and the local registrar to prevent filing gaps.

The Wyoming Funeral Laws & Consumer Rights Guide covers the entire death certificate process alongside every other post-death administrative requirement, including the exact timelines for permits, estate filing, and asset distribution.

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