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After a parent dies · District of Columbia
How to order a death certificate in District of Columbia
For mail requests in District of Columbia, checks or money orders are made payable to DC Treasurer. DC has death records since 1855, but no death records were filed during the Civil War. Each DC death record request must include a copy of a government-issued picture ID.
Educational only. Not legal advice. Sources checked November 2, 2026.
What the official sources say
- For mail requests in District of Columbia, checks or money orders are made payable to DC Treasurer. CDC National Center for Health Statistics: Where to Write for Vital Records. Checked November 2, 2026
- DC has death records since 1855, but no death records were filed during the Civil War. CDC National Center for Health Statistics: Where to Write for Vital Records. Checked November 2, 2026
- Each DC death record request must include a copy of a government-issued picture ID. CDC National Center for Health Statistics: Where to Write for Vital Records. Checked November 2, 2026
- A certified copy of a District of Columbia death certificate from the state vital records office is listed at $18.00. CDC National Center for Health Statistics: Where to Write for Vital Records. Checked November 2, 2026
- Mail requests for a District of Columbia death certificate go to: Vital Records Division 2201 Shannon Pl SE, Washington, DC 20020. CDC National Center for Health Statistics: Where to Write for Vital Records. Checked November 2, 2026
Official links
- CDC: Where to Write for Vital Records (District of Columbia)
- District of Columbia vital records office
How to keep these papers
Keep dated copies of the papers you already have in one place, and write the day something happened on the same day. KeepMyProof is a private phone app for that: folders with checklists, the day it happened next to the day you saved it, and one PDF of a folder when someone asks.
- Will or trust copies
- Death certificates
- Court papers naming the executor
- Accounts and property papers
- Bills and letters to close out
- Family land papers (heirs' property)
Download the free printable checklist (PDF)
One page, no email needed.
Coming soon to Google Play.
More for District of Columbia
- Creditor claim deadlines for an estate in District of Columbia
- Executor duties and deadlines in District of Columbia
- How probate works in District of Columbia after a parent dies
- Small estates in District of Columbia: collecting a parent's property without full probate
- Transfer-on-death deeds for a home in District of Columbia
- Executor checklist: papers after a parent dies: the full guide
- How to order a death certificate: all states
Neighbouring states
- How to order a death certificate in Maryland
- How to order a death certificate in Virginia
- How to order a death certificate in Delaware
- How to order a death certificate in Florida
Questions
Where do these District of Columbia facts come from?
Each fact on this page is copied from an official source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics: Where to Write for Vital Records. We checked that each source still says it on November 2, 2026. Rules and forms change, so open the official link and read the current version before you rely on it.
Is this legal advice?
No. This page is educational only and is not legal advice. KeepMyProof is not a law firm. For advice about your situation, ask a lawyer licensed in District of Columbia or your court's self-help center.
Which papers should I keep for after a parent dies?
A good start: Will or trust copies; Death certificates; Court papers naming the executor; Accounts and property papers; Bills and letters to close out; Family land papers (heirs' property). Keep only papers you are allowed to have, write the date on each note, and keep originals somewhere safe.
How can I keep these papers private on my phone?
KeepMyProof keeps copies of the papers you already have in folders with checklists, encrypted on your phone, with no account and no ads. It is free for the first items you save. It is coming soon to Google Play.
Educational only. Not legal advice.