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After a parent dies · Tennessee
How to order a death certificate in Tennessee
For mail requests in Tennessee, checks or money orders are made payable to Tennessee Vital Records. Tennessee's Vital Records Office keeps death records for 50 years; older records are at the Tennessee Library and Archives. Tennessee requests need a photocopy of a valid government ID that includes the requester's signature.
Educational only. Not legal advice. Sources checked November 2, 2026.
What the official sources say
- For mail requests in Tennessee, checks or money orders are made payable to Tennessee Vital Records. CDC National Center for Health Statistics: Where to Write for Vital Records. Checked November 2, 2026
- Tennessee's Vital Records Office keeps death records for 50 years; older records are at the Tennessee Library and Archives. CDC National Center for Health Statistics: Where to Write for Vital Records. Checked November 2, 2026
- Tennessee requests need a photocopy of a valid government ID that includes the requester's signature. CDC National Center for Health Statistics: Where to Write for Vital Records. Checked November 2, 2026
- A certified copy of a Tennessee death certificate from the state vital records office is listed at $15.00. CDC National Center for Health Statistics: Where to Write for Vital Records. Checked November 2, 2026
- Mail requests for a Tennessee death certificate go to: Tennessee Vital Records 1st Floor, Andrew Johnson Tower 710 James Robertson Parkway Nashville, TN 37243. CDC National Center for Health Statistics: Where to Write for Vital Records. Checked November 2, 2026
Official links
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 Tennessee
- Small estates in Tennessee: collecting a parent's property without full probate
- 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 Alabama
- How to order a death certificate in Arkansas
- How to order a death certificate in Georgia
- How to order a death certificate in Kentucky
- How to order a death certificate in Mississippi
- How to order a death certificate in Missouri
Questions
Where do these Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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.