Evansville Obituary Records
Evansville obituary and death records are issued by the Vanderburgh County Health Department, which serves this city of about 117,000 in southwestern Indiana near the Kentucky border. You can request certified Evansville death certificates in person at 420 Mulberry Street or search the Browning Genealogy database for older obituary records online. Vanderburgh County maintains death records going back to 1882 and accepts a wide range of payment methods including Apple Pay and Cash App.
Evansville Quick Facts
Vanderburgh County Health Department
The Vanderburgh County Health Department at 420 Mulberry St., Evansville, IN 47713 is the local source for certified Evansville death certificates. Phone: 812-435-2400. Hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Wednesday hours are shorter, closing at 3:00 PM. If you plan to visit on a Wednesday, arrive early to allow enough time for your request.
Evansville has a fee structure that varies by the type of copy and the requestor's location. A certified copy for a Vanderburgh County resident costs $20. Out-of-county requestors pay $25. Non-certified genealogy copies cost $18. These rates are higher than some Indiana counties, but the payment options are among the most flexible in the state. The office accepts cash, check, money order, debit and credit cards, Apple Pay, and Cash App.
The Vanderburgh County vital records page at vanderburghhealth.org/death-certificates lists current fees, office hours, and the request process. Review this page before visiting to confirm any changes to fees or procedures.
How to Request Evansville Death Records
Walk-in service at 420 Mulberry Street is the fastest way to get an Evansville death certificate. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID and know the basic details: full name of the deceased and approximate date of death. If you qualify under IC 16-37-1-11 as someone with a "direct interest," such as a family member or legal representative, you can get a certified copy the same day.
Mail requests also work. Send a completed application form, a photocopy of your photo ID, and payment (check or money order) to 420 Mulberry St., Evansville, IN 47713. Allow several business days for mail processing and return delivery. Out-of-county requestors should note the $25 rate rather than the $20 resident rate.
For genealogy requests, the non-certified copy costs $18. Genealogy access at Vanderburgh County typically requires the deceased person to meet certain age criteria, and the office processes genealogy requests separately from certified copy requests. Processing for genealogy orders takes five to seven days. Call 812-435-2400 to confirm current procedures before mailing a genealogy request.
Browning Genealogy and Evansville Obituary Search
Evansville has a valuable local genealogy resource in the Browning Genealogy: Evansville Area Obituary Search. This database covers historical obituary notices for Evansville and the surrounding Tri-State area. It is one of the more detailed local obituary collections in southern Indiana, with entries from decades of local newspaper records. If you are researching a family member who died in Evansville, the Browning database can provide name, date, and publication source information.
The Indiana State Library genealogy collection at in.gov/library/genealogy.htm also holds materials covering Vanderburgh County. The Evansville Courier and Journal and predecessor papers are indexed in several genealogy collections, and the library holds microfilmed runs of many southern Indiana newspapers. For deaths from the late 1800s and early 1900s, newspaper obituaries often include family details not recorded on the official death certificate.
The Vanderburgh County Health Department page covers the full process for requesting Evansville obituary records and death certificates, including fee schedules and accepted payment methods.
Statewide and Online Options
VitalChek at vitalchek.com/v/death-certificates/indiana processes Indiana death certificate orders 24 hours a day. Call 866-601-0891. The service adds a processing fee on top of the base county rate. This is convenient if you cannot visit the Evansville office during business hours. The state mail-in form, State Form 49606, is at in.gov/health/vital-records/order-now.
The Indiana Legacy database at digital.statelib.lib.in.us/legacy holds digitized Indiana vital records and is free to search. It is a good starting point for Evansville death records from the 1800s through mid-1900s when you are unsure of the exact date or county of a death.
Indiana Code IC 5-14-3 governs public records access in Indiana broadly. Vital records have additional restrictions under more specific statutes, but the general public records framework applies when navigating what is open and what is not for Evansville obituary research.
Note: For the most up-to-date fee information, call Vanderburgh County at 812-435-2400 before visiting, as out-of-county fees and genealogy rates can change.
Indiana Vital Records Framework
Indiana Code IC 16-37-3-9 defines what information must appear on a certified death record and how registration works statewide. Vanderburgh County follows these rules for all Evansville death certificate requests. A certified copy carries the county and state seal and is valid for legal purposes including estate settlement, Social Security claims, and insurance payouts.
The Indiana State Archives at in.gov/icpr/archives may hold older Evansville records predating modern vital records systems. Archival records require a different request process than a county health department certificate. If you are researching Evansville deaths from the mid-1800s, the archives are worth contacting.
Vanderburgh County Obituary Records
Evansville is the county seat of Vanderburgh County, and all city death records run through Vanderburgh County systems. For the full county overview, visit the county page.
Nearby Cities
Other qualifying Indiana cities near Evansville in southwestern Indiana:
- Terre Haute - Vigo County
- Bloomington - Monroe County
- Jeffersonville - Clark County