Daviess County Obituary Records
Daviess County obituary and death records are maintained by the Daviess County Health Department in Washington, Indiana. If you need a certified death certificate or want to search for older obituary records from this southwest Indiana county, the health department handles all vital records for events occurring in Daviess County going back to 1882. You can request records in person, by mail, or online through VitalChek or the county's own online application system.
Daviess County Quick Facts
Daviess County Health Department - Vital Records
The Daviess County Health Department is at the Government Center, 300 E. Hefron St. in Washington, Indiana 47501. Call 812-254-8666 and ask for extension 2265 to reach the vital records staff. The email for vital records is vitalrecords@daviesshealth.com. The main health department website is at daviesshealth.com. You can also find vital records information at daviess.org/1359/Vital-Records.
Death certificates for Daviess County cost $15 per copy. Birth certificates are also $15. Records for both births and deaths go back to 1882 for events occurring in Daviess County. Walk-in service is available during normal business hours at the Government Center in Washington. The department also accepts requests by mail and through an online application and payment process. Call 812-254-8666 ext. 2265 to ask about walk-in hours and what payment types are accepted.
| Address | Government Center, 300 E. Hefron St., Washington, IN 47501 |
|---|---|
| Phone | 812-254-8666 ext. 2265 |
| vitalrecords@daviesshealth.com | |
| Death Certificate Fee | $15 per copy |
| Records From | 1882 to present (Daviess County events only) |
| Website | daviesshealth.com |
The image below shows the Indiana Department of Health's VitalChek ordering page, which Daviess County residents can use to order death certificates online when the county office is not accessible.
Visit the Indiana VitalChek page to order a Daviess County death certificate online through the state's authorized ordering partner.
VitalChek is the Indiana Department of Health's sole authorized online vendor for ordering certified death certificates including those for Daviess County records.
Requesting Daviess County Death Certificates
Walk-in service at the Government Center in Washington is the most direct option. Come during normal business hours, bring government-issued photo ID and $15 per certified copy. Staff can process your request during the visit. Call 812-254-8666 ext. 2265 ahead of time to confirm hours and payment options accepted at the window.
Mail requests are available for Daviess County death records. Download and complete the application form, attach a copy of your photo ID, and mail with payment to 300 E. Hefron St., Washington, IN 47501. You can also email vitalrecords@daviesshealth.com for instructions on the process. Processing time for mail requests is longer than walk-in service.
Daviess County also has an online application and payment process for vital records. Check the vital records page for details on how to submit online. Additionally, the state-authorized vendor VitalChek handles online orders with a service fee added on top of the county fee. Call VitalChek at 866-601-0891 anytime for phone orders.
Note: Under IC 16-37-1-11, the fee is charged when you submit the request and is non-refundable if no record is found.
Who Can Get Daviess County Obituary Records
Certified death certificates from Daviess County are limited to people with a direct interest in the record. Indiana law defines this as immediate family members, legal representatives, and authorized agents. Bring government-issued photo ID and supporting documentation of your relationship to the deceased. Common qualifying relationships include spouse, parent, child, grandchild, and sibling.
Genealogy requests are handled differently. For records of people who died more than 75 years ago, the rules are more relaxed. Proof of death may be required. A genealogy copy is generally non-certified but contains the core facts from the death record. If you are researching older Daviess County family history, also check the Indiana Legacy database before paying for a certified copy.
Under IC 5-14-3, the public can access certain basic death record information including name, gender, age, and place of death. Getting a full certified copy requires meeting the direct interest standard. If you have questions, email vitalrecords@daviesshealth.com before visiting the Washington office.
State and Genealogy Resources for Daviess County Obituaries
The Indiana Department of Health in Indianapolis can issue certified death certificates for Daviess County events. Their phone is 317-233-2700. They hold statewide death records from 1900 to present. Online orders go through VitalChek. Mail orders use State Form 49606 from in.gov/health/vital-records/order-now. State fees are $8 for the first copy and $4 for additional copies of the same record.
The Indiana Legacy database is free online and holds over 5 million indexed records including obituary entries, death records, and cemetery data for Daviess County. Searching here before paying for a certified copy is a good first step. The Hoosier State Chronicles digital newspaper archive has Washington-area papers with older Daviess County obituary notices.
The Indiana State Library Genealogy Division at 317-232-3689 holds county research guides and family history materials for Daviess County. The Indiana State Archives at 317-591-5222 holds original county government records and can help with older records not available at the county health department.
Under IC 16-37-3-9, Daviess County's local health officer keeps a permanent death register from every certificate filed, dating back to 1882.
Daviess County Clerk and Related Records
The Daviess County Clerk in Washington holds marriage records, divorce filings, and probate court documents. These often accompany death records when you are settling an estate or tracing family connections. Probate court filings begin after a death and document the legal process of distributing a person's assets. If you need to establish a family relationship to request a death certificate, marriage or birth records from the clerk can serve as supporting documentation.
Contact the Daviess County Courthouse in Washington to reach the clerk's office. The courthouse at 200 E. Walnut St. in Washington is the center of county civil records. Ask the clerk about hours and fees for accessing marriage, divorce, and probate records. Combined with the health department's death certificates, clerk records give you a fuller view of any person's life in Daviess County.
Cities in Daviess County
Washington is Daviess County's county seat and largest community. No cities in Daviess County have a population over 25,000. All death records and obituary records for Daviess County are managed through the health department in Washington.
Nearby Counties
Daviess County is in southwest Indiana and borders several counties. Each has a health department managing local death and obituary records.