Lake County Obituary Records

Lake County obituary and death records are managed by the Lake County Health Department in Crown Point, Indiana. The office maintains certified death certificates for events that occurred in Lake County going back to 1882 and processes both in-person and online requests. One critical rule applies to Lake County: if a death occurred within the city limits of East Chicago, Gary, or Hammond, those city health departments issue the certificates, not the Lake County office. For all other Lake County locations, Crown Point is the right office.

Lake County Health Department Vital Records Division

The Lake County Health Department Vital Records Division is at 2900 W. 93rd Ave., Crown Point, IN 46307. The toll-free phone number is 888-985-7536 and fax is 219-755-3656. The website at lakecountyin.gov/departments/health/vital-records-division has current hours, fees, and service information. Lake County death records go back to 1882. The office accepts credit card payments and online orders, which is more convenient than many Indiana county offices. Personal checks are not accepted except from funeral homes.

Certified death certificates in Lake County cost $20 per copy. Paternity affidavits are $30. Credit card payments are now accepted, which is a recent addition that makes in-person visits more flexible. Online ordering is also available, giving residents a way to request records without visiting Crown Point. Under IC 16-37-1-11, certified copies are restricted to those with a qualifying interest in the record. Bring a valid photo ID for all in-person requests. Home birth registrations require both parents to appear in person with current government-issued IDs, which is a specific rule worth noting for those dealing with birth-related records at the same office.

The critical distinction for Lake County is that deaths registered in East Chicago, Gary, or Hammond are handled by those cities' health departments separately from the Lake County office. If you are looking for a death certificate for someone who died in one of those three cities, do not go to Crown Point. Contact the specific city health department instead. For all other areas in Lake County, including Hobart, Schererville, Merrillville, Highland, and others, the Lake County office in Crown Point is correct.

The Lake County vital records page outlines the types of records available, current fees, and contact details for the Crown Point office and online ordering system.

Searching Lake County Obituary Records Online

Lake County offers online ordering for death certificates through its updated vital records system. This option allows you to submit a request, pay by credit card, and have the certificate shipped to your address without visiting Crown Point. Online ordering is especially useful for the many Lake County residents who live in the Chicago metropolitan area and may find the Crown Point office inconvenient to visit during weekday business hours.

The VitalChek platform for Lake County provides an additional online channel for ordering death records. VitalChek is state-approved and adds a service fee on top of the $20 certificate cost. Orders placed through VitalChek are fulfilled by the health department and shipped by mail. Expedited shipping is available for time-sensitive requests. The VitalChek phone line at 866-601-0891 is available 24 hours a day for those who prefer phone ordering.

The Indiana Department of Health in Indianapolis holds the statewide death registry and can be reached at 317-233-2700. When a Lake County search does not find the record, the state office is the next resource. Mail orders use State Form 49606. The state holds records from 1900 onward across all Indiana counties.

Note: For deaths in East Chicago, Gary, or Hammond, contact those cities' health departments directly, not the Lake County office in Crown Point.

Lake County Death Records and Indiana Law

Indiana's public records law under IC 5-14-3 restricts access to vital records like death certificates. Lake County follows these state restrictions, limiting certified copies to those with a qualifying interest. The health department verifies eligibility before releasing any certified document. This is particularly important in Lake County, which as Indiana's most populous county processes a high volume of vital records requests each year.

If information on a Lake County death certificate needs to be corrected, the amendment process under IC 16-37-3-9 applies. Contact the vital records division at 888-985-7536 to begin the process. Supporting documentation will be required, and the funeral home that originally filed the record is typically involved. Lake County handles a large volume of amendments each year given its population size, and staff are experienced in walking requesters through the process.

Lake County Obituary Genealogy Resources

Historical obituary research in Lake County benefits from multiple resources. The Indiana Legacy database from the Indiana State Library includes death indexes and digitized newspaper obituaries from Lake County going back to the late 1800s. Lake County newspapers, including those from Gary and Hammond, have digitized archives that cover decades of local obituaries. The Indiana State Library genealogy division and the Indiana State Archives round out the available state-level resources for older Lake County obituary research.

Cities in Lake County

Lake County is Indiana's most populous county and includes several large cities with their own records pages. Remember that deaths in Gary, Hammond, and East Chicago are handled by those city health departments, not the Lake County office.

Other Lake County communities include Crown Point, Merrillville, Highland, Munster, and Lowell. Deaths in these areas are handled through the Lake County Health Department in Crown Point.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Lake County. Contact the right county's health department for deaths outside Lake County.