Death-certificate fee in Iowa: $15 per certified copy
The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Health Statistics sets the fee and process below. Confirm current details on the office page before you order.
deathcertcost.us provides informational summaries of state vital-records office fees and processes. Fees and timelines change; verify with your state's vital-records office before relying. Not affiliated with any state agency or VitalChek.
Fee per certified copy
$15
The Iowa vital-records office charges $15 for the first certified copy.
Standard processing time
Varies
The office does not publish a standard timeline. It usually depends on how you order — in person is typically fastest, mail is slowest. Confirm current timing with the office.
Ask the office whether an expedited option is available.
Copies typically needed
Each institution that handles the estate usually wants its own certified copy. The most common are:
- Bank & financial accounts
- Life-insurance death-benefit claim
- Probate court estate filing
- Pension, retirement & brokerage accounts
How to order
$15 per certified record (verified on state page, direct fetch). Note: a county source indicates an increase to $20 effective July 1, 2026; the state page did not yet reflect this as of verification. Also orderable from county vital records (county of residence or of death).
Visit Iowa Vital RecordsThis links to the official Iowa office — not an aggregator or paid service.
Professional review in progress. How we check these figures is described on our methodology page.