Death-certificate fee in Massachusetts: $20 per certified copy
The Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics (RVRS) 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
$20
The Massachusetts vital-records office charges $20 for the first certified copy.
Standard processing time
15-20 business days (mail)
Standard requests typically take 15-20 business days (mail). In-person orders are often faster than mail.
Expedited option: 10 business days (expedited mail).
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
Fee depends on method: $20 in person; $32 by standard mail; $42 expedited mail; online/phone via VitalChek $54 first/$42 additional. fee_per_copy reflects the lowest official (in-person) fee. Also available from the city/town clerk of the place of death. Fees traced to official mass.gov fee schedule via search.
Visit Massachusetts Vital RecordsThis links to the official Massachusetts office — not an aggregator or paid service.
Professional review in progress. How we check these figures is described on our methodology page.