How to Correct the Spelling of the Name on a Death Record

To correct a death record, you will have to contact the state authority in charge of managing vital records.

Occasionally information listed on a death record may be erroneous, but it is possible to submit a request to have the record corrected. Death records are not public records, and so you must have a direct relationship with the deceased to request a correction. Each state will have its own authority that presides over death records. This state agency is typically referred to as the Office or Department of Vital Records.

Instructions

1. Contact the vital records authority for the state in which the death certificate was issued. For example, in Illinois, vital records fall under the purview of the state's Department of Public Health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website links to all the vital record authorities by state.

2. Obtain a copy of the death record or death certificate correction form. In Illinois, for example, this form is available for download from the Vital Records website. If you cannot locate an online form for your state, the vital records authority will be able to supply you with a form.

3. Fill out the correction form. The exact information needed to complete the form may vary from state to state. In general, you will need to provide your name, the name of the deceased, your relation to the deceased, the place and date of death, your address and your signature. You will also need to write down the way the name is currently misspelled on the certificate and how the name should be corrected.

4. Submit the form to the vital records authority in your state along with the required payment to process your request.

References

• Illinois Vital Records: Death Records
• Illinois Department of Public Health: Application for Correction of a Death Certificate

Resources

• Vital Records Authorities by State