Wyoming Death Records

Are Death Certificates Public in Wyoming

Yes, Wyoming death certificates become public after 50 years. A public death record search can be conducted at the Wyoming State Archives office. Death certificates under 50 are confidential and only open to family members, legal representatives, and other eligible individuals with a direct interest in the record. Confidential Wyoming death certificate search can be conducted online, by mail, or in person at the State Vital Records office.

What Shows Up on Death Records in Wyoming?

Death records in Wyoming are official documents providing details of deaths that occurred in the state. Wyoming requires all deaths within its borders to be registered and has kept these records on file since July 1909. A Wyoming death record is a death certificate issued by the Vital Statistics Services of the Wyoming Department of Health. Wyoming death record search can be done online, by mail, and in person.

Details found in a typical Wyoming death certificate include:

• Full name of the deceased
• Biodata of the deceased, including their age, gender, and race
• Last known address of the deceased
• Date and time of death
• Date and time of birth
• Place of death
• Cause of death
• Names of the deceased parents
• Death record registration number
• Name and signature of the physician providing the cause of death
• Signature of the funeral director handling the remains of the deceased

Along with other Wyoming vital records, Wyoming maintains death records to help it track its population growth and gather public health statistics. Government agencies also need these vital records to update their registries and databases. Death records are needed to update census registries and the database of registered voters. In addition to other vital records and statistical data, Wyoming needs death records to know where best to allocate its resources. This is especially useful for executing public health initiatives.

Family members and legal representatives of the deceased may also need copies of a death record for different purposes. A certified death certificate is a legal document that confirms the passing of an individual and gives living survivors the go-ahead to execute the deceased’s will. Executors of the deceased estate will need this document to close the deceased’s bank accounts, claim insurance benefits, and possible pensions.

Besides families, attorneys, and state and federal governments, medical researchers and social scientists may also need Wyoming death records. Genealogists use these records to construct family trees and lineages. Epidemiologists may use death records to investigate emerging infectious diseases and the prevalence of genetic conditions.

How are Death Records Created in Wyoming?

In Wyoming, the creation of death certificates begins with funeral directors. This task can also go to anyone tasked with the final arrangements of the deceased. Therefore, the head of a crematorium may initiate the process. The funeral director fills out the death certificate and contacts the deceased’s family members to obtain the information required.

The funeral director also obtains a cause of death as well as time of death from the physician, physician’s assistant, coroner, or medical officer that certified the death of the deceased. After putting these details on the certificate, the funeral director sends the document to the registrar in the county where the event occurred. The register then sends the prepared death certificate to the Wyoming Vital Statistics Services to be registered and certified. Following this, anyone looking for copies of this death certificate must contact the Vital Statistics Office to request them. Wyoming death certificate search can be done online, by mail, and in person. Finally, death certificates will be registered with the United States Death Registry to be part of the United States Death Records.

How to Find Death Records Online in Wyoming?

There is no way to find Wyoming death records online through official channels. Wyoming does not have an online portal for looking up vital records. It also does not partner with third-party online vital record providers to make its death records accessible. Similarly, there is no way to request for copies of Wyoming death certificates online. The state requires all requesters to submit their applications in person or by mail.

Considered open to citizens of the United States, public records are available through both traditional government sources and third-party websites and organizations. In many cases, third-party websites make the search easier as they are not limited geographically or by technological limitations. They are a good place to start when looking for specific or multiple records. To gain access to these records, interested parties must typically provide:

• The name of the person listed in the record. Juveniles are typically exempt from this search method.
• The last known or assumed location of the person listed in the record. This includes cities, counties, and states.

While third-party sites offer such services, they are not government-sponsored entities, and record availability may vary on these sites when compared to government sources.

Death Record Search by Name in Wyoming

The Wyoming Vital Statistics Services has an online portal where a record seeker can conduct a death record search by name. They would have to sign up to the portal and log in with their username and password before they can place an order for a death record. A death record search by name via the Wyoming Vital Records Portal requires providing the deceased’s full name (first, middle and last) and date and place of death (city or county).

Death Record Search by Address

The Wyoming Vital Records State Department of Health does not make provisions for a death record search by address. As such, a death record search by name would be a better option.

How to Find Death Records for Free in Wyoming?

Wyoming does not offer its death records for free. It charges a nominal per copy fee for each certified copy of a vital record requested. This fee applies regardless of the method of application. The Wyoming State Archives, responsible for maintaining the state’s vital records that have become open records, also charges small fees for providing photocopies of death records that are 50 years and older. However, requesters visiting the Archives can take photographs of the records they ask to see. The Archives also provides a document scanner for those who wish to scan the records requested to make PDF copies. Self-copying in these ways is free.

How to Obtain Death Records in Wyoming

All Wyoming death records are available from the Vital Statistics Services and State Archives. Current death records, or death certificates prepared within the last 50 years, are only available from the Vital Statistics Services. Older death records are maintained by the State Archives.

To request copies of a Wyoming death certificate prepared in the last 50 years, visit the office of the Vital Statistics Services at:

Vital Statistics Services
2300 Capitol Avenue
Hathaway Building
Cheyenne, WY 82002
(307) 777-7591

This office is located on the first floor and in Room 175 of the building. It opens to the public between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Opening hour on Wednesday is 8:00 a.m. but the Vital Statistics Services closes early on that day at 12:00 p.m.

To request copies of a Wyoming death certificate, bring along a completed Request for Certified Copy of a Wyoming Vital Record to the Vital Statistics Services. Wyoming also requires a requester to provide a valid government-issued photo ID that includes a permanent signature. Acceptable IDs include:

• Driver’s license
• Passport
• Passport card
• Consular card
• State ID card
• Tribal ID card
• Military ID
• Corrections ID from a state or federal prison
• Concealed weapons permit issued in the U.S.

The Wyoming Vital Statistics Services will accept any of these IDs even if it is expired as long as the date of request is no longer than 60 days after the ID expiration. In place of a valid government-issued photo ID, a notarized signature of the requester on the request form is also acceptable.

Note that due to the current COVID-19 restrictions, Wyoming has suspended walk-in requests for vital records until further notice. Members of the public are encouraged to mail in their requests. The Wyoming Vital Statistics Services accepts requests sent via FedEx, UPS, and USPS.

To submit a mail request for certified copies of death certificates, print, complete, and mail a Request for Certified Copy of a Wyoming Vital Record to the Vital Statistics Services’ address listed above. Enclose a photocopy of a valid government-issued photo ID or have a notarized signature on the front of the form. Send these along with a self-addressed stamped envelope and payment for ordered copies.

For the record of a death that occurred more than 50 years ago in Wyoming, visit the State Archives located at:

2301 Central Avenue
Barrett Building
Cheyenne, WY 82002
(307) 777-7826

This location is open to the public from Monday to Friday except on public holidays between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. With the current restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Wyoming State Archives encourages visitors to search its databases online rather than visit. Members of the public can find open death records by following the links on the death records page of the Wyoming Online Library Resources website.

Can Anyone Get a Copy of a Death Certificate in Wyoming?

No. Wyoming makes death records confidential for the first 50 years after issuing them. After this period, Wyoming death certificates become open records and are accessible by anyone. During the 50 years when a Wyoming death record is confidential, only select individuals may request it.

Wyoming requires anyone requesting certified copies of a death certificate to have one of the following relationships to the individual named on the record:

• Immediate family member
• Attorney representing the immediate family
• Insurance company, bank, or executor to the estate of the decedent

Anyone not named on the death certificate needs to present further proof of their relationship to the decedent in addition to their valid government-issued photo ID.

Immediate family members that are eligible to receive certified copies of a Wyoming death certificate include parents, childrens, and current spouse. Other family members may qualify only if they require this record to settle legal disputes involving personal rights and property rights such as estate matters. They must present proof of their relationships to the deceased and proof of the legal matter that requires the record requested to resolve.

Lawyers representing the immediate family or any member of the deceased family may also request certified copies of a death certificate. These attorneys must sign the request applications and provide copies of their bar cards or state-issued IDs.

Banks, insurance companies, and executors of estates must also provide documentary proof that they require the requested Wyoming death certificates to pay descendants' policies and death benefits.

How Much Does a Death Certificate Cost in Wyoming?

The Wyoming Vital Statistics Services charges $15 for the first certified copy of a death certificate. Each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time costs $10. These fees are the same regardless of the method of requesting the vital records.

While submitting a request, the requester must state the date on the record to make finding the death certificate easier. If the date is unknown or not provided, the state’s Vital Statistics office charges an additional $25 for every 5 years of records searched. This fee includes one certified copy of the death certificate if found. It also covers verification of the record. If the record is not found, the fee is retained as a search fee.

In addition to certified copies of death certificates, Wyoming also provides photocopies of original death certificates upon request. It charges $25 for each photocopy of an original death certificate.

All fees are payable in cash or with credit card or money order when requesting vital records in person. Only checks and money orders are accepted for mail requested. When paying with one of these, make it out to Vital Statistics Services. Only bank-personalized checks, in the names of the persons submitting requests for death records, are accepted.

For death records that are 50 years or older, the Wyoming State Archives charges photocopy and scanning fees as applicable. Visitors requesting that these records be certified or exemplified must pay additional fees. The State Archives charges 50 cents for documents measuring 11 x 17 inches and smaller. For larger documents, the photocopy fee is $5 for a black and white page and $10 for a color page. Students enjoy a discounted 10 cents per page fee. Certification of archived death records costs $3 per record while exemplification costs $5 per record.

How Long Does It Take to Get a Death Certificate in Wyoming?

While the Wyoming Statistics Services processes requests for death certificates as soon as they are received, it can take up to 5 business days to fulfill an order. This agency sends out requested records by First Class Mail. Therefore, requesters should expect to receive requested copies of death certificates a week after processing is completed. However, they may ask for expedited delivery by including pre-paid self-addressed envelopes for USPS Express Mail, UPS, or FedEx. Note that an enclosed FedEx or UPS envelope must bear a valid FedEx or UPS account number and list the requester’s address as both addressee and sender.

How Long to Keep Records After Death

Wyoming does not have specific rules about how long surviving family members and executors of estates can keep the records of decedents. However, it is best to keep the deceased’s financial records for at least 3 years in case there is an IRS audit. Property records should be kept by inheritors for as long as possible. Personal and identity records do not need to be maintained for long unless there are pending or ongoing court cases that may require them.

How to Expunge Your Death Records in Wyoming?

Expunging a record means permanently deleting it and making it inaccessible to everyone. This usually applies to criminal records following overturned convictions or pardons. Wyoming does not allow the expungement of death records.

How to Seal Your Death Records in Wyoming?

In Wyoming, death records are automatically sealed upon creation and remain confidential for the first 50 years. During this period, there is no reason to take additional steps to restrict access to these records. After this period, there is no way to prevent them from becoming public records.

How to Unseal Your Death Records in Wyoming?

Wyoming unseals death records after 50 years. Before this period elapses, the state does not allow members of the public to access those records. It is possible for a third party to request access to a Wyoming death record that they are not eligible to obtain. To do this, they must obtain a court order authorizing access to that record. A Wyoming court is unlikely to grant this request unless access to the requested record is needed to determine a personal or property right.

How to Use the Wyoming Death Registry

Wyoming law requires that all deaths that occur in the state be registered three days after death per WY Stat § 35-1-418. This helps the Wyoming Vital Statistics Services gather data for public health statistics. Death registration does not impact Alaska death notices. As such, grieving families can choose to publish Alaska death notices before or after death registration.

Death registration is done via the Wyoming Electronic Death Registration System (EDRS). Here is how healthcare providers can use this tool:

• Send an email to wdh.vss@wyo.gov to register to use EDRS.
• Log in with the username and password provided by Vital Statistics Services.
• Select the “Vital Statistics” menu on the left of the page.
• Read and select the box on the page to agree to the terms, then select “Continue”.
• Click on the “Death” tab in the upper left portion of the screen to register a death.
• Click on the “Inbox” tab from the dropdown just subordinate to the death tab.
• Death files pending for review and certification will appear.
• Select the “view” icon to access a file.
• The file will be rendered in the “Signatures” section. Select the “medical” tab to review the record.
• The healthcare provider is expected to review questions 20-23 and enter the appropriate information in the Cause and Manner of Death sections.
• Select “Save” to transition to the “Signature” tab.
• Select “Sign” to sign the death certificate.

When all the required data is provided in the EDRS, the file will be sent back to the funeral home for final demographic data entry. Afterward, it is sent to the local registrar and finally to the State Vital Records Office for review and recording. The data then becomes part of the Wyoming death index, where eligible individuals can request copies of such records. A Death record search in Wyoming can be done online, by mail, or in person at the Wyoming Vital Statistics Services office. Subsequently, the State Vital Records Office sends the file to the United States Death Records office so it can be registered in the United States Death Registry.

How to Find an Obituary for a Specific Person in Wyoming

A record seeker can find an obituary for a specific person by visiting local newspaper agencies in the county where the person died. Alternatively, a Wyoming obituary search can be found on the Wyoming Digital Newspaper Collection website. Type obituary in the search box available on the homepage. The record seeker can view about 35,468 search results that match their query. Individuals can provide additional details to streamline the search.

How to Conduct a Free Obituary Search in Wyoming

An individual can conduct a free obituary lookup via the Wyoming Digital Newspaper Collection. This digital newspaper has over 35,000 obituary records in its database. Alternatively, a free obituary search can also be done in person at the Wyoming State Archives office.

What is Considered a Death Notice in Wyoming?

A death notice is a short, formal announcement of a person's passing that is usually posted in the deceased's local and/or hometown newspaper. Typically, a death notice contains the following information:

• The deceased's name and nickname
• Place and date of death
• Funeral details
• Donation details

What is the Difference Between Death Notices and Obituaries

Death notices are published by family members to notify the public about the death of a loved one. It briefly summarizes essential details about the deceased. Unlike death notices, obituaries are detailed biographies that family members publish in newspapers to publicize the death of their loved one in a manner that everyone can read and remember them.