Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services - Vital Records
Nebraska · Vital Records
dhhs.ne.gov/pages/vital-records.aspxState Vital Records in Nebraska
The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services - Vital Records issues certified copies of death certificates for deaths that occurred in Nebraska. Executors and surviving family order certified copies to close accounts, file insurance claims, and transfer titles; the office sets the fees, eligibility rules, and processing times.
Steps to take when someone dies
- •Online: Order through the state online portal (Visa or MasterCard)
- •By mail: Mail the application with a $16 check or money order to Vital Records and a copy of photo ID; a prepaid express return envelope gets 1 to 2 days in-office processing
- •In person: Apply at the Vital Records office in the Nebraska State Office Building, Lincoln
- •Photocopy of current government-issued photo ID (e.g., driver's license), or one document from List A and one from List B of the office's alternative-ID lists
- •Proof of relationship when your name is not on the certificate (your birth certificate for a parent's record, your marriage record for a spouse's record)
State Vital Records in Nebraska: key facts
What Nebraska says9
- Administering office
Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services - Vital Records.1
- Office location and hours
Nebraska State Office Building, 301 Centennial Mall South, First Floor, Lincoln, NE 68509.1
- Mail orders
Nebraska Vital Records, P.O. Box 95065, Lincoln, NE 68509-5065.1
- Certificate fee
$16 for the first certified copy; $16 for each additional copy ordered at the same time.1
- Processing time
4-6 weeks for online orders; minimum 15 days in-office for mail. Expedited: 1-2 days in-office processing (mail orders with a prepaid express return envelope).1
- Who may order
Spouse, child, or parent of the decedent, with proof of relationship; Legal representative: attorney, guardian or conservator, personal representative, executor, or other person with lawful authority to act for the decedent; Funeral home employees, within one year of the death record's file date.1
Genealogists, once the decedent has been deceased 50 or more years; Researchers, law enforcement, government agencies, and news media for the purposes listed in 174 NAC 3-005.1
- Filing deadline
Within five business days after the date of death.2
- Public record
Death records become public 50 years after the death.1
- Records available from
1904.1
Governing law: Neb. Rev. Stat. 71-605
Nebraska vital records offices
Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services - Vital Records
Phone
Mailing address
Website
Tools for Settling an Estate in Nebraska
Free tools for settling an estate in Nebraska: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines, and inheritance taxes.
How Many Death Certificates Do I Need?
In Nebraska, certified death certificates come from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services - Vital RecordsNebraska Department of Health and Human Services - Vital RecordsVerified Oct 15, 2026View source; the first copy costs $16Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services - Vital RecordsVerified Oct 15, 2026View source.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in Nebraska: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 90 daysNeb. Rev. Stat. §§ 30-2467, 30-2468, 30-2469Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 2 monthsNeb. Rev. Stat. §§ 25-520.01, 30-2483, 30-2485, 30-2486, 30-2487Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 4 months to 6 months.
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