How Do I Get a Death Certificate in Rhode Island?
Use our free calculator to determine how many certified death certificates to order based on your specific situation, and see exactly what it will cost in your state.
Frequently Asked Questions
In Rhode Island, the first certified copy costs $22, with additional copies at $18 each when ordered at the same time. Copies ordered together cost less than placing separate orders later. The estate settlement plan outlines each account and institution that typically requires a certified copy.
Death certificates in Rhode Island are issued by the Rhode Island Department of Health - Center for Vital Records. Online ordering is available through VitalChek. Most funeral homes also assist families with ordering certificates at the time of death.
Standard processing in Rhode Island takes 4-6 weeks for mail. Funeral homes typically handle initial certificate orders at the time of death.
In Rhode Island, death certificates can be requested by: Registrant, Direct family member, Legal representative. Requesters typically need to provide Valid government-issued photo ID and OR two documents with name and current address if no photo ID.
The Rhode Island Department of Health - Center for Vital Records has death records from 1853 to present. Records become public 100 years after the date of death.
The number of certified copies depends on the deceased's accounts and assets. Banks, insurance companies, government agencies, and retirement plans each typically require an original certified copy. Most families need between 8 and 15 copies. The Rhode Island estate settlement plan lists each step of the estate settlement process to help determine the right number.
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Prepare the application to open probate and request Letters Testamentary or of Administration.
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Prepare the creditor notice for an estate — the official state form or a notice typeset to statute, plus mailed notices for known creditors.
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Prepare the affidavit that collects a small estate's property without probate — the official state form or an affidavit drafted to statute, plus a presentation letter for each holder.
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Prepare the probate inventory of estate property — every asset at its date-of-death value, composed to your state's statute, with the state's filing or delivery instructions.
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Prepare the paperwork that closes the estate — the state's closing statement, petition for discharge, or final account, with the state's closing instructions and the optional federal forms.
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Prepare the letter of instruction a bank or insurer requests during estate settlement.
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