Access Boone County Death Records

Boone County death records are managed by the Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services in Columbia, Missouri. This is one of the larger counties in the state, home to the University of Missouri and a population that generates a significant number of vital records each year. The health department holds death certificates for events in Boone County from 1980 forward. You can get certified copies in person at the Columbia office, by mail, by email request, or through the state's online vendor. This guide covers every option available for obtaining Boone County death records.

Boone County Health Department

The Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services operates the vital records office for Boone County. Their office is at 1005 W. Worley St in Columbia. Call (573) 817-6441 for questions about death records. You can also email them at VitalRecords@CoMo.gov. This is one of the few county health departments in Missouri that accepts email inquiries about vital records, which can be handy for quick questions before you visit or submit a formal request.

Visit the Boone County vital records page for details about their services, hours, forms, and fees. The office serves Columbia and all of Boone County. As a mid-sized urban area, their staff handles a higher volume of requests than most rural Missouri counties. Walk-in visits are still the fastest way to get a death certificate. Bring your photo ID and the details about the deceased person. Most requests get processed while you wait.

How to Get Boone County Death Certificates

The fastest way is to visit the health department at 1005 W. Worley St in Columbia. Bring a valid photo ID. Fill out the application form. Pay the fee. Under RSMo 193.265, the first certified copy is $14 and additional copies ordered at the same time are $11 each. Staff can usually hand you the certificate on the spot. Cash, check, and money order are accepted at the office.

Mail requests are also available. Download the form from the state vital records application page. Complete it with the full name of the deceased, date and place of death, and your relationship to the person. Attach a photocopy of your ID and a check or money order payable to the Columbia/Boone County Health Department. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope. Mail to 1005 W. Worley St, Columbia, MO 65203. Processing takes about one to three weeks.

VitalChek is the state-approved online vendor for ordering vital records. There is an extra service fee. Processing runs 5 to 7 business days. You can call 1-877-817-7363 to order by phone. This option takes credit cards, which some people prefer over writing checks.

Note: RSMo 193.245 prohibits photocopying certified death certificates for official use.

Eligibility for Boone County Death Records

Missouri law under RSMo 193.255 limits who can get a certified death certificate. The regulation 19 CSR 10-10.090 spells out the full list. Family members are always eligible. That covers spouses, parents, children, siblings, grandparents, in-laws, step-relatives, and cousins. The family definition for death records is broader than for birth certificates in Missouri.

Other eligible requesters include attorneys acting for the family, funeral directors who handled the death, physicians working for relatives, and legal guardians with court documentation. Genealogists who represent a family member or hold professional credentials can request copies. Anyone who can show a "direct and tangible interest" in the record may also qualify. You will need a valid photo ID for any request at the Boone County health department. Without a photo ID, two alternate forms of identification may be accepted.

Older Boone County Death Records

Boone County's local office has records from 1980 to the present. For deaths before 1980, the Missouri Bureau of Vital Records in Jefferson City keeps the state file from January 1, 1910 forward. Use the state ordering instructions or order through VitalChek. The fee stays at $14 for the first copy. Jefferson City is only about 30 miles from Columbia, so an in-person visit to the state office is practical for Boone County residents.

Free access to historical Boone County death records is available at the Missouri State Archives death certificate database. This covers 1910 to 1975 with scanned images of original certificates. RSMo 193.225 requires records over 50 years old to be transferred to the archives for public access. You can search by name, year, and county. The pre-1910 records page has an index of what survives from 1883 to 1893, though coverage varies by county.

The Missouri Death Index covers 1968 to 2022 and is free to search. Use it to confirm a name or date before ordering a certified Boone County death certificate.

Boone County Death Certificate Information

A death certificate from Boone County contains the standard information required by Missouri law. Under RSMo 193.145, the funeral director files the certificate within five days of the death through the state's electronic system. The record shows the full name of the deceased, date and place of death, cause of death, date and place of birth, parents' names with the mother's maiden name, surviving spouse, occupation, and last residence. Funeral home details and burial or cremation information are also recorded.

Missouri issues both a short form and a long form death certificate. The short form is a condensed abstract with the key facts. The long form reproduces the complete original filing. Most legal and financial situations accept the short form. Genealogy research and some court proceedings benefit from the long form. When you contact the Boone County health department, specify which version you need. The state FAQ page explains the differences if you are not sure.

Cities in Boone County

Columbia is the county seat and largest city in Boone County. It is also a qualifying city with its own page on this site. Death records for events in Columbia are filed with the Boone County health department.

Nearby Counties

Boone County is in central Missouri. If the death happened near a county line, the record may have been filed in one of these adjacent counties.