Franklin County Death Records

Franklin County death records are managed by the Franklin County Health Department in Union, Missouri. The office on East Main Street handles death certificate requests and has a dedicated vital records page on their website. You can visit in person for same-day service or request copies by mail through the state Bureau of Vital Records in Jefferson City. Franklin County is one of the larger counties west of St. Louis, and its health department serves a substantial population for vital records needs. Death certificates from 1910 forward are on file, and older records are available for free through the Missouri State Archives.

Franklin County Health Department

The Franklin County Health Department on East Main in Union is the local office for death records. The staff process requests during business hours and can search for records by name and date. Walk-in visits do not need an appointment. Bring a valid photo ID. The office prints certified copies while you wait, making an in-person visit the fastest way to get a Franklin County death certificate.

Franklin County has a vital records page on their website. This page explains what you need for a request and what to expect. It covers death certificates, birth certificates, and other vital records. Check the page before your visit so you have the right payment and documents ready. The health department uses the MoEVR electronic system, which connects to all 115 local public health agencies in Missouri. If a Franklin County resident died in another part of the state, the staff can often search for the record through this system.

How to Get Franklin County Death Certificates

Three options exist for getting a Franklin County death certificate. In person is the fastest. Mail is the cheapest. Online through VitalChek is the most convenient from a distance.

To get a Franklin County death certificate in person, visit the health department at 414 East Main Street in Union. Show your photo ID and provide the name and date of death for the person you are searching for. The fee is $14 for the first certified copy and $11 for each extra copy you order at the same time. These fees are set by RSMo 193.265. Most in-person requests at the Franklin County office are done within 30 minutes.

By mail, download the application form from the Bureau of Vital Records. Fill it out with the deceased's name, date and county of death, and your relationship. Include a $14 check or money order payable to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. Mail to P.O. Box 570, Jefferson City, MO 65102. Processing takes four to eight weeks. For a quicker option, VitalChek allows online ordering with credit card payment and expedited shipping. They add a service fee beyond the state cost but save time for Franklin County death certificate requests.

Note: RSMo 193.145 requires all death certificates in Missouri to be filed within five days of the date of death.

Who Can Request Franklin County Death Records

RSMo 193.255 controls who can get certified copies. The state registrar issues them to people with a direct and tangible interest. Family members have the widest access to Franklin County death records. Spouses, parents, children, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, in-laws, and step-relatives all qualify.

Funeral directors, attorneys, physicians, and legal guardians acting for the family are also eligible. Under 19 CSR 10-10.090, genealogists representing a family member and professionally recognized genealogists can request copies too. If you hold a court order or can demonstrate a legal need, you may present that at the Franklin County Health Department. Staff can help you figure out what documentation is required for your specific situation.

For death records over 50 years old, anyone can access them. Under RSMo 193.225, older records are transferred to the Missouri State Archives and available for free online viewing.

Older Death Records in Franklin County

The Missouri State Archives has digitized Franklin County death certificates from 1910 through 1975. You can search for free by name, county, year, and month. Each match shows a scanned image of the original certificate. This is the top free resource for Franklin County genealogy research. No login or account is needed to search the database.

Before 1910, Franklin County death records are limited. Some records from 1883 to 1893 exist at the Missouri State Archives, but coverage varies because reporting was not mandatory during that era. Church records, cemetery logs, and newspaper obituaries from the Union area can sometimes help fill the gaps. The Missouri Death Index is a free tool covering 1968 to 2022 that can confirm names and dates before you order a certified Franklin County death certificate from the health department or state office.

What Franklin County Death Certificates Show

Two versions of the death certificate exist in Franklin County. The short form is a brief abstract with the name, date, and place of death plus a file number. It handles most routine needs like insurance claims and bank account closings.

The long form is the full original certificate. It contains the deceased's full name, date and place of birth, date and place of death, residence, occupation, marital status, surviving spouse, parents' names with the mother's maiden name, cause of death with contributing factors, burial or cremation information, funeral home name, and the informant who provided the data. For Franklin County genealogy work, the long form is essential because it connects family members across generations through parent details on each record. RSMo 193.245 makes photocopies of certified copies void, so each official copy must come directly from the state or local office.

Nearby Counties

Franklin County is west of St. Louis in east-central Missouri. Death records are filed where the death took place. If the record you need is not in Franklin County, try one of these neighboring offices.