Clark County Death Index

Clark County death index records are managed by the Combined Health District in Springfield. Death certificates from 1908 to now are on file there, and you can order copies in person, by mail, or online. The Clark County Probate Court holds older records from 1867 to 1908, and the Springfield-Clark County Heritage Center has records from 1888 to 1908. With these three offices, Clark County gives you solid coverage going back over 150 years. The free Ohio Death Certificate Index online also covers Clark County entries from select year ranges.

Clark County Death Certificates

The Clark County Combined Health District is the primary source for death certificates in Clark County. They have records from 1908 to the present for anyone who died in Clark County. The office is at 529 East Home Road in Springfield. Certified copies cost $24.00 each.

Walk-in service is available Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. You can request a copy and often get it the same day. For mail requests, send a cashier's check or money order to the health district. They do not accept out-of-state personal checks. Include the full name of the deceased, date of death, number of copies needed, your name, address, and phone number. Mail orders are processed the next business day, which makes Clark County one of the faster turnaround times in Ohio.

Online ordering is available through VitalChek. The base cost is still $24, but VitalChek adds processing and shipping fees. You can pay by credit card and choose overnight shipping if you need it fast. Genealogy requests are also handled by the health district. You can submit them by walk-in, email at vitalstatistics@ccchd.com, fax at (937) 342-5503, or by mail.

The screenshot below shows the Clark County Combined Health District's vital records page where you can find ordering details.

Ohio treats death certificates as public records under ORC Title 37. Anyone can get a copy. For recent deaths within the last five years, social security numbers are removed from copies given to people who are not immediate family or estate representatives.

Clark County Death Index Before 1908

The Clark County Probate Court has death records from 1867 to 1908. The court is at 50 East Columbia Street in Springfield. You can call (937) 521-1700 to ask about their records. These early entries are in ledger form and typically show the name, death date, age, cause of death, and birthplace. Parent names appear in some entries, mainly for children.

The Springfield-Clark County Heritage Center holds another set of records covering 1888 to 1908. Their office was at 117 South Main Street in Springfield. This overlap with the Probate Court records means you have two places to check for deaths in that 20-year window. If one source is missing an entry, the other might have it. Heritage Center staff can help with research questions about early Springfield and Clark County deaths.

Search Clark County Death Records Online

The free Ohio Death Certificate Index lets you look up Clark County death records from 1913 to 1944 and 1954 to 1963. Type in a name and you get the county of death, date, and certificate number. That number is what you need when you order a copy from the health district or the state.

FamilySearch provides free digital access to Ohio death certificates from 1908 to 1953. You need a free account to view images. Their broader Ohio County Death Records collection covers 1840 to 2001 and may include Clark County entries. Not everything is indexed by name, so browsing county images is sometimes needed. The Ohio Memory digital library is another free resource with materials from hundreds of Ohio institutions, including some Clark County items.

The Ohio Genealogical Society and its local chapters can also help. They often have compiled cemetery transcriptions, obituary indexes, and church records for Clark County. These fill gaps where official records are incomplete or hard to find.

Getting Clark County Death Records

The fastest way is to walk into the health district at 529 East Home Road in Springfield. Same-day service is common. Bring a valid ID and know the name and approximate date of death for the person you need.

Mail orders go to the same address. Send a cashier's check or money order for $24 per copy. The Ohio Department of Health can also fill Clark County requests at $21.50 per certified copy, though processing takes longer. The Ohio local health districts directory can help you confirm hours and fees before you make the trip or send a letter.

Springfield Death Index

Springfield is the county seat and largest city in Clark County. Deaths that occur in Springfield are recorded by the Clark County Combined Health District, the same office that handles all Clark County death records. There is no separate city office for vital records. All requests go through the county health district at 529 East Home Road.

For Springfield-specific historical research, the Heritage Center on South Main Street can help with records from 1888 to 1908. The Clark County Probate Court covers 1867 to 1908 as well. Between these three offices, you can trace Springfield deaths back over 150 years. See our Springfield death index page for more details about searching for records in the city.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Clark County. Check neighboring counties if you are unsure where a death was registered.