Death Index Records in Baltimore County

Baltimore County death index records are not issued at the county level. The county health department does not handle death certificates. Residents who need a death record from Baltimore County must go through the Maryland Division of Vital Records for deaths from 1972 to the present, or the Maryland State Archives for older records. This is one of the key differences between Baltimore County and most other Maryland counties. This page explains exactly where to get death records and how to search the death index for Baltimore County.

Death Certificates in Baltimore County, No Local Office

Baltimore County is unusual among Maryland's 23 counties because the county health department does not issue death certificates to the public. There is no county-level vital records office for death certificates in Baltimore County. This surprises many people who are used to going to their local health department. In Baltimore County, that option simply does not exist for death records.

For deaths from 1972 to the present, the right agency is the Maryland Division of Vital Records. The Division's phone number is 410-764-3038. The Division is part of the Maryland Department of Health and handles requests for all counties in the state, including Baltimore County. Their main ordering portal is at health.maryland.gov/vsa/Pages/death.aspx. You can request a certificate by mail, in person at the VSA office, or through VitalChek online.

For deaths before 1972 in Baltimore County, the Maryland State Archives in Annapolis holds the records. The Archives phone number is 410-260-6400. Staff there can help you identify which record series covers the time period you need. The SE42 series covers 1898 through 1910, and the S1179 series covers 1910 through 1951. Records from 1951 through 1971 exist but are held at the Archives rather than the Division. Call the Archives before visiting to confirm availability.

VitalChek at vitalchek.com accepts online orders for Baltimore County death certificates for the 1972-to-present period. A service fee applies in addition to the state certificate fee. Processing time depends on demand and the current state of the VSA's registration system, which has been undergoing a transition that has caused some delays.

How to Search the Baltimore County Death Index

The Maryland SE151 Death Index at the State Archives is the main free search tool for Baltimore County death records from 1973 through 2014. Baltimore County uses county code 3 in that database. This is a critical fact to know when searching. If you accidentally search under county code 30, you will get Baltimore City results, not Baltimore County results. The two are separate jurisdictions with different codes, different record systems, and different offices.

Search the SE151 index through the Maryland State Archives SE151 guide. You can search by name and filter by county code 3 to isolate Baltimore County entries. The index returns the decedent's name, death date, certificate number, and county code. With the certificate number, you can request a certified copy through the Maryland Division of Vital Records. Keep that number handy when you call or write.

For deaths between 2015 and the present, the SE151 index does not cover that period. The VSA portal at health.maryland.gov/vsa is the right starting point. The VSA can search for a specific certificate if you provide the decedent's name and approximate year of death. They may charge a search fee if they cannot find the record. Keep that in mind when contacting the Division about Baltimore County deaths from recent years.

Note: The SE151 database covers 1973 through 2014. Deaths from 1972 that do not appear in SE151 may still be at the Division. Call 410-764-3038 to check.

Baltimore County Probate and Register of Wills

The Baltimore County Register of Wills office handles probate and estate filings for decedents who lived in Baltimore County. This office is at 401 Bosley Avenue, Room 500, Towson, MD 21204. Mail requests go to Room 206 at the same address. The phone number is 410-887-6680. In-person hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Register of Wills does not issue death certificates, but probate records often contain key death information including the date of death, full name, and address.

Copy fees at the Baltimore County Register of Wills are $0.50 per page for plain copies. Certified copies are $0.50 per page plus a $2.00 certification fee. Exemplified copies, which carry a higher level of authentication, cost $0.50 per page plus $6.00. If you do not have a case number and need to search by name, a $20.00 name search fee applies. Have the case number ready if you can find it first through the online portal to avoid that charge.

The statewide portal at registers.maryland.gov covers Baltimore County estate records from 1998 to the present at no charge for basic summary information. You can search by the deceased person's name and see the estate number, dates, personal representative, and attorney name. For full document copies, you need to contact the Towson office or submit a mail request. The online summary is useful for confirming whether a probate file exists before making the trip.

The Baltimore County probate records portal at baltimorecountycourt.us/probate-records provides access to estate files and the Register of Wills, which can help confirm death dates and family details.

Probate records are useful when death certificates are unavailable, as they include the decedent's name, date of death, estate status, and personal representative information.

Ordering Baltimore County Death Records

Mail orders for Baltimore County death certificates go to the Maryland Division of Vital Records. Use the order form at the Maryland State Archives order form page for historical certificates, or the VSA's own form for records from 1972 onward. Include the decedent's name, date of death, and your contact information. Provide a photocopy of your government-issued ID. Mail the form with payment to the Division's office address listed on the form.

In-person requests at the VSA office in Baltimore are also possible. Walk-in service is available during business hours. For the VSA address and hours, check health.maryland.gov/vsa. Same-day service is generally available at the VSA office for eligible requesters who bring all required documents and payment. Call 410-764-3038 to confirm hours and what to bring before making the trip.

For historical Baltimore County death records before 1972, the Maryland State Archives at 410-260-6400 in Annapolis is the right contact. The Archives can search the older series by name. Fees for certified copies from the Archives are $25 per copy. Mail requests to the Archives take several weeks. Call ahead to confirm availability for the specific year and name you need.

The statewide Register of Wills portal at registers.maryland.gov covers Baltimore County estate records from 1998 to the present.

Online records include the estate number, dates, personal representative, and attorney name at no charge for basic summary information.

Baltimore County vs Baltimore City, Key Difference

This is the most common source of confusion when searching for Maryland death records. Baltimore County and Baltimore City are completely separate jurisdictions. They share a name but nothing else. Baltimore City is an independent city that is not part of Baltimore County. They have separate governments, separate courts, separate health departments, and separate record systems. A person who died in Towson died in Baltimore County. A person who died in downtown Baltimore died in Baltimore City. These are not the same place.

In the SE151 Death Index, Baltimore County records carry county code 3. Baltimore City records carry county code 30. If you search the wrong code, you get the wrong results. This happens more than you might expect, especially for researchers new to Maryland's record systems. Double-check the county code before assuming a search returned the right results.

When ordering a death certificate, Baltimore County requests go to the Maryland Division of Vital Records, just like every other county in Maryland. Baltimore City also routes through the Division for modern records, but older Baltimore City records may have different archival paths. If you are not sure whether the person died in the city or the county, check the address. ZIP codes can help clarify which jurisdiction applies, though some ZIP codes straddle the border. When in doubt, call the VSA at 410-764-3038 and describe the situation.

Baltimore County Circuit Court Records

The Baltimore County Circuit Court is at 401 Bosley Avenue, Towson, MD 21204. The court handles a wide range of civil and criminal matters. It does not issue death certificates. What falls under the circuit court includes land records, marriage licenses, civil case filings, and court-ordered estate actions. If you are searching for land transfers that happened after a death in Baltimore County, or need a marriage record to document a family relationship, the circuit court clerk is the right office.

The Register of Wills is physically located in the same building as the circuit court in Towson. That makes it convenient if you need to visit both offices on the same day. The Register of Wills handles all probate filings for Baltimore County deaths. The circuit court handles court-contested estate matters if a will is challenged or a dispute arises. Both offices are on Bosley Avenue in Towson.

Marriage licenses issued in Baltimore County are on file at the circuit court. Old land records going back many decades are also available. For genealogy researchers working on Baltimore County family history, the circuit court in Towson is a valuable in-person resource. Call the clerk's office before visiting to ask about available hours and any specific document you need. The Maryland Courts website lists contact information for all county circuit court clerks, including Baltimore County.

Note: Land records and marriage licenses can provide supporting evidence of family relationships when researching deaths in Baltimore County's historical records.

Cities in Baltimore County

Baltimore County includes many cities and communities that file death records through the Maryland Division of Vital Records and the county's Register of Wills in Towson.

Other cities and towns in Baltimore County use the same health department and circuit court for death index records.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Baltimore County. Death index records for each are filed at their own separate health department and circuit court.