Delaware · 3 counties
When someone dies in Delaware
Two things matter first: getting certified death certificates, and, if money is short, reaching the burial assistance program in the county where the death happened. Pick your county below for exact contacts.
The paperwork
Death certificates in Delaware
Certified copies come from the Delaware Division of Public Health, Office of Vital Statistics (official site).
Copies are $25 each, and if the record is not located the fee is kept as a search fee. There is a 40 year split to watch for: the Office of Vital Statistics holds death certificates newer than 40 years, phone 302-744-4549, while anything older goes to the Delaware Public Archives at 302-744-5000. You can order in person at any of three offices around the state, open weekdays 8:00am to 4:00pm, or mail the form to the Jesse S. Cooper Building in Dover. Bring or enclose a copy of valid photo ID such as a driver's license, state ID, work ID, or passport.
Planning ahead
Nobody has died yet? Set up a power of attorney
If someone you love is aging or ill, the cheapest protection your family can get is a power of attorney, and it must happen while they can still sign. We cover Delaware's exact rules and official forms.
Delaware power of attorney rulesIf money is tight
Statewide burial assistance
Delaware Health and Social Services, through its Division of Social Services, runs a statewide burial assistance program for people who were receiving TANF, General Assistance, or Medicaid at the time of death, and also arranges indigent burial or cremation for residents whose families cannot afford funeral costs, as authorized under Title 31 of the Delaware Code. Families should contact DSS directly to apply and confirm eligibility before making arrangements with a funeral home, since the assistance is arranged in advance rather than as a reimbursement for services already paid for.
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