Search Columbus Obituary Records
Columbus is the state capital and the largest city in Ohio, with close to 906,000 people living in and around the metro area. If you need to find an obituary or death record for someone who lived or died in Columbus, there are several ways to search. The Franklin County Probate Court, Columbus Public Health, and the Columbus Metropolitan Library all hold records that can help you track down what you need. Most Columbus obituary searches start with the library or the state health department, depending on the date of death and what kind of document you are looking for.
Columbus Overview
Franklin County Obituary Records
Columbus sits in Franklin County. All death records and vital statistics for the city go through the county or state system. The Franklin County Probate Court holds death records from 1867 through December 20, 1908. These older records were kept by the probate court before the state took over vital record keeping. If you need a death record from that era, the probate court at 373 South High Street in Columbus is where to go.
For deaths after December 20, 1908, the Ohio Department of Health Bureau of Vital Statistics is the main source. You can order certified copies through their office at 35 East Chestnut Street in Columbus or use the online ordering system. The fee is $21.50 per certified copy as of January 2025. Under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 3705, the state maintains birth and death records for the entire state. This law sets out who can get copies and what the rules are for access.
The Franklin County Probate Court still plays a role in death records today. Estate and probate filings often contain death certificates, obituary clippings, and other documents that name the deceased. Copies from the probate court cost $1 per page for certified copies and just 10 cents per page for regular copies. You can email them at probate@franklincountyohio.gov to ask about a specific record before you visit.
Columbus Death Certificates
Columbus Public Health handles death certificates for deaths that happened in Franklin County from 1908 to the present. Their vital statistics office is at 240 Parsons Avenue in Columbus. You can walk in during business hours, which are Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 4 PM. The phone number is 614-466-2531.
Ohio Revised Code Section 3705.23 spells out who can get a certified copy of a death certificate in Ohio. Close family members, legal representatives, and people with a direct and tangible interest in the record can request certified copies. For genealogy research or obituary searches, you may be able to get an informational copy instead. These copies are not valid for legal use but they still show all the details you need for family research.
If the death happened before 1908, the Franklin County Probate Court has death registers going back to 1867. Before that, Ohio did not require official death records at all. For deaths between 1908 and 1970, the Ohio History Connection has copies of death certificates in their archives. They can not certify these records, but they can give you copies for research purposes.
Columbus Library Obituary Resources
The Columbus Metropolitan Library is one of the best places to search for Columbus obituary records. Their main library at 96 South Grant Avenue has a dedicated history and genealogy section. Staff there can help you find obituaries, death notices, and related records.
The library maintains the Columbus News Index, which covers obituaries from 1931 through 1997. This is a searchable index that points you to the right newspaper and date for each obituary listing. They also have access to America's Obituaries and Death Notices, the Chronicling America database, and historical Columbus newspapers on microfilm. You can get up to six free obituary copies per month through the library. If you need more, you can visit in person and use the microfilm readers yourself.
Their My History collection covers Central Ohio digital history. It includes items from the Green Lawn Cemetery Digital Collection, which has interment cards that can help confirm burial details for people who died in Columbus. The library also offers an Ask a Librarian service online where you can send questions about obituary research and get help from staff without having to visit in person.
Columbus Metropolitan Library also provides access to the Ohio Death Record Index, which covers records from 1913 to 1944 and 1954 to 1963. This free database lets you search by name and find death certificate numbers that you can then use to order copies from the state.
Columbus Obituary Search Tools
The Columbus Metropolitan Library offers a range of genealogy and obituary tools through its main branch and online portal.
Card holders can access many of these tools from home, including newspaper archives and obituary databases that cover the greater Columbus area.
The Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center in Fremont runs the Ohio Obituary Index, which has over three million obituary entries from Ohio newspapers going back to the 1810s. Columbus obituaries make up a large part of this index. You can search the index online for free. Once you find a listing, you can request a copy from the partner library that contributed it. Over 60 libraries across Ohio feed into this index, so it covers a wide range of Columbus and Franklin County newspapers.
For older death records, the Ohio Death Record Index at the Ohio History Connection is another good option. It covers state death certificates from 1913 to 1944 and 1954 to 1963. You search by name and the index gives you the certificate number. With that number, you can order a copy from the Ohio History Connection for research or from the state health department for a certified version.
How to Get Columbus Obituary Copies
There are a few ways to get copies of obituary and death records in Columbus. The method depends on the date of death and what type of document you need.
For certified death certificates from 1908 to present, contact the Ohio Department of Health or Columbus Public Health. You can order online, by mail, or in person. The fee is $21.50 per copy at the state level. Under Ohio Revised Code Section 3705.24, the state registrar sets the fees and rules for issuing certified copies. Local health departments may charge a slightly different rate.
- Online ordering through the Ohio Department of Health portal
- In person at 240 Parsons Avenue, Columbus
- By mail with a completed application form
- Through VitalChek for expedited processing
For obituary copies from newspapers, the Columbus Metropolitan Library is the best source. Their staff can look up obituaries in the Columbus News Index and pull copies from microfilm or digital archives. You can get up to six free copies per month. In-person visits give you access to microfilm readers where you can find and print obituaries yourself. The library also has Ohio death certificates from 1908 to 1953 available for viewing.
Note: For deaths before 1867, there are no official Ohio death records. Church records, cemetery records, and newspaper obituaries may be the only sources available.
Nearby Ohio Cities
Columbus is centrally located in the state. Several other Ohio cities are within easy driving distance, and each has its own set of obituary resources and vital records offices. If the person you are looking for lived in one of these cities, you may need to check their local records too.
Dayton • Akron • Cincinnati • Toledo • Cleveland • Newark • Lancaster • Springfield • Dublin • Mansfield
Franklin County Obituary Records
Columbus is in Franklin County, and all death records filed in the city go through the Franklin County system. The county probate court handles estate filings, older death records, and other documents that often include obituary information. For more about county-level resources, visit the Franklin County page.