Scioto County Obituary Records
Scioto County obituary and death records are kept by two separate offices in the Portsmouth area. This is a bit different from most Ohio counties. The Scioto County Health Department handles deaths that happen outside Portsmouth city limits. The City of Portsmouth has its own vital statistics office for deaths within the city. Knowing which office to contact saves time. Both hold records going back to 1908, when Ohio started its statewide registration system. For older records, the probate court in Portsmouth keeps death entries from 1867 through December 1908. Local libraries and the Ohio Obituary Index are also good places to search for newspaper obituaries from Scioto County.
Scioto County Overview
Scioto County Health Department Death Records
The Scioto County Health Department is located at 612 14th Street, Suite D, in Portsmouth. Their phone number is 740-355-8358. They have death records from 1931 to the present, but only for deaths that occurred in Scioto County outside of Portsmouth city limits. This is an important distinction. If the person died within Portsmouth, you need to contact the City of Portsmouth Vital Statistics office instead.
A certified copy of a death certificate costs $25.00. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:15 PM. You can request copies in person or by mail. Bring a photo ID and the name and approximate death date of the person. Birth records from anywhere in Ohio are also available here, dating back to December 20, 1908. The fax number is 740-354-8623 if you need to send documents ahead of time.
| Office | Scioto County Health Department - Vital Statistics |
|---|---|
| Address | 612 14th Street, Suite D, Portsmouth, OH 45662 |
| Phone | 740-355-8358 |
| Hours | Monday - Friday, 8:30 AM - 4:15 PM |
| Fee | $25.00 per certified copy |
The City of Portsmouth keeps its own death records for deaths within city limits, starting from 1908 or 1909. If you are not sure where the death occurred, try the county health department first. They can usually tell you which office has the record you need.
Scioto County Probate Court Records
The Scioto County Probate Court holds the oldest death records in the county. Their collection covers 1867 to December 19, 1908. That is the period before Ohio started issuing state death certificates. These old records were kept as entries in ledger books at the probate court. They show basic facts like the person's name, date of death, age, and sometimes cause of death and place of burial.
The probate court is at 602 7th Street in Portsmouth. Call (740) 355-8290 for information. In addition to death records, the court holds marriage records, wills, estate files, and guardianship papers. Estate records are helpful for obituary research because they often list family members and their relationships. Under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 2101, probate courts have jurisdiction over these records.
You can visit the courthouse to search records in person. Copy fees are low, usually a few cents per page for plain copies. Certified copies cost more. The staff can help you find what you are looking for if you have a name and a rough date range.
How to Search Scioto County Obituaries
Finding obituaries in Scioto County takes a bit of legwork, but the resources are solid. Start with the Ohio Death Record Index for deaths between 1913 and 1970. This free online database from the Ohio History Connection lets you search by name and year. It covers death certificates filed with the state. If you find a match, you can order a copy of the certificate.
The Ohio Obituary Index at the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library in Fremont is another strong tool. It has over 3.7 million entries from Ohio newspapers going back to the 1810s. You search it for free online. The index points you to the library that has the original obituary. FamilySearch also has Scioto County records available online. Their collection includes digitized death certificates and other vital records that you can view with a free account.
- Deaths before 1908: Scioto County Probate Court in Portsmouth
- Deaths 1908 to 1970: Ohio History Connection or Scioto County Health Department
- Deaths 1971 to present: Ohio Department of Health or Scioto County Health Department
- Portsmouth city deaths: City of Portsmouth Vital Statistics
Note: Remember that Scioto County splits death records between the county health department and the City of Portsmouth based on where the death occurred.
Ohio Obituary and Death Record Laws
Ohio Revised Code Chapter 3705 sets the rules for vital records in the state. Every death must be registered with a death certificate. The local registrar files it and sends a copy to the state. Section 3705.23 says that anyone can get a certified copy by showing ID and paying the fee. The state charges $21.50 per search under Section 3705.24. Scioto County charges $25 for local copies.
Death records less than 50 years old may have some limits on what you can see. Social Security numbers are blacked out for the first five years after death unless you are immediate family. After 50 years, records can be moved to the Ohio History Connection for archival preservation. That is why older death certificates from 1908 through 1970 are at the state archives now. Section 3705.231 also gives people the right to photograph or copy vital records during in-person visits, which helps genealogy researchers.
Scioto County Obituary Resources
The Ohio History Connection Archives in Columbus holds death certificates from 1908 through 1970 and serves as a major research hub for Ohio obituary and death record research.
Their online index lets you search for free. Copies can be ordered through the website for records found in the index. The archives staff can also help with mail requests for records not available through the online system.
Nearby Counties
These counties are near Scioto County. Death records in Ohio are filed where the death occurred, so check the right county when searching.