Van Wert County Obituary Search

Van Wert County obituary and death records are held by the county health district, the probate court, and at the state level in Columbus. The city of Van Wert is the county seat and the main hub for vital records in this part of northwest Ohio. The health district has death records going back to 1964, while the probate court keeps older registers from 1867 to 1908. You can also order records online through Permitium. FamilySearch has a strong collection of Van Wert County death records available for free, and the Ohio Obituary Index lets you search newspaper obituaries from across the state. If you are tracking down a death record or obituary for someone in Van Wert County, this guide walks you through where to look.

Van Wert County Death Certificate Records

The Van Wert County General Health District is at 1179 Westwood Drive, Suite 300, in Van Wert. Call (419) 238-0808 ext. 100. They have death records from January 1964 to the present for deaths in Van Wert County. Certified copies cost $25.00 each.

You can order in person or through their online ordering system on Permitium. This makes Van Wert County one of the easier Ohio counties to get death records from remotely. The health district also issues birth certificates for any Ohio birth since December 1908. Under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 3705, local health departments serve as registrars for vital events. For death records between 1908 and 1963, you need the Ohio History Connection or FamilySearch since the local office does not have those years on file.

Note: Van Wert County death records at the health district only go back to 1964, not 1908 like most Ohio counties.

Van Wert County Probate Court Obituary Records

The Van Wert County Probate and Juvenile Court is at 108 East Main Street in Van Wert. Call (419) 238-0027 or fax (419) 238-7315. Email them at probate@vwprobjuvcourt.com. The court holds birth and death records from before 1908, plus marriage licenses and probate records.

The death registers from 1867 to 1908 are handwritten ledgers with names, dates, and basic death details. The probate court also keeps wills, estate files, and guardianship records that can contain obituary-type information like family member lists and property details. For births before 1908, you also contact this office at 419-238-0027. FamilySearch has Van Wert County death records from 1867 to 1908, death certificates from 1908 to 1989, records of inquests from 1880 to 1938, and county home registers from 1867 to 1990 available for free online viewing.

Ohio State Obituary Resources

The Ohio Department of Health keeps death records from 1971 to the present at 4200 Surface Road in Columbus. The state fee is $21.50. The Ohio Death Record Index covers 1913 to 1944 and 1954 to 1970, and you can search it for free.

The Ohio History Connection holds original death certificates from 1908 through 1970. The Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library runs the Ohio Obituary Index with over 3.7 million entries from newspapers going back to the 1810s. The Ohio Genealogical Web Alliance also has Van Wert County vital records available online for free.

Van Wert County Obituary Record Sources

The Van Wert County government website provides access to county offices and services related to vital records and death record requests.

From this site you can find links to the health district, probate court, and other Van Wert County offices that handle obituary and death record research.

How to Get Van Wert County Death Records

Where you look for a Van Wert County death record depends on the year of death. The health district only goes back to 1964, so older records need to come from other sources.

• Deaths 1971 to present: Van Wert County Health District or Ohio Department of Health ($21.50 to $25.00)
• Deaths 1964 to 1970: Van Wert County Health District ($25.00)
• Deaths 1908 to 1963: Ohio History Connection or FamilySearch
• Deaths 1867 to 1908: Van Wert County Probate Court or FamilySearch (free)
• Newspaper obituaries: Ohio Obituary Index at the Hayes Presidential Library

Section 3705.29 of the Ohio Revised Code covers penalties for making false statements on vital record forms. Social Security numbers are redacted on death certificates for five years after death. Be truthful on all request forms for Van Wert County obituary and death records.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Van Wert County. Check neighboring county records if the person lived near a county line.