Free Death Records are state records. They are administered and governed individually at state level. As such, variations among the states exist but national legislation can and do override state practices. One of them is the individual's right to public information. Anyone can access and view anybody's public records. It's common for it to be 'protected' due to legitimate sensitivities but by and large, they are transparent.
Except for the cause of death which may be withheld due to circumstances or policy, the information available are basically unrestrictive. Personal particulars of the deceased, details surrounding the incident and the ensuing funeral and burial are information typically found in such records. If the cause of death is not stigmatizing or sensitive, it may be provided such as in the case of accidental or natural deaths.
The central document in death records is the Death Certificate but obituary if there is one can also be of great interest. Death Certificates are usually restrictive in accessibility due to the sensitive information. The cause of death is stated if it is accidental, homicide, suicide or declared in absentia as in the case of missing persons. Otherwise, it's stated as 'natural' for confidentiality reasons (50 years before becoming public information) although law enforcement, health and security authorities can access the actual cause. For some states like Texas, death certificates within the past 25 years are considered protected and there are requirements for requesting them. There are other states with similar treatment.
Again, the various state agencies operate individually in administering the service of public records. Fees are different between states, so are the preferred modes of request. From walk-in requests to online download, incentives are offered for the preferential mode of record request for that particular agency. Processing times are expectantly quite different too, from 2 weeks Ohio to 12 months in California.
If you want to use government resources for Death Records Search, the first input you must have is the state where the it occurred. Otherwise, it could be tough as government death records are segregated at state level. Multiple-state searches will be exactly that, multiple searches, state by state. The savvy thing to do is to turn to professional record providers. With them, online nationwide death records Search is a norm, results are out in a matter of minutes and it can be performed at any hour 24/7.
