Death certificates in Puerto Rico
Who can order certified copies, what they cost, how long they take, and where the official form lives.
Last updated May 11, 2026. Sources are linked at the bottom of the page.
Why you'll need more copies than you expect
Nearly every institution that held something in the person's name will ask for a certified copy of the death certificate: banks, life insurers, pension plans, the Social Security Administration, the DMV, the county recorder for real estate, and the probate court. Most of them keep the copy. A photocopy is usually not accepted. Families commonly need somewhere between five and fifteen certified copies, and it is cheaper to order them together than one at a time later.
Ordering in Puerto Rico
| Agency that issues them | Departamento de Salud. Registro Demográfico |
|---|---|
| Official ordering page | salud.pr.gov/CMS/152 |
| Cost of the first certified copy | approx $5 first certified copy |
| Cost of each additional copy | approx $4 per additional copy |
| Standard processing time | approx 4–8 weeks by mail |
| Expedited option | expedited service often available via approved online vendor |
| Ways to order | online (where available), mail, in person at vital records office |
Who is allowed to order a certified copy
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If you are not on this list, the usual route is to ask someone who is, or to have the attorney handling the estate request copies.
Worth knowing
Vital records and many legal documents in Puerto Rico are routinely issued in Spanish. Certified English translations are typically required for US mainland use.
Who files the original, and when
You do not file the death certificate yourself. The funeral home, direct disposer, or facility that takes custody of the body files it with the state, and the doctor or medical examiner completes the cause-of-death section. In puerto rico, the filing deadline is: Within 5 days of death. Certified copies can only be issued after that filing is accepted, which is why there is usually a short wait after the death before copies are available.
Want this organized for your situation? The free walkthrough asks a few questions about who died, where, and your relationship to them, and builds a checklist for the first days and weeks in Puerto Rico.
More for Puerto Rico
- Probate and small estates
- When there is no will
- Cremation rules
- Estate taxes and life insurance
- All Puerto Rico topics
Primary sources
- Departamento de Salud. Registro Demográfico: salud.pr.gov/CMS/152