Draper Death Records and Certificates

Draper death records are issued by the Salt Lake County Health Department. Draper sits at the southern end of the Salt Lake Valley along the base of the Wasatch Mountains and straddles both Salt Lake and Utah counties, though its most populous sections are in Salt Lake County. This page covers where to get Draper death certificates, how to submit a request, what identification and documentation you need, and how to search historical death records for Draper and the surrounding area online.

Draper Death Records Office

Draper residents in the Salt Lake County portion of the city obtain death certificates through the Salt Lake County Health Department. The nearest office is the South Redwood Public Health Center in West Jordan. Any of the three county offices can issue Draper death records. All locations have identical hours and provide the same level of service.

Walk-in service is available during all office hours. Same-day processing is standard for in-person requests. Bring payment, ID, your completed application form, and proof of your relationship to the person named on the record.

How to Get Draper Death Certificates

Draper death certificates can be obtained three ways. In person, at a county health office, is the fastest option and results in a certified copy the same day you visit. By mail is a good option for those who cannot travel to an office. Online through VitalChek is useful when you need to order from outside the area or prefer digital processing.

For in-person requests at any Salt Lake County Health Department office, you will need a valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID. A driver's license, state ID card, U.S. passport, passport card, military ID, or permanent resident card are all accepted. Present your ID at the counter along with a completed application and proof of your relationship to the person listed on the Draper death record. Acceptable payment methods in person are cash, check, money order, Visa, and Mastercard.

For mail requests, assemble a completed application, a clear legible photocopy of your photo ID, and legible photocopies of your proof-of-relationship documents. Write a check or money order payable to the Salt Lake County Health Department. Do not send cash. Credit cards cannot be processed for mail orders. Mark your envelope clearly with "ATTN: VITAL RECORDS" and mail to your preferred county health office. Processed orders are returned by mail.

The online option uses VitalChek, the state-authorized online service. VitalChek accepts credit cards and handles delivery. Cost is $30 for the first certified Draper death certificate and $10 per additional copy ordered at the same time.

Since August 21, 2024, proof of relationship is required for all Salt Lake County vital records requests. The relationship requirement applies to Draper death certificates regardless of how you submit your order. The county has detailed guidance on qualifying relationships on its vital records ordering page at saltlakecounty.gov/health/vital-records/order.

Draper Historical Death Records

Draper has roots in pioneer-era settlement of the southern Salt Lake Valley, originally known as South Willow Creek. The area was incorporated as Draper City in 1978. Before incorporation, death records for Draper area residents were filed under Salt Lake County. Utah began statewide death registration in 1905, and records from 1904 through 1966 for the Draper area are available at no cost through the FamilySearch Utah Death Records collection.

Records from before 1905 are found primarily in LDS ward records, pioneer cemetery documentation, and early Salt Lake County archives. The Family History Library in Salt Lake City, the largest genealogical library in the world, holds many of these early local records. Researchers should also check cemetery records for the Draper area, as burial information often contains death dates and cause details not found elsewhere.

Under Utah Code 26-2-22, records more than 50 years old are available to the public without a relationship requirement. Newer records remain restricted. For records that fall between the FamilySearch collection and the county health department's current holdings, the Utah Division of Archives and Records Service is the appropriate contact.

What Draper Death Certificates Include

Certified Draper death certificates are official legal documents that carry a raised seal or security printing. They are accepted by courts, insurance companies, financial institutions, and government agencies as proof of death.

The certificate includes the full legal name, date and place of death, date of birth, age, sex, marital status, last residence, Social Security number (modern records), father's and mother's names, name and relationship of the informant, cause of death and contributing factors, manner of death, certifying physician's information, and method and place of final disposition.

Draper death certificates are used for estate proceedings, life insurance claims, pension applications, survivor Social Security benefits, deed and title transfers, vehicle title changes, closing financial accounts, and genealogical research. The CDC guide to Utah vital records provides guidance on how and where these documents are used at the national and state level.

Genealogy and Death Record Research in Draper

The FamilySearch Utah collection is the primary free resource for Draper death records before 1967. The Utah Population Database at the University of Utah links death data to birth and marriage records, which is useful for mapping multi-generational Draper families. The Ancestor Hunt Utah death records index guide is a thorough map of free resources covering the state.

Note: Draper straddles the Salt Lake and Utah county lines. If you are unsure which county a specific address falls in, check county boundary maps before submitting a request. Records for the Utah County portion of Draper would be held by the Southwest Utah Public Health Department or Utah County.

Salt Lake County Death Records

Most of Draper falls within Salt Lake County. The county health department issues death certificates for this portion of the city. For full county information and ordering procedures, visit the Salt Lake County death records page.

View Salt Lake County Death Records

Cities Near Draper

Draper neighbors several southern Salt Lake County communities. Find death records resources for nearby cities below.

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