St. George Death Records and Certificates
St. George death records are maintained by the Southwest Utah Public Health Department, which serves Washington County and several neighboring counties in the southwestern corner of the state. St. George is the county seat of Washington County and one of the fastest-growing cities in Utah. Whether you need a certified death certificate for legal purposes or are researching family history, this guide explains where to request records, how to search historical death certificates, and what resources are available to researchers working with St. George vital records.
St. George Quick Facts
St. George Death Records from Southwest Utah Health
The Southwest Utah Public Health Department serves as the primary source for certified St. George death certificates. The department's St. George office is located at 620 S. 400 E., Suite 400, St. George, UT 84770. This is the main service location for Washington County death records. Appointments may be required for in-person requests. Contact Claudia at (435) 986-2542 to confirm current service hours and appointment availability before visiting.
| Office | Southwest Utah Public Health Department |
|---|---|
| Address | 620 S. 400 E., Suite 400, St. George, UT 84770 |
| Also Located At | 197 East Tabernacle St., St. George, UT 84770 |
| Phone | (435) 986-2542 (Claudia) |
| Death Records From | 1969 to present |
| Online Records | swuhealth.gov/records/ |
In 2025, the Southwest Utah Public Health Department processed 9,611 birth and death certificates. This reflects the significant volume of vital records activity in the St. George area, driven by rapid population growth across Washington County. The department also handles records from Iron, Garfield, Beaver, and Kane counties in addition to Washington County.
Requesting St. George Death Certificates
Three ways are available to obtain a certified St. George death certificate: in person at the Southwest Utah Public Health Department, by mail, or online through the department's records portal. In-person visits may require an appointment. Call (435) 986-2542 before arriving to confirm availability and bring all required materials. Provide a completed application, a valid government-issued photo ID, and proof of your relationship to the deceased.
Mail requests require the same materials in photocopy form along with payment by check or money order. Do not send cash by mail. The department will return incomplete requests. For mail order, address your request to the Southwest Utah Public Health Department at the St. George location. Allow enough time for processing and return mailing.
Online orders are available through the department's website at swuhealth.gov/records/. Additional fees may apply for online processing. The standard cost for a certified St. George death certificate is $30 for the first copy and $10 for each additional copy ordered at the same time. The statewide VitalChek Utah service is another online option.
Note: Death records less than 50 years old are restricted to qualified relatives and those with a direct legal interest under Utah Code 26-2-22.
St. George Death Records History
St. George was settled in 1861 and has a well-documented history as the largest city in Washington County. Early death records from the pioneer era were kept informally through local and church authorities. These records are now accessible through the Family History Library and FamilySearch. Utah's statewide death registration program began in 1905, bringing uniform record-keeping to St. George and all other Utah communities.
Death certificates for St. George from 1904 through 1966 are part of the Utah State Archives collection, accessible through the FamilySearch Utah Death Records collection. Washington County death records, including St. George, are indexed within this free database. A separate collection of St. George and Washington County vital statistics from 1963 through 1970 is also available and provides additional records bridging the historical collection and the current health department system.
The Southwest Utah Public Health Department has death records from 1969 to the present. For events between 1967 and 1968, contact the Utah Office of Vital Records in Salt Lake City. Records more than 50 years old are publicly available. The Washington County Historical Society and the Daughters of Utah Pioneers hold additional archival materials related to St. George deaths, particularly from the pioneer and early statehood era.
St. George Death Records Research Tools
Researchers working with St. George death records have access to a strong set of free and institutional resources. The FamilySearch Utah collection covers Washington County from 1904 through 1966. The Washington County Historical Society maintains local archival collections related to the region's history, including death-related documents and local histories. The Daughters of Utah Pioneers chapter in St. George also holds historical records from the pioneer period.
The St. George City Cemetery has burial records extending back to the early settlement period. Cemetery records often include death dates, burial lot information, and sometimes cause of death. For pioneer-era deaths where no official certificate was filed, cemetery records may be the primary source of documentation. Many Utah cemetery records have been digitized and indexed by volunteers and are searchable through online genealogical databases.
The Ancestor Hunt guide to free Utah death records lists additional free databases covering Washington County. The Utah Population Database at the University of Utah links vital records data for research purposes, including records from the St. George area.
St. George Death Certificate Contents
A certified St. George death certificate from the Southwest Utah Public Health Department includes the deceased person's full legal name, date and place of death, date and place of birth, age at death, cause and manner of death, name of the certifying physician, place of final disposition, and the informant's name and address. More recent certificates also list Social Security number and occupation.
Certified copies are required for legal use. Common purposes include probate and estate settlement, life insurance claims, account closures, property transfers, and survivor benefit applications. Only certified copies with a raised seal or security paper are accepted for these purposes. When ordering for multiple uses, request all needed copies at once to benefit from the lower per-copy rate.
The CDC Where to Write guide for Utah provides additional guidance on using vital records for federal and state purposes, including information on which Utah offices handle different types of records.
Washington County Death Records
St. George is the county seat of Washington County. All official death records for the city are maintained through the Southwest Utah Public Health Department. For complete county-level information and resources covering all Washington County communities, visit the county page.
Nearby Cities in Southwestern Utah
These cities are in the southwestern Utah region and are served by the same or neighboring health departments for death records.