Tooele County Death Records
Tooele County death records are available through the Tooele County Health Department, located at 151 North Main Street in Tooele. Founded in 1849, Tooele County sits west of Salt Lake County along the eastern edge of the Great Basin. Death certificates for deaths occurring in Tooele County since July 1990 are held at the county health department. Older records and deaths from other parts of Utah are also accessible through various state and historical sources. This page covers how to request Tooele County death records, what information to provide, and where to find historical death data going back to the county's earliest years.
Tooele County Quick Facts
Tooele County Health Department Vital Records
The Tooele County Health Department is the primary office for obtaining death records in Tooele County. The office is at 151 North Main Street, Suite 100, Tooele, UT 84074. Phone: (435) 277-2301. Office hours are Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Friday, 8:00 a.m. to noon. The office is closed on weekends and holidays. Visit tooelehealth.org/administration/vital-records for the most current information on services and hours.
The Tooele County Health Department holds death records for deaths that occurred in Tooele County since July 1990. Deaths that occurred anywhere in Utah from June 2006 forward are also on file at this office. For deaths in Tooele County before July 1990, contact the Utah Division of Archives and Records Service or search the historical databases described further below.
In-person orders require a completed application, valid photo ID, and the correct fee. Most in-person requests are completed the same day. All in-person orders must include correct payment along with the application and identification before staff will process the request.
Note: If you do not respond to a written request from the Vital Records office within 90 days, the office may retain any fees already paid.
Tooele County Death Certificate Fees and Requirements
The fee for a Tooele County death certificate is $18.00 for each search of the files. Additional certified copies ordered at the same time cost $8.00 each. One application must be completed for each death requested. Photo ID is required for all requests. The health department will not process requests without correct payment, a completed form, and valid identification.
When completing your application for a Tooele County death record, you must provide the following information about the deceased: full name, date of death (or the years to be searched if the exact date is unknown), place of death including city and county, birthplace, date of birth, usual residence, full name of the father, full maiden name of the mother, and name of the spouse if the person was married. You must also indicate your relationship to the deceased. Acceptable relationships are Mother, Father, Sibling, Spouse, Child, Grandparent, Grandchild, or Other. If you select Other, you must explain your reason for requesting the record.
Mail orders are also accepted. Send your completed application, a photocopy of your valid picture ID, and the correct fee to Tooele County Health Department, Attn: Vital Records, 151 North Main Street, Tooele, Utah 84074. Requests submitted by mail are processed the same day they are received at the office. Allow additional time for delivery in both directions.
Online ordering is available through the State Office of Vital Records' SILVER website. Online orders through this system take 10 to 14 days to process and mail. Additional service fees may apply through the online ordering system beyond the standard certificate fee.
Tooele County Clerk Historical Death Records
For deaths before the health department's records begin, the Tooele County Clerk holds historical vital records. The Tooele County Clerk's office is at 47 South Main Street, Tooele, UT 84074-2194. Phone: (435) 882-9140. The clerk's death records run from 1898 through 1905. These early registers predate the state's formal registration system and were kept at the county level.
The USGenWeb project for Tooele County maintains an online resource at usgenwebsites.org/UTToole/vitals.html that covers historical vital records for the county. This page includes information about what records exist, where they are held, and how to access them. It is a useful starting point for genealogists who need records from the early settlement period of Tooele County.
Tooele County Probate Records from 1896 through 1905 are also relevant to death research from this period. Volumes 1 and 2 of probate records cover the early twentieth century and may include information about estates settled following deaths in Tooele County. The Third Judicial Court, located at 47 South Main Street, Tooele, phone (435) 882-9210, handles current probate matters.
Tooele County Death Records at FamilySearch and Online
The Utah State Archives death certificate collection at FamilySearch includes Tooele County records from 1904 through 1966. This database is fully searchable and includes images of actual certificates at no cost. The Utah Research Center holds death records from 1905 through 1956 with images of actual death certificates, making it one of the most complete early Tooele County death record sources available online.
Tooele County has a notable number of historic cemeteries. The Utah Historical Society Burial Database includes records from many of these sites. Cemeteries documented in Tooele County include Tooele City Cemetery, Tooele City Pioneer Cemetery, Grantsville Cemetery, Stansbury Park Cemetery, Lake Point Cemetery, Stockton Cemetery, Vernon Cemetery, Ophir Cemetery (both old and new), Faust Old Ranch Cemetery, Clover Cemetery, Iosepa Cemetery, and Mercur Cemetery. These burial records can fill gaps in the formal death registration system, especially for deaths before 1905.
Newspaper resources also serve as a valuable supplement. The Tooele Transcript Bulletin, the county's long-running local paper, has published death notices and obituaries for generations of Tooele County residents. The Deseret News Weekly Death and Marriage Notices from 1852 to 1888 and the Deseret News Semi-Weekly notices from 1865 to 1900 also include Tooele County entries. The Ancestor Hunt's free Utah death records guide lists additional online indexes relevant to Tooele County research.
State Death Records and Tooele County Access Rights
The Utah Office of Vital Records and Statistics holds death records for Tooele County from 1904 to the present. The state office is at 288 North 1460 West, PO Box 141012, Salt Lake City, UT 84114. Phone: (801) 538-6105. The state charges $30 for the first certified copy and $10 for each additional copy. Mailed requests to the state office require an enlarged photocopy of your ID showing all four edges. See the CDC Where to Write for Utah for a summary of state-level procedures.
Under Utah Code 26-2-22, Tooele County death records more than 50 years old are public. Any person may access them without proving a family connection. Records from the past 50 years are restricted to immediate family and those with a documented legal interest. Both the Tooele County Health Department and the state office apply these rules consistently. The statutes governing Utah death registration are at Utah Code 26-2-13.
Cities and Communities in Tooele County
Tooele County covers a large area west of the Oquirrh Mountains and includes communities spread across the valley and desert basin. The health department at 151 North Main Street in Tooele serves all county residents.
Other Tooele County communities include Grantsville, Stansbury Park, Wendover, Stockton, Vernon, Rush Valley, and Lake Point. All death records for these communities are handled through the Tooele County Health Department or the state office in Salt Lake City.
Counties Bordering Tooele County
Tooele County borders several Utah counties. Deaths near county lines may fall under a neighboring county's jurisdiction.