Death Record Corrections/Amendments

Overview

To make an amendment or correction to a death record, complete the application and supply supporting documents

required to ensure that the correction or amendment is done in an accurate and timely manner.

While this document is intended to help guide the general public about how to obtain a change to a death certicate,

it is also applicable for both Funeral Directors and Medical Certiers who may be looking for some specic steps to

follow.

NOTE: If your loved one had already made a change to gender designation on their NYS birth certicate prior to their

death, this correction can be made with supporting documentation. However, if no formal gender designation change

was made on their NYS birth certicate prior to their death, this change cannot be made aer their death.

Who can apply for a correction/amendment?

The following individuals can request a death certicate correction/amendment:

• The decedent’s spouse on record,

• A parent, child or legal guardian of the person,

• A sibling of the decedent,

• The informant if within six months of death,

• The Funeral Firm that handled the disposition if within six months of death,

• Medical Certier who handled the case, or

• Anyone with a Court order

How do I make a correction/amendment?

If the request is within six months of the death:

• The Funeral Firm that handled the disposition will assist you with a request if it deals with correcting or amending

personal information. Personal information specic to the individual, including but not limited to, Name, Social

Security Number, or Informant information.

• The Medical Certier on the certicate will assist you with medical information correction/amendments, including

place, cause, time or manner of death, or other medical elds.

• See the table on next page for specic instructions.

If the request is seven months or later aer the death:

• Corrections to the personal information can be done by lling out the correct Application for Correction of Certicate

of Death (DOH-299) and gathering supporting documentation to bring to your local Registrar.

• Corrections/amendments to medical information – place of death, cause or manner of death, etc. – can be done by

lling out the correct Application for Correction of Certicate of Death (DOH-1999) and having the Medical Certier

sign o on the correction. Gather the supporting documentation to bring to your local registrar.

• See the table on next page for specic instructions.

Death Record Corrections/Amendments

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What documents do I need to correct a death certicate?

You must send original documentation, or certied copies, with your application. Certied copies are

documents issued by a government oce that have a raised seal, like birth or marriage certicates. Usually a

fee is required to obtain a certied copy from an oce or agency.

Notarized copies or altered documents are NOT accepted. (See the table below for specic instructions.)

NOTE: If your documents are in a language other than English, you also must obtain an ocial English

translation of documents needed. Embassies and foreign consulates oen will translate ocial documents for

you. We also accept translations from established translation services.

If you can’t provide the required supporting documents, you need to obtain a NYS Court order.

Common Corrections/Amendments

Look below to see which description ts your situation. You can also refer to the Listing of Supporting

Documents Which May be Submitted with the Application for Correction of Certicate of Death (DOH-299i, which

follows these instructions, for more information about supporting documents.

If you are a family member applying for dual citizenship and need to make a correction on a death certicate,

you also need to complete the Adavit to Request Certicate of Death (DOH-5001). You are entitled to one (1)

certicate.

To make this

correction:

The applicant

submits the:

and provides:

Correct the name,

place of birth,

date of birth, sex,

parents’ names of

the decedent

Death

Certicate

Correction

Form,

DOH-299

Any one of these documents as it relates to the decedent:

• Certied copy of the birth certicate; A certied copy is required.

• Religious document (baptismal, church or synagogue record); The record must

bear the raised seal of the Church or Synagogue or must be made on Church or

Synagogue stationery and signed by the present custodian of the records.

• Armed Forces discharge; Original discharge papers are required.

• Naturalization Certicate or Alien Registration Card; The original is required

because it is illegal to photocopy a Naturalization Certicate. Registered mail is

recommended.

• Hospital record or physician oce record of death; Certied by the custodian of the

hospital record or the attending physician.

• Federal Census record; A Federal Census was taken on June 1, 1890; April 15, 1910;

January 1, 1920; and April 1, 1930, 1940, 1950, 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, and

2010. Federal census records may be obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau.

• Early school record; A certied copy of a school record or letter on school stationery

signed by the present custodian of the record. The record must include the

decedent’s name, date of birth or age, date the record was made, and parents’

names. Report cards and diplomas may not be accepted, or

• Letter from the Funeral Director, indicating error on their part with worksheet

attached. *See *Funeral Director’s Statement section below this table.

Correct a minor

misspelling of the

surviving spouse

Death

Certicate

Correction

Form,

DOH-299

• (Government issued) Marriage Certicate. A certied copy is required

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Death Records Corrections/Amendments (1/23) Page 3 of 4

To make this

correction:

The applicant

submits the:

and provides:

Add or remove the

surviving spouse

Death

Certicate

Correction

Form,

DOH-299

All the following:

• Notarized statement from informant

• Notarized statement from surviving spouse who wants to be added or removed,

and

• (Government issued) Marriage Certicate or divorce or separation decree

Change the

surviving spouse

Death

Certicate

Correction

Form,

DOH-299

All these documents:

• (Government issued) Marriage Certicate between the decedent and the spouse

challenging the record (Grievant);

• Adavit from Grievant indicating they are the legal surviving spouse, setting forth

the date and place of the marriage and stating that the marriage was never legally

dissolved;

• Adavit from the surviving spouse, if they are listed on the Death Certicate,

indicating that they are not the surviving spouse; and

• An adavit from the informant of record indicating error,

Correct the usual

occupation

of the decedent

Death

Certicate

Correction

Form,

DOH-299

• An employment record listing the decedent’s occupation or title and the dates of

employment, signed by the ocer in charge of employment records.

Correct the

residence address

for minor errors

Death

Certicate

Correction

Form,

DOH-299

Any one of these documents:

• A voter registration card if registered within a year of death;

• A Certicate of Domicile issued by the state of residence; The Certicate of Domicile

must state that the person listed on the death record physically resided in whatever

State less than 1 year before the date of death.

• A certied letter from the Board of Elections;

• Utility bill;

• Government letter indicating residence address, or

• Notarized Funeral Director statement admitting error on their part

Correct the entire

residence address

Death

Certicate

Correction

Form,

DOH-299

Any one of these documents:

• Government letter or utility bill dated within 3 months prior to the decedent’s date

of death;

• Mortgage Statement, or Lease Agreement dated within 3 months prior to the

decedent’s date of death;

• A certied letter from the Board of Elections;

• Statement from the facility where the decedent resided, or

• Statement from Physician’s oce.

Correct the Social

Security Number

Death

Certicate

Correction

Form,

DOH-299

Any one of these documents:

• Decedent’s original Social Security Card, or

• Letter from the Social Security Administration.

To make this

correction:

The applicant

submits the:

and provides:

Correct the race

Death

Certicate

Correction

Form,

DOH-299

Any one of these documents:

• Certied copy of the decedent’s birth certicate showing the correct race

• An ocial record such as an American Indian Tribal record, or

• Copy of the parent’s birth certicate, from the parent whose race is being added to

the Death Certicate.

Correct the

Education

Death

Certicate

Correction

Form,

DOH-299

Any one of these documents:

• Copy of the decedent’s diploma, or

• Letter from the educational institution stating the last completed year.

Correct the

Informant’s name –

minor misspelling

Note: The

informant’s name

cannot be replaced

without a court

order

Death

Certicate

Correction

Form,

DOH-299

Any one of these documents:

• Copy of the informant’s driver’s license;

• Other photo identication

Correct Military

Service

Death

Certicate

Correction

Form,

DOH-299

• DD-214 Armed Forces Discharge Papers; Original discharge papers are required.

Correct the date,

place, time, of

death

Medical

Or Burial

Death Cert

Correction,

DOH-1999

Any one of these documents:

• Hospital or nursing home admission record of the decedent;

• Statement signed by custodian of hospital or nursing home admission record;

• Attending Physician’s oce record;

• Statement signed by custodian of attending Physician’s oce record;

• Statement signed by Coroner or Medical Examiner, or

• Court order.

Correct the cause

of death

Medical

Or Burial

Death Cert

Correction,

DOH-1999

Any one of these documents:

• Statement signed by Attending Physician, Medically Licensed Coroner or Medical

Examiner specifying the correct cause of death and where is should be added to

the certicate, or

• Court order specifying the correct cause of death and where is should be added to

the certicate

How do I apply for a correction/amendment in person?

In-person corrections can be submitted at the local Registrar of Vital Statistics where the death occurred. Bring

the appropriate, completed death certicate correction application form, original supporting documents, and

payment. The local Registrar of Vital Statistics may forward the correction to the State for completion.

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