Madison County Death Records Search
Madison County death records are at the health department in Huntsville. This is the second largest county in Alabama with over 423,000 people.
Madison County Quick Facts
Madison County Health Department
The Madison County Health Department is on Max Luther Drive in Huntsville. Over 423,000 people live in Madison County. Huntsville is the county seat. It is also the biggest city in Alabama. The health department uses the state ViSION system. Staff can look up Madison County death certificates and print them for you.
This is one of the busiest health departments in the state. You can get a death certificate from here for deaths in any county in Alabama. Most in-person visits take 30 minutes or less. The office has a dedicated vital records phone line in Madison County.
| Address | 301 Max Luther Drive NW Huntsville, AL 35811 |
|---|---|
| Mailing Address | PO Box 17708 Huntsville, AL 35810 |
| General Phone | (256) 539-3711 |
| Vital Records | (256) 533-8677 |
| Environmental | (256) 533-8726 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Website | alabamapublichealth.gov/madison |
Madison County Probate Records
Madison County has a free online portal for probate records. This does not have death certificates. However, it can help with research. You can search estate records, wills, and other probate files. Some of these have death info. You need to make a free account to use the search system in Madison County.
| Probate Court | madisoncountyal.gov/departments/probate-judge |
|---|
How to Request Death Certificates
You can get Madison County death records in three ways. Pick the one that works best based on time and travel.
In Person at the Health Department
Go in person. This is the fast way. Bring a photo ID like a license or passport. Know the name of the person who died. You need the date of death and their age too. Staff can print the record while you wait. Most visits take 15 to 30 minutes. Busy times may take longer in Madison County. You can pay with cash, check, or money order in Alabama.
By Mail
Send your request to Montgomery. Download the form from the state site. Fill it out. Add a check for $15. Make it out to Center for Health Statistics. Mail to P.O. Box 5625, Montgomery, AL 36103-5625. It takes 7 to 10 days in Alabama.
Online Through VitalChek
VitalChek is the state vendor. Go to their site or call 1-888-279-9888. You can use a credit or debit card. Standard orders take 7 to 10 days. Rush orders cost more. VitalChek adds fees on top of the $15 state fee. This is a good option if you cannot visit Madison County in person.
Who Can Get Death Certificates
State law sets rules for Madison County death records. Under Alabama Code Section 22-9A-21, death certificates stay private for 25 years. After that, anyone can get a copy. The record becomes public at that point in Alabama.
For deaths in the past 25 years, only some people may get Madison County death certificates. The list is shown below:
- Parents of the person who died
- Spouse of the deceased
- Children and grandchildren
- Brothers and sisters
- Legal reps of the estate
- The informant named on the certificate
- Anyone with a direct interest in Alabama
State and local agencies can get records for work. Researchers may ask for data with a written deal. Firms cannot get records for marketing in Madison County.
Death Certificate Fees
The State Board of Health sets fees for Madison County death records. Alabama Code Section 22-9A-23 controls these rates. They are the same at any county office or the state office in Alabama.
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Search with one certified copy | $15.00 |
| Additional copies in same order | $6.00 each |
| Expedited processing | $15.00 extra |
| Amendment or correction | $20.00 |
You pay even if no record is found. You get a Certificate of Failure to Find. Fees are not given back in Madison County. VitalChek adds its own charges in Alabama.
Historical Death Records
Alabama started death records on January 1, 1908. Madison County death records from that date are at the state office in Montgomery. Records over 25 years old are now public in Alabama.
To find death info from before 1908, you must look at other sources. Some early death logs exist from 1881, but not all deaths were in them. Good places to search for old Madison County death records are listed below:
- Probate court wills and estate records (online through county portal)
- Church burial records from Huntsville and Madison area churches
- Cemetery records including Maple Hill Cemetery
- Newspaper obituaries from Huntsville Times and other papers
- Federal mortality schedules from 1850 to 1880
The Alabama Department of Archives and History has microfilm of old records. FamilySearch has a free database called Alabama Deaths, 1908-1974. It has images of death certificates in Alabama.
Death Investigations
The Madison County coroner looks into certain deaths. These include deaths from violence, accidents, suicide, or unknown causes. Alabama uses an elected coroner system in most counties. The coroner finds the cause and manner of death in Madison County.
If an autopsy is needed, the coroner works with the state. The Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences runs the Huntsville lab. This lab serves Madison County. They handle autopsies and forensic tests for death cases in northern Alabama.
Cities in Madison County
Madison County has many cities and towns. Huntsville is the biggest. It is the county seat. Madison is another major city here. The health department serves all cities for death records in Madison County.
Other areas in Madison County include Gurley, New Hope, Owens Cross Roads, Hazel Green, Meridianville, and Harvest. All death records for these areas go through the county health department in Alabama.
Nearby Counties
Madison County borders Tennessee and other Alabama counties. All county health departments use the same state database. You can get death records from any site in Alabama.
Start Your Search
Use the tool below to find death records in Madison County or other parts of Alabama.