Search for Death Records in Hawaii

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Our comprehensive guide to the death records in the state of Hawaii will help you in finding death records as well as provide you with relevant information about the deceased and the life they lived.

Death Records in Hawaii -
The Ultimate Guide 2025

Hawaii Death Records

Death records in the state of Hawaii date back to 1849. Before 1896, the Board of Education was responsible for recording deaths. After this, it became the Board of Health’s mandate to hold death records.

Hawaii Death Databases

Before 1896

Until 1896, it was the Board of Education responsibility to hold death records with teachers acting as registrars. These records are incomplete. As such, you would need to try other databases if you are looking for records on deaths that happened during this period.

Between 1862 and 1919, visit familysearch.org. This site is freely available and it provides name indexes to death as well as burial records. You can get a hold of microcopies of the same at the Family History Centers and the Family History Library. If you can’t seem to locate your ancestor from the name index, try other sources including bible records, tax records, census data, newspapers, cemetery records and church records.

1896 to Date

These death records are filed and held by the Hawaii State Department of Health. In addition to the family.org site, you can visit the Hawaii State Archives Vital Statistics department for records of deaths that happened between 1896 and 1929. The index is searchable by locality or name.

Death Certificates in Hawaii

In the state of Hawaii, death records start off as private records then they become publicly available 75 years after the record file date. There are restrictions to obtaining death certificates for individuals who passed on within the last 75 years. Below is a list of people who are eligible to request for a death certificate:

A registrant with whom the record is associated with
Spouse
Parents
A descendant such as child / grandchild
An individual with common ancestry (relative such as cousin, aunt, uncle, sibling or grandparent)
Registrant’s legal guardian
Agency / individual acting on the registrant’s behalf
Legal representative to registrant’s estate

How to Find Hawaii Death Records

Obtaining Hawaii death records from Archives.com is the most dependable method of doing so. Following your registration for an account, you will have complete access to the death records for the state of Hawaii as soon as you log in to the platform. The following are a few simple steps to get you started:

Step 1: Go to Archives.com and sign in using your email address and password.

Step 2: Use the buttons at the very top of the user page to navigate through the options. When you click on the “Search” button, the Hawaii state death records page is loaded.

Step 3: Check the box next to “Vital Records,” then click on the “Death” button just below it. Thus, the site eliminates all other records and only displays death records, which you can then download.

Step 4: Key in as much information about the deceased as you can remember about them.

Step 5: The state of Hawaii should be entered in the ‘Location’ box. As soon as you begin typing, you will notice that the website will provide a match for you.

Step 6: You will be presented with a list of records; you will need to scroll through the list until you find the person whose records you are interested in viewing.

Step 7: Click on the name of the deceased to view the death record that is currently available online. In most cases, you will be able to obtain their full name as well as their maiden name if they were previously married. You can also find out about their burial arrangements, such as whether they were cremated or buried, and whether a biographical sketch is available.

Alternative Sources for Hawaii Death Information

Hawaii Death Records FAQs

What is an Official Death Certificate?

An official death certificate refers to a death certificate that is issued directly by the Hawaii state government or any similar organization. This document contains information such as the individual’s name, physical address, date of birth, and date of death.

What are death records?

Death records are official files that give any useful information about a deceased individual. If you’re doing genealogical research, these records come in handy as they contain most of the information you’d need to learn more about your ancestry. Most death records are held by the state the deceased lived or died in, but they lack the burial state of the deceased. Both cemeteries and churches hold death records, as with state governments. Information you can obtain from death records includes the full name, date of birth, date of death, and place of death.

Are Hawaii Death Records Open to the Public?

According to the Hawaii Revised Statutes, vital records such as birth records, divorce records, marriage records, adoption records, death records, and other life records are available to all eligible parties with a direct relationship to the person named on the record.

What Information Do I Need to Search for Hawaii Death Records Online?

Requesters who wish to get a hold of a death record must be well acquainted with basic facts associated with it including:

Conclusion

The state of Hawaii is extremely particular about the accuracy of its tax and voting records, and this is reflected in its state records. As a result, they strive to keep a comprehensive death record up to date. Following the death of a person, tax collectors contact family members or next of kin to collect any unpaid state taxes that may be owed to the state. In the event of a probate proceeding, these death records will be extremely useful because your family members or next of kin will not have any difficulties in obtaining any legal information. With our comprehensive guide to Hawaii death record searches, you’ll be able to locate any type of record that you might require in a matter of minutes.

Disclaimer: OurPublicRecords mission is to give people easy and affordable access to public record information, but OurPublicRecords does not provide private investigator services or consumer reports, and is not a consumer reporting agency per the Fair Credit Reporting Act. You may not use our site or service or the information provided to make decisions about employment, admission, consumer credit, insurance, tenant screening, or any other purpose that would require FCRA compliance.