Where Are Our Death Certificates?

Death certificates in Kentucky usually take 2–8 weeks from start to finish.

Kerr Brothers begins the process once we receive the vital information needed to initiate the death certificate. It is then submitted electronically to the doctor or coroner we have been instructed to by the hospital, hospice provider, nursing facility, or coroner's office to send it to for completion.

Once the doctor or coroner completes their portion, the death certificate is submitted electronically to the Office of Vital Statistics in Frankfort for approval. The certificates are then printed in Frankfort and mailed to the Kerr Brothers branch that served your family.

What can affect the timeline?

Kerr Brothers starts the process promptly once the necessary information has been received and verified by the family. Once we have initiated the death certificate and submitted it electronically to the medical certifier, we have no control over when the completed certificates will be received.

Several variables can affect how quickly the process is completed, including how long it takes the doctor or coroner to complete and sign their portion of the death certificate. In cases where an autopsy and/or toxicology testing is performed, it can take eight weeks or longer for the coroner's office to receive the results and determine the cause of death.

What if the process is taking longer than expected?

If you feel the process is taking excessively long, please call us for contact information for the doctor or medical certifier. We have found that a family member calling the medical certifier's office to inquire can sometimes help move the process along.