Union County Death Certificate Records
Union County death records are held by the Register of Deeds office in Monroe, North Carolina. The office stores death certificates for events that took place in Union County. Staff can search for a record, confirm fees, and help you through the request process. You can visit in person, order by mail, or use the online ordering system to get Union County death records. Union County was formed in 1842 and has a rich history in the southern part of the state.
Union County Register of Deeds
The Union County Register of Deeds is Crystal D. Gilliard, who has served in the role since 2004. The office is at 500 N. Main Street, 2nd Floor, Suite 258, Monroe, NC 28112. You can call at 704-283-3843 or email vitalrecords@co.union.nc.us. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
The Register of Deeds holds death records, birth records, marriage licenses, and land documents for Union County. Staff can search the files and help you with any type of record on hand. Walk-in visits are the fastest way to get a Union County death record. Bring a valid photo ID and the key facts about the deceased.
Union County also offers an online ordering system through Permitium. Visit the Union County online vital records portal to start an order from home.
The portal lets you pick the record type, enter the details, and pay online. A $4 service fee and $1 Vital Verify fee apply to online orders on top of the base cost.
How to Request Union County Death Records
There are three ways to get a Union County death record. In person is the quickest. Go to the office at 500 N. Main Street in Monroe during business hours. Bring your photo ID. Tell the staff the name of the deceased and the date of death. If the record is on file, you can get a copy the same day.
Online orders go through Permitium. The system guides you step by step. You will pay by credit or debit card. The $4 service fee and $1 Vital Verify fee are added to your total. Online orders are mailed to you once they are processed.
By mail, send your request to the office at 500 N. Main Street, 2nd Floor, Suite 258, Monroe, NC 28112. Include the name and date of death, your link to the person, a copy of your ID, and a check or money order for the fee.
Note: For out-of-county death records filed since September 2023, the fee is $24 for the first copy and $15 for each extra copy. This is different from the local rate.
Union County Death Certificate Fees
A certified copy of a Union County death certificate costs $10. An uncertified copy costs $1. These are the in-office rates. Online orders add a $4 service fee and a $1 Vital Verify fee to the base price.
For out-of-county deaths filed since September 2023, the cost is $24 for the first copy and $15 for each extra copy. This higher rate covers the processing costs for records that were not originally filed in Union County.
Union County provides veteran death certificates at no cost. If the deceased was a veteran, let the staff know when you make your request. This benefit applies to in-person requests at the Union County office.
The NC Vital Records fee schedule lists all standard rates. Union County follows the state schedule for most death records.
Eligibility for Union County Death Records
Under G.S. 130A-93, only people with a direct link to the deceased can get a certified death certificate. This law applies in Union County and across North Carolina.
Those who can get a certified Union County death record include:
- The surviving spouse
- A parent or adult child
- A sibling of the deceased
- A legal representative with court papers
- An attorney acting for an eligible party
- A funeral director who handled the case
Anyone else can get an uncertified copy. Uncertified copies are open to the public. They show the same facts but lack the raised seal. Under G.S. 130A-26A, providing false information to get a vital record is a felony.
Union County Historical Death Records
Union County was formed in 1842. Death records at the Register of Deeds begin from 1913, when the state started formal vital records registration. For deaths before that year, the county office will not have a certificate.
The North Carolina State Archives in Raleigh may hold older Union County documents. Court records, estate papers, and wills from the 1800s can note a death. Church records and cemetery logs from Union County are also good sources for the years before 1913.
Monroe, the county seat, has been a center of civic life in Union County since the 1800s. Local libraries and historical groups may hold records that fill gaps in the official files at the Register of Deeds. Family bibles are another source of death dates for Union County residents from past generations.
State Resources for Union County Deaths
The North Carolina Vital Records office in Raleigh holds death records from all 100 counties. You can order from the state ordering page if the Union County office does not have what you need.
Under G.S. 130A Article 4, the state governs how vital records are created, filed, and shared. Union County follows these rules for every death certificate on file. The law also covers how to fix errors on a death record. If you spot a mistake on a Union County death certificate, contact the office about the amendment process.
The NC Association of Registers of Deeds has a directory of all county offices. Use it to find the right office if the death did not take place in Union County. Under G.S. 130A-93.1, some older vital records become open to the public after a set time. Ask the Union County staff about this option if your record is old enough.