Access Butler County Death Index

Butler County death index records are held by the Butler County Health Department in Poplar Bluff and by the Missouri State Archives for historical certificates from 1910 through 1975. This page covers the local health department, the state Bureau of Vital Records, the free Archives database, and other resources for finding death records in southeast Missouri.

Butler County Health Department Death Records

The Butler County Health Department is the local office for certified death certificates in Butler County. The address is 1619 North Main, Poplar Bluff, MO 63901. Phone is (573) 785-8478. The department handles certificates for deaths from 1980 forward. The fee is $13 per certified copy. For current hours and any changes to the in-person or mail process, visit butlercountyhealth.org. Most in-person requests are completed the same day you visit.

To request a copy in person, bring a valid photo ID and a completed Application for Missouri Vital Record. Acceptable photo IDs include a driver's license, state ID card, U.S. passport, military ID, school ID, or work ID. Two alternate documents can substitute if you don't have a primary photo ID. Acceptable alternates include Social Security cards, W-2 forms, utility bills, insurance policies, court documents, or letters from government agencies.

The Butler County Health Department website provides information on vital records services, local procedures, and how to reach the office with questions before you visit.

Visit this page to confirm current hours and learn the steps for requesting a certified Butler County death certificate through the local Poplar Bluff office.

Mail requests to the Butler County Health Department require a notarized application, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and a check or money order made out to the health department. Walk-in requests don't need notarization. Mail processing at the local level is usually faster than sending a request directly to the state Bureau. If you're not in the Poplar Bluff area, mailing to the local office or using VitalChek are your two best options.

Missouri Bureau of Vital Records and Butler County Deaths

The Missouri Bureau of Vital Records at 930 Wildwood Drive, Jefferson City, MO 65109 holds Butler County death records from January 1, 1910, through the present. Phone is 573-751-6387 and lobby hours run Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Appointments are recommended for in-person visits. For deaths from before 1980, the state Bureau is often the right place to start since older records were filed centrally before county health departments took on local issuance. The fee is $14 for the first certified copy and $11 for each additional copy of the same record, as set by RSMo 193.265.

The Missouri Bureau of Vital Records ordering page shows the full process for requesting a Butler County death certificate from the state, including by mail or through the authorized online vendor.

This page provides the downloadable application form, acceptable ID list, and fee schedule for ordering any Missouri death certificate from the state level.

Under RSMo 193.255, certified copies within the 50-year window are restricted to people with a direct and tangible interest. Eligible parties include a spouse, parents, children, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, and other close family members. Legal representatives and those with estate or property interests also qualify. After 50 years, under RSMo 193.225, records go to the State Archives and become free public records open to all.

VitalChek is Missouri's authorized online ordering vendor. Order at VitalChek any time. Delivery is 3 to 5 business days. No notarization is required when ordering through VitalChek. You can also call 1-877-817-7363. This is a good option for anyone who needs a Butler County death certificate but can't get to Poplar Bluff or Jefferson City.

Butler County Death Index in the Missouri State Archives

The Missouri State Archives has more than 2.5 million digitized death certificates from 1910 through 1975. Butler County death records from this period are free to search at the Archives Death Certificates portal. Search by first name, last name, county, and year or month. For deaths between 1954 and 1975, you can also search by a surviving spouse, father, or mother name. Each digitized certificate includes the decedent's full name, date and place of death, birth date and state, both parents' names, spouse, occupation, cause of death, attending physician, funeral home, and burial location. Under RSMo 193.145, all new Missouri death certificates are filed electronically through MoEVR, creating a uniform centralized record.

Butler County was organized in 1849 and sits in the Ozark foothills of southeast Missouri. The county is bordered by Arkansas to the south. People who lived near the state line and died in Arkansas or who were moved across the border for care will not have Missouri death records. For those cases, you'll need to contact the Arkansas Division of Vital Records. The Missouri Birth and Death Records Database, Pre-1910 covers the early registration period of 1883 to 1893. Butler County records from that window exist but may be incomplete, as rural counties in this region had lower registration compliance early on.

The FamilySearch Butler County genealogy page lists record collections for the county, including church records, cemetery transcriptions, and probate files that help fill in gaps before formal state registration began. Check this page before making a trip to Poplar Bluff or contacting the state Bureau.

What Butler County Death Records Include

A certified Butler County death certificate contains the decedent's full legal name, date and place of death, date and state of birth, sex, race, marital status, and occupation. It also lists both parents' names including the mother's maiden name, the surviving spouse's name, cause of death and contributing conditions, the attending physician or coroner, funeral home information, and burial place. The person who provided data at the time of registration is also identified. Long form certificates with full medical certification language are available only from the state Bureau in Jefferson City. Note that preference on your application when you submit your request.

Certificates from the 1910 to 1975 period in the Archives database contain the same core fields. Older records from the early decades of registration may have fewer details. Medical language on pre-1950 certificates can be difficult to parse. The Archives provides a medical terminology guide and a historical cause-of-death reference to help. Terms like "phthisis," "consumption," and "dropsy" are common on older records and are explained in those tools.

Certified copies of recent Butler County death certificates are restricted under RSMo 193.255. Only eligible parties may receive records less than 50 years old. For older records, the Archives portal is free and open to everyone. No proof of relationship is needed for records more than 50 years old.

Nearby Counties

Butler County is in southeast Missouri near the Arkansas border. Check adjacent county offices below if the person you're searching for lived near a county line.