Lincoln County Death Index Records

Lincoln County death index records are filed with the Lincoln County Health Department in Troy and with the Missouri State Archives for deaths from 1910 through 1975. Lincoln County is one of Missouri's oldest counties, organized in 1818, and offers extended certificate request hours that make it easier to get records outside of standard office times. This guide covers both sources, what each holds, and how to make a request.

Lincoln County Health Department Death Certificates

The Lincoln County Health Department is the local office for death certificates covering deaths that occurred in Lincoln County from 1980 to the present. The department is at 5 Health Department Drive, Troy, MO 63379. Phone is (636) 528-6117. Regular office hours run Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. One notable feature of the Lincoln County Health Department is its extended certificate request hours. Certificate requests are accepted from 7:00 AM to 5:30 PM, Monday through Friday, which is significantly broader than the regular office schedule. This makes it easier to request a certificate before or after a standard workday. The fee is $13 per certified copy. Birth records are available from 1920 forward. More information is at lchdmo.org.

The Lincoln County Health Department website provides current service details, including how to request a death certificate in person or by mail and what identification is required.

Check this page for the latest updates on hours and fees before visiting the Troy office, particularly since extended certificate hours may differ from regular office hours.

To request a Lincoln County death certificate in person, bring a completed Application for Missouri Vital Record and a valid photo ID. Acceptable photo IDs include a state driver's license, state ID card, U.S. military ID, U.S. passport, school ID, or work ID. If a photo ID is not available, two alternate forms of identification are accepted. Acceptable alternates include letters from government agencies, W-2 forms, Social Security cards, court-certified adoption papers, insurance policies, Medicare or Medicaid cards, payroll stubs, cancelled checks, or utility bills.

Mail requests to the Lincoln County Health Department require a notarized application, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and a check or money order payable to the department. Notarization is only needed for mail orders. For walk-in requests, no notary is required. Given the extended hours at this office, going in person during the 7 AM to 5:30 PM window is a practical option for many people who cannot get to a county office during a typical workday.

Missouri Bureau of Vital Records and Lincoln County Deaths

The Missouri Bureau of Vital Records in Jefferson City holds Lincoln County death records from January 1, 1910, through the present. The Bureau is at 930 Wildwood Drive, Jefferson City, MO 65109. Phone is 573-751-6387. Lobby hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Appointments are recommended. The state fee is $14 for the first certified copy and $11 for each additional copy of the same record requested at the same time, under RSMo 193.265. For Lincoln County deaths from before 1980, when the local office may not hold the record, the state Bureau is the right source. Lincoln County's origins in 1818 mean it has a longer record history than many Missouri counties, and the state Bureau's holdings start at 1910.

The Missouri Bureau of Vital Records ordering page explains the process for requesting a certified Lincoln County death certificate by mail or through VitalChek.

This page has the downloadable application form, fee schedule, and step-by-step instructions for submitting a mail request to Jefferson City for Lincoln County or any other Missouri county.

Under RSMo 193.255, only those with a direct and tangible interest may receive certified copies within the 50-year confidentiality window. Eligible requestors include the spouse, parents, children, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, and other close relatives, as well as legal representatives, funeral directors, and individuals with documented estate or property interests. Under RSMo 193.225, records more than 50 years old transfer to the State Archives and become public records available at no cost.

VitalChek is the authorized online vendor for Missouri death certificates. Orders through VitalChek take 3 to 5 business days and do not require notarization. Call 1-877-817-7363 or place an order online any time. All major credit cards are accepted.

Lincoln County Death Index in the Missouri State Archives

The Missouri State Archives holds over 2.5 million digitized death certificates covering 1910 through 1975. Lincoln County records from this period are available for free through the Archives Death Certificates portal. Search by first name, last name, county, and year or month of death. For deaths from 1954 through 1975, you can also search by the name of a surviving spouse, father, or mother. Each digitized certificate typically shows the full name of the deceased, date and place of death, date and state of birth, parents' names, spouse's name, occupation, cause of death, attending physician, funeral home, and burial location.

Lincoln County was organized in 1818, placing it among the very oldest counties in Missouri. That gives it a history stretching back over two centuries. For deaths before 1910, the Missouri Birth and Death Records Database, Pre-1910 indexes microfilmed records from the 1883 to 1893 period. Before formal registration began, records are sparse. Probate records at the Lincoln County Courthouse in Troy, church registers from early congregations in the Troy area, cemetery transcriptions, and historical newspaper archives from this part of Missouri are all valuable supplementary sources. The Lincoln County Historical Society and local genealogy groups have done considerable work indexing early records.

The FamilySearch Lincoln County genealogy page lists available collections for the county, including digitized and microfilm materials that go beyond the State Archives holdings. FamilySearch is free and adds newly digitized Lincoln County records regularly.

Under RSMo 193.145, all current Missouri death certificates are filed electronically through the MoEVR system. Any Lincoln County death registered recently flows through this centralized electronic filing process before becoming accessible at the local or state level.

What Lincoln County Death Records Contain

A certified Lincoln County death certificate includes the decedent's full legal name, date and place of death, date and state of birth, sex, race, occupation, and both parents' full names including the mother's maiden name. The certificate names the surviving spouse, lists the primary cause of death and any contributing conditions, identifies the attending physician, and includes funeral home details and burial location. The informant who provided details at registration is also listed on the form. Long form certificates with extended medical certification language are available only through the Bureau of Vital Records in Jefferson City. If you need the long form version, note that on your application when you submit it.

Records from the 1910 to 1975 Archives period have the same core fields, though certificates from earlier decades may be less complete because registration forms were simpler. Historical cause-of-death terminology can be difficult to read. The Archives provides a medical terminology dictionary and a supporting conditions guide to help researchers interpret old records. If a Lincoln County death certificate cannot be found, consider that deaths near the county lines with St. Charles, Warren, Montgomery, Pike, Ralls, and Callaway counties may have been registered in a neighboring county.

Certified copies are restricted for deaths within the past 50 years. Only those with a direct and tangible interest under RSMo 193.255 may obtain them. For research on deaths more than 50 years old, no proof of relationship is needed and the records are free online through the State Archives.

Nearby Counties

Lincoln County borders several counties in eastern Missouri. If the death occurred near a county line, the adjacent county offices listed below may also have relevant records.