Find Death Records in Fall River
Fall River death records are not issued by the Fall River City Clerk. Instead, death certificates for Fall River and all of Bristol County are handled by the New Bedford City Clerk's Office, the centralized vital records hub for the county. This page explains where to go, how to order, and what to expect.
Fall River Overview
Fall River Death Certificates Come from New Bedford
This is the most important thing to know before you do anything else: the Fall River City Clerk does not issue death certificates. If you need a death certificate for someone who died in Fall River, you must contact the New Bedford City Clerk's Office. New Bedford serves as the centralized vital records office for all of Bristol County, which includes Fall River.
This arrangement applies to all Bristol County communities, not just Fall River. Cities and towns in the county have their death records centralized at the New Bedford office. Fall River is the second-largest city in the county, and residents often expect to get death certificates locally at the Fall River City Clerk, but that office does not handle them.
Note: Go to the New Bedford City Clerk at 133 William Street, New Bedford, MA 02740 for all Fall River death certificates. Phone: (508) 979-1450. Online orders: newbedfordmavitals.permitium.com.
The New Bedford office holds Bristol County death records going back to 1787. They can issue certified copies in person, by mail, or online. The online Permitium portal is the most convenient method for Fall River residents who don't want to travel to New Bedford.
How to Get a Fall River Death Certificate
To get a death certificate for a Fall River death, contact the New Bedford City Clerk's Office. There are three ways to order: online, in person in New Bedford, or by mail.
The online option is usually the easiest for Fall River residents. Go to newbedfordmavitals.permitium.com to submit your request. You'll fill out a form with the decedent's name and date of death, pay by credit card, and the certificates are mailed to you. The fee is $20.00 per certified death certificate plus a $5.00 non-refundable service fee. Standard shipping is free through USPS and takes roughly 5 to 7 business days. The portal may ask you to upload a photo ID if the record is restricted.
To go in person, visit the New Bedford City Clerk at 133 William Street, Room 118, New Bedford, MA 02740. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Bring a valid photo ID and the name and date of death for the person whose record you need. In-person requests are often processed the same day.
To order by mail, write to the New Bedford City Clerk, 133 William Street, New Bedford, MA 02740. Include your written request with the decedent's full name and date of death, the number of copies needed, a check or money order, a copy of your photo ID if the record may be restricted, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Mail processing adds time in both directions, so expect delays compared to in-person or online.
If local ordering doesn't work for your situation, the Massachusetts RVRS at 150 Mount Vernon Street in Dorchester also issues death certificates statewide from 1936 forward. Mail fee: $32.00. Online via VitalChek: $54.00. Learn more at mass.gov/death-certificates.
What the Fall River City Clerk Does Handle
Even though the Fall River City Clerk does not issue death certificates, that office still handles a range of other official services. It helps to know what they do so you don't make an unnecessary trip.
The Fall River City Clerk at One Government Center, Room 227 (508-324-2220) handles business certificates, marriage license applications, dog licenses, cemetery deeds, and City Council records. If you have a question that doesn't involve getting a death certificate, this office may be able to help. Hours are Monday through Thursday 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM and Friday 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
The Fall River City Clerk's website at fallriverma.gov lists the full range of services this office provides. Death certificate requests are not among them. The site may also redirect you to the New Bedford office for vital records.
Note: Do not mail a death certificate request to the Fall River City Clerk. That office cannot fulfill it and your request will be delayed. Use the New Bedford address or online portal instead.
What Fall River Death Certificates Include
A certified death certificate for a Fall River death contains the same information as any Massachusetts death certificate. These records serve as legal proof of death and are needed for insurance claims, estate settlement, probate filings, bank closures, and similar official tasks.
The certificate shows the full name of the person who died, their date and place of birth, the date and place of death, the cause of death as certified by a physician or medical examiner, the manner of death, their last home address, marital status, parent names, the name of the funeral home, and the place of burial or cremation. Modern records also include a Social Security number. The certified copy issued by the New Bedford City Clerk carries the official registrar's signature and seal, making it valid for legal use. Plain copies without the seal are not accepted by most agencies or courts.
Fall River Death Records and Public Access
Massachusetts treats death records as public records. Under MGL Chapter 46, Section 2A, any person can request a death certificate without having to prove a relationship to the deceased or explain their reason for asking. This applies to Fall River death records just as it does anywhere else in the state. The New Bedford City Clerk, as the issuing office, follows this same public records standard.
Some information on the certificate may be restricted for general public copies. Social Security numbers are often redacted on copies given to the general public. Immediate family members, legal representatives, and others with a demonstrated legal need can get full certified copies with all fields visible. If you need a complete record for estate or legal purposes, tell the New Bedford clerk your connection to the deceased when you make the request.
Death records are filed where the death occurred. Fall River deaths are registered with the Bristol County centralized system at New Bedford. Deaths that happened outside Massachusetts are not in this system, even for Fall River residents.
Historical Fall River Death Records
Fall River death records going back to 1787 are available through the New Bedford City Clerk, since New Bedford holds the Bristol County vital records archive. That gives genealogists access to a very long local record set for Fall River and surrounding Bristol County communities.
The Massachusetts State Archives at 220 Morrissey Boulevard in Boston holds statewide death records from 1841 through 1930. Free digital images are available online for records from 1841 to 1925. Certified copies from the Archives cost $3.00. The phone number is 617-727-2816. For deaths from 1936 onward, the RVRS in Dorchester (617-740-2600) is the state source.
FamilySearch offers free access to large collections of Massachusetts death records at familysearch.org. Ancestry.com also holds indexes for Massachusetts vital records covering much of the nineteenth century. Both are worth checking before visiting in person.
The Fall River Probate and Family Court at 289 Rock Street (508-672-1751) handles estate filings for Fall River. Probate records, including wills and inventories, can fill in family details that death certificates alone don't cover. Those records are separate from vital records and are held at the court rather than at the city or county clerk's office.
Note: The Bristol County Registry of Deeds has a Fall River District office at 441 North Main Street in Fall River (508-673-2910). This office covers Fall River, Freetown, Somerset, and Swansea for property records. Property records are sometimes useful for genealogy research in combination with death records and probate files.
Bristol County Death Records
Fall River is part of Bristol County. The county page covers the broader records landscape including court resources, probate, and additional historical sources for the whole county.
Nearby Cities with Death Records Pages
Other qualifying cities in or near Bristol County have their own pages with office details and ordering instructions.
- New Bedford (Bristol County)
- Taunton (Bristol County)
- Brockton (Plymouth County)