Find Death Records in Berkshire County
Berkshire County death records are kept at the town or city clerk in each of the 34 communities spread across western Massachusetts, with the state RVRS as a centralized option for records from 1926 forward. This page explains which offices to contact, how to order certified copies, what Berkshire County's unique three-registry structure means for your search, and where to find older records.
Berkshire County Overview
How to Get Berkshire County Death Records
Berkshire County death records are not held at a county office. Like all Massachusetts counties, Berkshire handles vital records at the local level. Each town or city clerk in the county maintains death records for deaths that occurred within that municipality. When a person dies in Pittsfield, the Pittsfield City Clerk holds that certificate. A death in Lenox goes to the Lenox Town Clerk. The same rule applies across all 34 Berkshire County communities.
Pittsfield City Clerk is the most frequently contacted Berkshire County office because Pittsfield is the county seat and the most populous city. The office is at 70 Allen Street, Room 103, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Phone: 413-499-9460. Fax: 413-499-9463. Email: ltyer@pittsfieldch.com. Their website at pittsfieldma.gov lists current fees and hours. For all other Berkshire County towns and cities, contact the clerk in the specific community where the death occurred.
| Office | Pittsfield City Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | 70 Allen Street, Room 103, Pittsfield, MA 01201 |
| Phone | 413-499-9460 |
| Fax | 413-499-9463 |
| ltyer@pittsfieldch.com |
If you don't know which community the death occurred in, or if the local office is not reachable, use the Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics (RVRS). The RVRS holds records for the entire state from 1926 onward, including all Berkshire County municipalities. Their address is 150 Mount Vernon St, 1st Floor, Dorchester, MA 02125, phone (617) 740-2600.
Note: Berkshire County is the only Massachusetts county with three separate Registry of Deeds districts: Northern, Middle, and Southern. This applies to land records only, not to death certificates, which are held by town and city clerks.
Berkshire Death Certificates: Ordering Options
Your first stop should be the town or city clerk in the community where the death occurred. In-person requests are typically the fastest and cheapest option. Bring the name of the deceased, date of death, and a valid photo ID. Most Berkshire County clerk offices charge between $10 and $15 per certified copy, though fees vary by town.
The RVRS offers three ways to request: walk-in, mail, and online. Walk-in requests at 150 Mount Vernon St in Dorchester cost $20 per certified copy and are generally filled the same day. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:45 AM to 4:45 PM. Mail requests cost $32 per copy. Online ordering through VitalChek starts at $54 for the first certificate. The state's official ordering guide covers every method with step-by-step detail. RVRS email: vital.recordsrequest@state.ma.us.
The Berkshire Probate and Family Court, located at 44 Bank Row, Pittsfield, MA 01201 (phone 413-442-6941, email berkshireprobate@jud.state.ma.us), handles estate and family law matters. You may need a certified death certificate to open a probate case there. The court does not issue death certificates itself. The state death certificate page has full details on what to bring when requesting a copy.
The RVRS death certificate information page covers fees, eligibility, and request procedures that apply to all Berkshire County deaths from 1926 onward.
Berkshire County's Three Registry Districts
Berkshire County has a unique feature that does not exist anywhere else in Massachusetts: three separate Registry of Deeds districts. This matters for property and land records, not death certificates, but it is worth knowing if your research involves estate settlements or property transfers.
The Northern Berkshire District Registry of Deeds is at 65 Park Street, Adams, MA 01220, phone 413-743-0035. It covers Adams, Clarksburg, Florida, New Ashford, North Adams, Savoy, and Williamstown. The Middle Berkshire District is at 44 Bank Row, Pittsfield, MA 01201, phone 413-443-7438, and covers Becket, Cheshire, Dalton, Hancock, Hinsdale, Lanesborough, Lenox, Peru, Pittsfield, Richmond, Washington, and Windsor. The Southern Berkshire District is at 334 Main St, Suite 2, Great Barrington, MA 01230, phone 413-528-0146, and covers the remaining southern towns including Alford, Egremont, Great Barrington, Lee, Monterey, Mount Washington, New Marlborough, Otis, Sandisfield, Sheffield, Stockbridge, Tyringham, and West Stockbridge.
None of these registry offices hold death certificates. They do hold land records that may be relevant in probate and estate work.
Historical Berkshire County Death Records
For older Berkshire County deaths, the Massachusetts Archives in Boston is the primary source. The Archives holds death records from 1841 through 1930. Free digital images covering 1841 to 1925 are available through FamilySearch. Certified copies from the Archives cost $3 and take about 4 to 6 weeks. The Archives are at 220 Morrissey Blvd, Boston, phone 617-727-2816.
Berkshire County was formed in 1761 from Hampshire County, so for deaths before 1761, records may exist in Hampshire County's older files. Individual town clerks in Berkshire County often hold records going back well before the state-level vital records system began. It is worth calling the specific town clerk to ask what years they have available and whether older records have been indexed or digitized.
The New England Historic Genealogical Society at American Ancestors has strong Massachusetts vital records collections including Berkshire County material. Their indexes can help locate a death record before you make a formal request from a clerk or archives.
Note: Berkshire County was carved out of Hampshire County in 1761. Death records predating that formation may be found in Hampshire County's historical files at the Massachusetts Archives or the Hampshire Probate and Family Court in Northampton.
Access and Law for Berkshire County Death Records
Death records in Massachusetts are public. MGL Chapter 46, Section 2A makes vital records open to any member of the public. You do not need to be related to the deceased or show a legal purpose to get a copy of a Berkshire County death certificate. That applies to every community in the county and to RVRS holdings.
The content of Massachusetts death certificates is governed by MGL Chapter 46, Section 9, which specifies what fields must appear on every certificate. Amendments to Berkshire County death records follow the process outlined in MGL Chapter 46, Section 13. Contact the town or city clerk holding the original record to start a correction. Supporting documents are usually needed. The full set of Chapter 46 statutes is at the Massachusetts General Laws page.
Cities and Towns in Berkshire County
Berkshire County includes 32 towns and 2 cities (Pittsfield and North Adams). None reach the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site. For death records in any Berkshire County community, contact the town or city clerk in that municipality or use the state RVRS for records from 1926 forward. The two cities and 32 towns span the full length of western Massachusetts from Williamstown in the north to Sheffield in the south.