Easy, Quick Access to Your Vital Records.
Summit County Public Health provides certified birth and death certificate copies for all Ohio counties for every person who was born or died in the State of Ohio. Identification and proof of relationship are not required to obtain certified birth and death certificate copies unless you are requesting a certified death certificate and need the record to show the deceased person's Social Security Number within five years of the death. See **+Death Certificates and Social Security Numbers+ information below for additional information.
Summit County Public Health offers several convenient ways to order certified birth and death certificates. Same day service is available at our Fairway Center location in Akron where you may place an order at the **indoor customer counter**, **outdoor walk-up window**, or **self-service kiosk** station. **Online** ordering is also available at vitals.scph.org, or call (330) 812-3845 to place an order for express same-day order pickup. Guaranteed mail order delivery as soon as the next business day to any state within the United States is also available (additional fees apply for shipping and handling).
Death Certificates and Social Security Numbers
ORC 3705.23(5): For the first five years after a decedent's death, a decedent's social security number shall not be included on a certified copy of the decedent's death certificate unless that information is specifically requested by the decedent's spouse, or lineal descendant ; the decedent's executor, attorney, or legal agent ; a representative of an investigative government agency; a private investigator; a funeral director (or agent responsible for disposition of the body) acting on behalf of the decedent's family; a veteran’s service officer; or an accredited member of the media .
Individuals requesting a death certificate with the social security number included must indicate on their application that they are requesting the SSN be included and submit proof of identification along with Acceptable Proof of Relationship documentation to the registrar or clerk. The Proof of Relationship Verification Addendum can be used to request that the social security number appears on a death certificate.
Proper identification and proof of relationship is required of in-person, online and mail order requests for a death record.
page updated 03-20-2026