Find Death Records in Fall River
Fall River death records are kept by the City Clerk at One Government Center, and the Death Index covers deaths from the 1800s to the present. Certified copies cost $15 in person, $20 by mail, or $15 online, and genealogical searches are also available for research purposes.
Fall River Overview
Fall River City Clerk - Death Records
The Fall River City Clerk maintains the Death Index for deaths that occurred in Fall River or that were registered to Fall River residents. The office is at One Government Center, Fall River, MA 02722. Call 508-324-2220 to reach the office. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.
Fall River death records go back to the 1800s. The city grew significantly as a textile manufacturing center, and the Death Index reflects that history with records covering mill workers and their families across many generations. Records from 1841 to 1925 are also held at the Massachusetts State Archives. Free digital images for 1841 to 1924 are available through the State Archives online.
The state vital records ordering page at mass.gov shows how to order Fall River records from the state RVRS.
That page covers in-person ordering at the Dorchester RVRS office, mail orders at $32 per copy, and online orders through VitalChek at $54 for the first copy.
| Address | One Government Center, Fall River, MA 02722 |
|---|---|
| Phone | 508-324-2220 |
| Hours | Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM-4:30 PM |
| Records | 1800s to present |
How to Request a Fall River Death Certificate
Fall River offers three ways to get a death certificate: in person, by mail, or online. Each has a different cost.
In person, a certified copy costs $15. Bring valid ID and payment. The office accepts checks or money orders payable to the City of Fall River. If you're paying by check from a foreign country, only US Certified Bank Checks are accepted. Come during regular hours and the clerk will process your request while you're there.
Mail requests cost $20 total. That breaks down as $15 for the certified copy plus a $5 processing fee. Include the name or names, the date of the event, and mail to: City Clerk, One Government Center, Fall River, MA 02722. Mail payment by check or money order made payable to the City of Fall River.
Online orders cost $15 per record and are processed the next business day. Credit cards are accepted online. The city's online system is a convenient option if you can't visit in person or don't want to wait for mail processing.
Genealogical searches cost $15 per record, plus an extra $5 for mail requests. These searches cover older records and provide information useful for family history research. Amendments to a Fall River death record cost $50 per record and require supporting documentation.
Under MGL Chapter 46, Section 9, Fall River death records are public. Anyone can request a copy without needing to show a family relationship or explain their purpose.
Note: For mail requests from outside the United States, only US Certified Bank Checks are accepted as payment by the Fall River City Clerk's office.
Searching the Fall River Death Index Online
Free online databases are a good starting point before ordering a certified copy. FamilySearch has the most useful free collections. The Massachusetts Vital Records page on FamilySearch explains what's indexed for Bristol County. Many Fall River deaths from the late 1800s and early 1900s are searchable there at no cost.
The Massachusetts State Archives holds death records from 1841 to 1925. Free digital images for 1841 to 1924 are available through the State Archives vital records collection. These scanned images are free to view and useful for genealogy research. Certified copies from the Archives cost $3 each. The Archives is at 220 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, phone (617) 727-2816.
The MGL Chapter 46 page at mass.gov shows the statutes governing death registration in Massachusetts.
That page links to each section of the chapter including Section 9 on public access and Section 12 on certified copies.
Ancestry.com has digitized older Massachusetts vital records. The Fall River Historical Society has resources that can supplement official records, especially for 19th century deaths tied to the textile industry.
Fall River Historical Death Records
Fall River death records extend back into the 1800s. The city's rapid growth as a textile manufacturing center during the 19th century generated substantial vital records activity, and the Death Index reflects that history. Records from that era often include mill workers from diverse immigrant communities who came to Fall River to work in the textile industry.
Under MGL Chapter 46, Section 13, Massachusetts required death registration starting in the mid-1800s. Fall River records from that period forward are in the statewide system. Free digital images of 1841 to 1924 records are at the State Archives. For records before 1841, church records and the Fall River Historical Society's collections may be the best sources.
The Fall River Historical Society holds materials that go beyond official vital records. Old newspapers, church records, city directories, and immigrant community records can help you trace a Fall River death when the official index doesn't have what you need. Their collection focuses on the city's 19th and early 20th century history.
What Fall River Death Certificates Contain
Fall River death certificates follow the standard Massachusetts format. Each record shows the deceased's full name, date of birth, date of death, place of death, cause of death, and manner of death. Manner of death is classified as natural, accident, homicide, suicide, or undetermined.
Additional fields include the parents' names, the deceased's occupation, Social Security number, and the method of body disposition. These fields are required on every Massachusetts death certificate because the state sets the form statewide under MGL Chapter 46.
Certified copies carry the City Clerk's official seal and are valid for probate, insurance, and property matters. Section 12 of MGL Chapter 46 governs how certified copies must be issued. Restricted records under Section 2A may require additional documentation before the office releases them.
Note: Death certificates must be filed within 24 hours of death in Massachusetts, so Fall River records for recent deaths are typically complete and accurate.
Bristol County Probate and Related Records
The Bristol County Probate and Family Court serves Fall River and is located at 40 Broadway Street, Suite 240, Taunton. When someone died in Fall River, estate matters were typically filed at this court. Probate records are public and can provide significant additional detail beyond a death certificate, including the names of heirs and the value of the estate.
Bristol County has three Registry of Deeds districts. Fall River area property records are handled through the Fall River district. Real property transfers that follow a death may reference the date and circumstances of the death. These records are searchable online through the registry's public portal.
For records before 1926, the Massachusetts State Archives holds the state's indexed copy. For records from 1926 onward, both the Fall River City Clerk and the RVRS in Dorchester can issue certified copies. The RVRS is at 150 Mount Vernon Street, Dorchester, MA 02125, phone 617-740-2600, email vital.recordsrequest@mass.gov, hours M-F 8:45 AM to 4:45 PM.
The state RVRS main page at mass.gov is a good reference for understanding the state-level death index alongside what Fall River maintains locally.
Nearby Cities
These qualifying cities near Fall River also have local death records through their city clerk offices.
Bristol County Death Records
Fall River is in Bristol County. The Bristol County page covers the probate court and county-level death record resources for the region.