Death Index Records in Hawaii County
Hawaii County covers the entire Big Island and maintains death index records through the Hawaii Department of Health's district office in Hilo. Searching the Hawaii County death index gives you access to certified certificates from 1909 forward, plus historical records going back into the 1800s through state archives and genealogy databases. This guide covers every official source, how to request records, and where to find older deaths not yet in the digital system.
Hawaii County Overview
Where Hawaii County Death Index Records Are Kept
All certified death certificates for Hawaii County are issued through the Hawaii District Health Office, which serves the Big Island. There are two locations. The main office is in Hilo at 75 Aupuni Street, Suite 201, Hilo, HI 96720. The phone number there is (808) 974-6008. A second pick-up location in Kamuela (Waimea) is at 67-5189 Kamamalu Street, Kamuela, HI 96743, phone (808) 887-8114. The Kamuela location is open only on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and it is by appointment only.
The Hawaii County Clerk's office at 25 Aupuni Street, Hilo, HI 96720-4252 does not issue death certificates. All vital records requests go directly to the Hawaii DOH, either online or in person at the Hilo district health office. This is true regardless of where on the Big Island the death took place. Kona-area deaths, Kohala-area deaths, and all other Big Island deaths are all processed through the same DOH system.
The Hawaii District Health Office page above covers the Big Island vital statistics office in Hilo, including how to access and request Hawaii County death index records.
| Main Office | 75 Aupuni Street, Suite 201, Hilo, HI 96720 |
|---|---|
| Hilo Phone | (808) 974-6008 |
| Kamuela Location | 67-5189 Kamamalu St., Kamuela, HI 96743 |
| Kamuela Phone | (808) 887-8114 |
| Kamuela Hours | Mon, Wed, Fri, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., by appointment only |
| Records Covered | Deaths from July 1909 to present |
Note: The Kamuela pick-up location only processes orders that were already placed and paid online; you cannot walk in and start a new request there.
How to Request a Death Certificate in Hawaii County
All Hawaii County death certificate orders must start online at https://vitrec.ehawaii.gov/vitalrecords/. You place the order, pay the fees, and then choose whether you want the certificate mailed or picked up at the Hilo or Kamuela office. There is no walk-in ordering at either location; payment and order submission happen through the eHawaii portal first.
The fee for the first copy of a death certificate is $10. Each additional copy of the same certificate ordered at the same time costs $4. A $2.50 portal fee applies to every online order. You will need to upload or provide a government-issued photo ID and documentation showing your relationship to the person on the record. Eligible requestors include direct family members, legal representatives, and certain authorized agencies. Hawaii law does not allow open access to recent death certificates.
Mailed certificates can take 6 to 8 weeks or longer. If you need the record sooner, order online and choose Hilo pick-up. That appointment can sometimes be scheduled within a few days of placing the order. The eHawaii portal covers all deaths from July 1909 to the present. Records for deaths before that date require a different approach through the State Archives or FamilySearch collections.
Note: For Kamuela pick-up, you must complete your online order and payment before calling (808) 887-8114 to book your appointment time.
Third Circuit Court and Hawaii County Probate Records
The Third Circuit Court handles probate cases for Hawaii County. Probate records are filed when someone dies and an estate goes through court. These files can include a copy of the death certificate, a list of assets, the names of heirs and beneficiaries, and information about the deceased's debts and property. For researchers who need more detail than a death certificate provides, probate records are a valuable secondary source.
The Third Circuit courthouse is at 777 Kilauea Avenue, Hilo, HI 96720. Divorce records from January 2003 onward are also held at this courthouse. Older divorce records from July 1951 through December 2002 were transferred to the Hawaii DOH and can be requested through the same eHawaii portal used for death certificates.
The Hawaii State Archives holds two special collections from the Third Circuit: the Deaths - Probates Index - Third Circuit and the Deaths - Probates Minute Books - Third and Fourth Circuits. The minute books cover court proceedings in detail and can give you dates, names, and case outcomes for probate matters that involved a Hawaii County death. These records are available to researchers at the Archives in Honolulu and through some digitized collections online.
Local Obituary and Burial Resources in Hawaii County
Before requesting a certified copy from the death index, checking local obituary sources can save you time and help you fill out the request form correctly. The Hawaii Tribune-Herald at https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/category/obituaries/ is the primary newspaper for Hilo and eastern Hawaii County. Obituaries in the Tribune-Herald typically include full name, age, date and place of death, birthplace, occupation, surviving family members, and funeral arrangements. West Hawaii Today serves the Kona side of the island and is a good source for deaths in that area.
The Hawaii Tribune-Herald obituary section shown above covers current and recent deaths across Hawaii County, which can help you confirm a date before searching the official death index.
Dodo Mortuary in Hilo maintains an online obituary archive at https://www.dodomortuary.com/obits with more than 12,000 records. Each listing is searchable and includes date of death, age, birthplace, occupation, family members, and funeral arrangements. Dodo Mortuary has served Hilo for many decades and holds records for a large number of long-time Hawaii County families. If you know someone was buried or cremated through a Hilo funeral home, this archive is one of the best starting points.
Dodo Mortuary's online obituary search shown above covers thousands of Hilo-area deaths and can help you pinpoint a date or family connection for a Hawaii County death index request.
Homelani Memorial Park at https://www.homelanimemorialpark.com/ is a cemetery and memorial park that serves Hilo and surrounding Hawaii County communities. Burial records held by Homelani include burial dates and plot locations. That data is often useful when you need to confirm the date and place of a death before submitting a formal death index request. Ballard Family Mortuary is another long-established funeral home in Hilo and may have records for families who did not use Dodo Mortuary.
Homelani Memorial Park's burial records can help verify a death date and location for someone buried on the Big Island, which is often enough to complete a Hawaii County death index request accurately.
Historical Death Records and Genealogy for Hawaii County
Records from before 1909 are not in the modern DOH system. For those, FamilySearch is the most accessible starting point. Their Hawaii County genealogy wiki at https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Hawaii_County,_Hawaii_Genealogy lists several free collections. These include Hawaii Death Records and Death Registers from 1841 to 1925, Hawaii Deaths and Burials from 1862 to 1919, and the Vital Statistics Collection for Hawaii Island from 1832 to 1929. Most of these have been digitized and can be browsed or searched without a subscription.
The Ulukau digital library at http://ulukau.org/ holds the Deaths - Probates Index - Third Circuit and the Deaths - Probates Minute Books - Third and Fourth Circuits. These indexes are especially helpful for deaths in the late 1800s and early 1900s when official death registration was incomplete. Probate records from that period often contain more reliable death information than early vital statistics entries. The Digital Archives at https://digitalarchives.hawaii.gov/ and the Hawaii State Archives at https://ags.hawaii.gov/archives/ hold additional scanned records from the Big Island, including some early death registers and civil registration documents.
Note: FamilySearch collections are free and often the fastest way to find pre-1909 Hawaii County death records before investing time in an Archives visit.
Hawaii County Death Record Laws and Access Rules
Hawaii law controls who can get a certified death certificate and what public index data the state can share. The key statute is Hawaii Revised Statutes Section 338-18, which sets out the eligibility rules for accessing vital records. You can read the full text at https://law.justia.com/codes/hawaii/title-19/chapter-338/section-338-18/. The law allows certified copies to go to the registrant's spouse, parent, child, grandparent, sibling, or legal guardian, as well as to attorneys, government agencies with a legitimate need, and others with a court order.
The 75-year rule is an important part of HRS 338-18. Once a death certificate is 75 or more years old, it becomes a fully public record. Any researcher can request it without needing to prove a family relationship. This rule makes it much easier to find records for deaths that occurred in the 1940s and earlier. For more recent deaths, you will need to document your relationship and provide photo ID when you submit your request through the eHawaii portal.
Public index data is a separate category. Even for recent deaths, the state can make limited index information available, such as name, age, sex, date of death, type of record, and file number. This does not include the full cause of death or other protected details. If you need only the index data to confirm a death occurred, you do not necessarily need to request a full certified copy. Contact the DOH at (808) 974-6008 to ask what index information is available for the record you need.
Cities in Hawaii County
The following city in Hawaii County has its own death index resource page.