Cass County Death Index Records

Cass County death index records are held by the Clerk Register Office in Cassopolis and go back to 1867. The county has a few notable features: veteran discharge records are available with the first copy free to veterans, and searches of vital records cost $15 in addition to the copy fee. Free statewide tools cover the death index from 1867 through 1952. This page explains how to search the Cass County death index, how to request copies, and what options exist for older records.

Cass County Clerk Register Death Records Office

The Cass County Clerk Register Office manages the death index and issues certified copies of death certificates. The office is at 120 N. Broadway, P.O. Box 355, Cassopolis, MI 49031. You can call (269) 445-4464 during regular hours. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The full details on vital records are at casscountymi.org.

The Clerk Register in Cass County is an elected official who also serves as Clerk of Circuit Court. The office handles vital records alongside court filings and other county business. Death records run from 1867 to present. One thing to know before you request is that a vital records search costs $15 separately from the copy fee. If you ask the office to search the index for a name without providing the exact record details, that $15 search fee applies. If you already have the registration number or exact details from GENDIS or Michiganology, you can skip the search fee by providing that information up front.

Cass County also maintains veteran discharge records. Veterans can get their first copy of their own discharge record free of charge. This is a practical benefit that not all county clerk offices offer.

Michigan MDHHS holds state copies of Cass County death records filed from 1867 and offers a parallel ordering option to the county clerk in Cassopolis.

How to Request Cass County Death Certificates

In person is the most direct option. Go to 120 N. Broadway in Cassopolis during regular business hours. Bring a valid photo ID and cash or check. The first certified copy is $15.00, and additional copies of the same record are $5.00. If the certificate has been corrected after the original filing, corrected copies cost $8.00 each.

Before you go or send a mail request, check the free online databases first. If you can find the registration number in GENDIS or Michiganology, bring that number with your request. Providing the registration number lets the office pull the record directly rather than searching the index, which avoids the $15 vital records search fee. That fee applies when the clerk has to search through records to find an entry based on a name alone. Good prep work can save you money here.

Mail requests should include a written request with name of the deceased, date of death, and your contact information. Include a copy of your ID and a check or money order payable to the Cass County Clerk. Mail to P.O. Box 355, Cassopolis, MI 49031. Under MCL 333.2885, death records in Michigan are public. You do not need to show family ties to get a copy. VitalChek handles online orders for Cass County as well, though the processing fee makes it more expensive than mailing directly.

Note: If you need a corrected death certificate, the fee is $8.00 per copy rather than the standard $15.00 rate.

Free Cass County Death Index Search Online

Two free tools let you search the Cass County death index for historical records before you contact the clerk. The GENDIS database from Michigan's vital statistics office covers registered deaths from 1867 through 1897. Search by name at no cost. GENDIS returns registration details including registration number and date, which is useful for referencing the exact record when you contact the Cass County Clerk.

Michiganology.org covers deaths from 1897 through 1952 at no cost. Together, these two databases give you free access to 85 years of the Cass County death index. Using these tools before you request a copy can help you avoid paying the $15 search fee since you arrive with the registration information already in hand. For deaths after 1952, you need to contact the Cass County Clerk directly or order through VitalChek.

FamilySearch.org has free Cass County records as well, particularly from the 19th century. It is worth a look alongside GENDIS for the earliest part of the index.

What Cass County Death Records Contain

A certified Cass County death certificate includes the full name of the deceased, the date and place of death, age at death, and the cause of death as certified by the attending physician or medical examiner. It also lists the informant's name and the location of burial or cremation. The county clerk's raised seal makes the certificate legally valid for probate, insurance, pension, and Social Security claims.

Corrected certificates are available at $8.00 per copy. These are issued when an error was identified and corrected on the original record after it was filed. The original record still exists in the index but the corrected version is the legally authoritative document. If you are working on a case where record accuracy matters, always confirm whether a corrected version exists before relying on the original filing.

For deaths before 1867, Cass County did not yet have statewide registration in place. Church records and early probate files are the best sources for that period. The state MDHHS holds copies of Cass County death records from 1867 onward. Order from the state at michigan.gov/mdhhs if needed. MDHHS fees are $34 for the first copy and $16 for each additional, which is more than the county's rate of $15.

Michigan Death Index Resources for Cass County

Michigan death registration has been required since 1867 under what is now MCL 333.2843. Cass County's index is largely complete from that year, with consistent registration across the county's townships and villages. The MDHHS office at 333 S. Grand Avenue in Lansing holds the state-level copies and can be reached at (517) 335-8656. Ordering from MDHHS makes sense if you need records from several Michigan counties, since you can handle multiple requests through one office.

For Cass County alone, the Cassopolis office is the right place to start. The combination of GENDIS and Michiganology gives you free access to most of the pre-1953 index, and the clerk can handle certified copy requests for all other periods. Veterans looking for discharge records should note that the Cass County Clerk Register offers the first copy free, which is a benefit worth taking advantage of if you qualify.

Nearby Counties

Cass County borders several counties in southwest Michigan and northern Indiana. Deaths near county or state lines may be registered in a neighboring jurisdiction.