Oklahoma Statutes Citationized
Title 63. Public Health and Safety
Chapter 1 - Oklahoma Public Health Code
Article Article 3 - Vital Statistics
Section 1-317 - Death Certificate - Filing - Duty - Contents - Final Review - Liability
Cite as: 63 O.S. § 1-317 (OSCN 2026)
Multiple Amendments Enacted During the 2024 and 2025 Legislative Sessions
Version 1 (Amended by Laws 2024, SB 2038, c. 452, § 133, emerg. eff. June 14, 2024; Amended by Laws 2025, HB 1688, c. 58, § 5, emerg. eff. July 1, 2025)
A. A death certificate for each death which occurs in this state shall be filed with the State Department of Health, within three (3) days after such death.
B. The funeral director shall personally sign the death certificate and shall be responsible for filing the death certificate. If the funeral director is not available, the person acting as such who first assumes custody of a dead body in accordance with Section 1158 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes shall personally sign and file the death certificate. The personal data shall be obtained from the next of kin or the best qualified person or source available. The funeral director or person acting as such shall notify the person providing the personal data that it is a felony to knowingly provide false data or misrepresent any person's relationship to the decedent. The certificate shall be completed as to personal data and delivered to the attending physician or the medical examiner responsible for completing the medical certification portion of the certificate of death within twenty-four (24) hours after the death. No later than July 1, 2012, the personal data, and no later than July 1, 2017, the medical certificate portion, shall be entered into the prescribed electronic system provided by the Department and the information submitted to the Department. The resultant certificate produced by the electronic system shall be provided to the physician or medical examiner for medical certification within twenty-four (24) hours after the death.
C. The medical certification shall be completed and signed within forty-eight (48) hours after death by the physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered nurse in charge of the patient's care for the illness or condition which resulted in death, except when inquiry as to the cause of death is required by Section 938 of this title. No later than July 1, 2017, the medical certification portion of certificate data shall be entered into the prescribed electronic system provided by the Department and the information submitted to the Department.
D. In the event that the physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered nurse in charge of the patient's care for the illness or condition which resulted in death is not in attendance at the time of death, the medical certification shall be completed and signed within forty-eight (48) hours after death by the physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered nurse in attendance at the time of death, except:
1. When the patient is under hospice care at the time of death, the medical certification may be signed by the hospice's medical director; and
2. When inquiry as to the cause of death is required by Section 938 of this title.
Provided, that such certification, if signed by other than the attending physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered nurse, shall note on the face the name of the attending physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered nurse and that the information shown is only as reported.
E. A certifier completing cause of death on a certificate of death who knows that a lethal drug, overdose or other means of assisting suicide within the meaning of Sections 3141.2 through 3141.4 of this title caused or contributed to the death shall list that means among the chain of events under cause of death or list it in the box that describes how the injury occurred. If such means is in the chain of events under cause of death or in the box that describes how the injury occurred, the certifier shall indicate "suicide" as the manner of death.
F. The authority of a physician assistant to carry out the functions described in this section shall be governed by the practice agreement as provided by Section 519.6 of Title 59 of the Oklahoma Statutes.
Version 2 (Amended by Laws 2024, SB 707, c. 251, § 1, eff. November 1, 2024)
A. A death certificate for each death which occurs in this state shall be filed with the State Department of Health within ten (10) calendar days after such death.
B. It shall be the duty of the funeral director to file the death certificate. If the funeral director is not available, the person acting as such who first assumes custody of a dead body in accordance with Section 1158 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes shall personally sign and file the death certificate. The funeral director shall obtain the personal data from the next of kin or the best qualified person or source available, enter the personal data into the electronic system prescribed by the State Registrar of Vital Statistics, and electronically transmit the partial certificate produced by the electronic system to the physician, physician assistant, Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, or medical examiner responsible for completing the medical certification portion of the certificate of death within twenty-four (24) hours after the death.
C. 1. The medical certification shall be completed and certified within five (5) calendar days after receipt of the partial certificate by the physician, physician assistant, or Advanced Practice Registered Nurse in charge of the patient’s care for the illness or condition which resulted in death, except when inquiry as to the cause of death is required by Section 938 of this title. The physician, physician assistant, or Advanced Practice Registered Nurse shall enter and certify the medical certification portion of certificate data in the electronic system prescribed by the State Registrar of Vital Statistics.
2. In the event that the physician, physician assistant, or Advanced Practice Registered Nurse in charge of the patient’s care for the illness or condition which resulted in death is not in attendance at the time of death, the medical certification shall be completed and signed within five (5) calendar days after receipt of the partial certificate by the physician, physician assistant, or Advanced Practice Registered Nurse in attendance at the time of death, except:
a. when the patient is under hospice care at the time of death, the medical certification may be signed by the hospice’s medical director, and
b. when inquiry as to the cause of death is required by Section 938 of this title.
Provided, that such certification, if signed by other than the attending physician, physician assistant, or Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, shall note on the face the name of the attending physician, physician assistant, or Advanced Practice Registered Nurse and that the information shown is only as reported.
D. Within four (4) calendar days after receipt of the medical certification from the physician, physician assistant, or Advanced Practice Registered Nurse as described in subsection C of this section, the funeral director shall conduct a final review of the personal data and the medical certification, electronically sign the death certificate, and submit the death certificate to the State Registrar of Vital Statistics through the electronic system prescribed by the State Registrar of Vital Statistics for official registration.
E. A certifier completing cause of death on a certificate of death who knows that a lethal drug, overdose or other means of assisting suicide within the meaning of Sections 3141.2 through 3141.4 of this title caused or contributed to the death shall list that means among the chain of events under cause of death or list it in the box that describes how the injury occurred. If such means is in the chain of events under cause of death or in the box that describes how the injury occurred, the certifier shall indicate “suicide” as the manner of death.
F. The authority of a physician assistant to carry out the functions described in this section shall be governed by the practice agreement as provided by Section 519.6 of Title 59 of the Oklahoma Statutes.
G. A physician, physician assistant, or Advanced Practice Registered Nurse completing and signing a medical certification in accordance with this section shall not be liable in a civil action to recover damages for any acts or omissions relating to the medical certification if the cause of death is determined in good faith using the individual’s best clinical judgment consistent with current guidance provided by the applicable licensing board, unless the acts or omissions amount to willful or wanton misconduct. The immunity provided by this subsection shall be in addition to any other immunity from liability to which these individuals may be entitled.
Version 3 (Amended by Laws 2024, SB 2038, c. 452, § 133, emerg. eff. June 14, 2024; Amended by Laws 2025, HB 2584, c. 343, § 7)
A. A death certificate for each death which occurs in this state shall be filed with the State Department of Health, within three (3) days after such death.
B. The funeral director shall personally sign the death certificate and shall be responsible for filing the death certificate. If the funeral director is not available, the person acting as such who first assumes custody of a dead body in accordance with Section 1158 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes shall personally sign and file the death certificate. The personal data shall be obtained from the next of kin or the best qualified person or source available. The funeral director or person acting as such shall notify the person providing the personal data that it is a felony to knowingly provide false data or misrepresent any person’s relationship to the decedent. The certificate shall be completed as to personal data and delivered to the attending physician or the medical examiner responsible for completing the medical certification portion of the certificate of death within twenty-four (24) hours after the death. No later than July 1, 2012, the personal data, and no later than July 1, 2017, the medical certificate portion, shall be entered into the prescribed electronic system provided by the State Registrar of Vital Statistics and the information submitted to the State Registrar of Vital Statistics. The resultant certificate produced by the electronic system shall be provided to the physician or medical examiner for medical certification within twenty-four (24) hours after the death.
C. The medical certification shall be completed and signed within forty-eight (48) hours after death by the physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered nurse in charge of the patient’s care for the illness or condition which resulted in death, except when inquiry as to the cause of death is required by Section 938 of this title. No later than July 1, 2017, the medical certification portion of certificate data shall be entered into the prescribed electronic system provided by the State Registrar of Vital Statistics and the information submitted to the State Registrar of Vital Statistics.
D. In the event that the physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered nurse in charge of the patient’s care for the illness or condition which resulted in death is not in attendance at the time of death, the medical certification shall be completed and signed within forty-eight (48) hours after death by the physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered nurse in attendance at the time of death, except:
1. When the patient is under hospice care at the time of death, the medical certification may be signed by the hospice’s medical director; and
2. When inquiry as to the cause of death is required by Section 938 of this title.
Provided, that such certification, if signed by other than the attending physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered nurse, shall note on the face the name of the attending physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered nurse and that the information shown is only as reported.
E. A certifier completing cause of death on a certificate of death who knows that a lethal drug, overdose or other means of assisting suicide within the meaning of Sections 3141.2 through 3141.4 of this title caused or contributed to the death shall list that means among the chain of events under cause of death or list it in the box that describes how the injury occurred. If such means is in the chain of events under cause of death or in the box that describes how the injury occurred, the certifier shall indicate “suicide” as the manner of death.
F. The authority of a physician assistant subject to subsection C of Section 519.6 of Title 59 of the Oklahoma Statutes to carry out the functions described in this section shall be governed by the practice agreement as provided by Section 519.6 of Title 59 of the Oklahoma Statutes.
Historical Data
Laws 1963, SB 26, c. 325, art. 3, § 317; Amended by Laws 1978, SB 514, c. 110, § 2, eff. October 1, 1978; Amended by Laws 1979, SB 270, c. 110, § 1, emerg. eff. April 25, 1979; Amended by Laws 2010, HB 3171, c. 374, § 1, eff. November 1, 2010 (superseded document available); Amended by Laws 2016, SB 1147, c. 20, § 1, eff. November 1, 2016 (repealed by Laws 2017, SB 833, c. 42, § 26); Amended by Laws 2016, HB 2586, c. 70, § 1, eff. November 1, 2016 (superseded document available); Amended by Laws 2017, SB 833, c. 42, § 25 (superseded document available); Amended by Laws 2019, SB 108, c. 305, § 2, eff. November 1, 2019 (superseded document available); Amended by Laws 2021, HB 1638, c. 104, § 1, eff. November 1, 2021; Amended by Laws 2021, HB 2009, c. 247, § 1, eff. November 1, 2021 (superseded document available); Amended by Laws 2022, SB 1802, c. 228, § 36, emerg. eff. May 5, 2022, Amendment by Laws 2021, HB 1638, c. 104, § 1, repealed by Laws 2022, SB 1802, c. 228, § 37, emerg. eff. May 5, 2022 (superseded document available); Amended by Laws 2022, SB 1322, c. 184, § 1, eff. November 1, 2022 (superseded document available); Amendment by Laws 2022, SB 1322, c. 184, § 1, amended by Laws 2024, SB 2038, c. 452, § 133, emerg. eff. June 14, 2024; Amendment by Laws 2022, SB 1802, c. 228, § 36, repealed by Laws 2024, SB 2038, c. 452, § 134, emerg. eff. June 14, 2024; (superseded document available); Amended by Laws 2024, SB 707, c. 251, § 1, eff. November 1, 2024 (superseded document available); Amendment by Laws 2024, SB 2038, c. 452, § 133, amended by Laws 2025, HB 1688, c. 58, § 5, emerg. eff. July 1, 2025 (superseded document available); Amendment by Laws 2024, SB 2038, c. 452, § 133, emerg. eff. June 14, 2024, amended by Laws 2025, HB 2584, c. 343, § 7 (superseded document available).
Citationizer® Summary of Documents Citing This Document| Cite | Name | Level | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma Attorney General's Opinions | |||
| Cite | Name | Level | |
| 1995 OK AG 52, | Question Submitted by: The Honorable Stratton Taylor, President Pro Tempore, Oklahoma State Senate | Discussed at Length | |
| Title 59. Professions and Occupations | |||
| Cite | Name | Level | |
| 59 O.S. 396.4, | Fees Charged for Licenses, Registrations, and Examinations | Cited | |
| 59 O.S. 161.15, | Doctors of Chiropractic Governed by Public Health Laws | Cited | |
| Title 63. Public Health and Safety | |||
| Cite | Name | Level | |
| 63 O.S. 1-324.1, | Birth, Death or Stillbirth Certificates - Unlawful Acts - Penalties | Cited | |
| 63 O.S. 1-315.1, | Judicial Record of Death | Cited | |