Harrisburg, PA – More veterans and their families are now eligible for free birth and death certificates from the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH), as of December 30, 2024.
“We’re proud to honor our veterans by making things easier for them and their families during life change events,” said Secretary of Health Dr. Debra Bogen. “This improvement to the law will expand this benefit to more Pennsylvanians who have chosen to bravely serve our country.”
The change is part of Act 137 of 2024, bipartisan legislation passed by the Pennsylvania General Assembly and signed by Governor Shapiro in October 2024, that expands the veteran fee waiver for birth and death certificate applications to include all veterans who were discharged or released from service under conditions other than dishonorable.
Previously, veteran fee waivers were only available for military members who were in active service or who were honorably discharged. The eligibility for this waiver will now include general military discharge classifications.
Normally, there is a non-refundable $20 fee per copy, but with this law, up to 10 free copies are now available for most veterans.
The law, as before, also applies when the applicant is the spouse or widow(er) of the active military service member or eligible veteran. The fee waiver may be applied to applications for oneself, spouse, and dependent children.
To be eligible for the waiver, applications for birth and death certifications must be submitted with documentation proving military status.
Orders placed before the effective date of Act 137 will be processed under the former requirements. No refunds will be issued for certificate fees associated with orders placed prior to December 30, 2024.
In 2024, more than 362,000 birth and death certificates were issued to Pennsylvania residents by the DOH.
For more information on birth and death certificates, visit the Department of Health website.