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 Oklahoma Statutes (Last Updated: September 18, 2014)
 Title 63. PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY

  § 63-1-317. Death certificate - Filing - Contents.  

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  • (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 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 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 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.

    (d)  In the event that the physician 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 in attendance at the time of death, except 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, shall note on the face the name of the attending physician and that the information shown is only as reported.

Added by Laws 1963, c. 325, art. 3, § 317, operative July 1, 1963.  Amended by Laws 1978, c. 110, § 2, operative Oct. 1, 1978; Laws 1979, c. 110, § 1, emerg. eff. April 25, 1979; Laws 2010, c. 374, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2010.