Montgomery County Death Index

Montgomery County death records are maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk in Christiansburg and by the Virginia Department of Health's Office of Vital Records in Richmond. This guide explains how to access death certificates, historical registers, and probate records for deaths that occurred in Montgomery County from the 1800s through the present.

Montgomery County Circuit Court Clerk

The Montgomery County Circuit Court Clerk's Office is located in Christiansburg, the county seat. The clerk handles probate matters, land records, marriage licenses, wills, and court case files for the county. Office hours are Monday through Friday during regular business hours. Confirm hours by phone before visiting.

The Circuit Court does not issue certified death certificates. Those come from the Virginia Department of Health. The court does hold probate records tied to deaths in Montgomery County. Estate filings, wills, and inventories often document the date of death and names of heirs. Records from both the Christiansburg area and Blacksburg may appear in the court files, since Virginia Tech's presence in Blacksburg means the county has a larger and more transient population than many rural Virginia counties.

Montgomery County is in the 27th Judicial Circuit. The City of Radford is an independent city that borders the county to the east. Radford has its own Circuit Court, so deaths that occurred within Radford city limits would be registered separately from Montgomery County deaths. If you are unsure whether a death occurred in the county or in Radford, check both court systems. Virginia Tech is located in Blacksburg, which is a town within Montgomery County, not an independent city.

Virginia Death Records for Montgomery County

The Virginia Department of Health, Office of Vital Records holds certified death certificates for Montgomery County deaths from June 1912 to the present. The office is at 8701 Park Central Drive, Suite 100, Richmond, VA 23227. Walk-in hours are Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Mail requests to P.O. Box 1000, Richmond, VA 23218-1000. Phone: (804) 662-6200.

Certified copies cost $12 each. Payment is accepted by check, money order, credit card, mobile pay, or cash. Make checks payable to State Health Department. Under Virginia Code Title 32.1, Chapter 7, death records become public 25 years after the date of death. Before that, only immediate family can request a copy: spouse, parent, child, sibling, or grandparent of the deceased. A government-issued photo ID is required with all requests.

For online ordering, VitalChek is the state's authorized third-party service. An additional fee applies beyond the $12 state charge. VitalChek covers records from June 1, 1912 forward. Certified copies are also available at full-service Virginia DMV locations with a $2 convenience fee added. Deaths that occurred in the City of Radford are registered separately from Montgomery County and require a separate request.

Search the Montgomery County Death Index Online

The Virginia Online Case Information System (OCIS) lets you search Montgomery County court records free of charge. Search by party name or case number. The system covers civil, criminal, and probate filings. Probate records often show up in OCIS shortly after a death, and searching there can help establish an approximate date of death when the certificate is still restricted under the 25-year rule.

The Library of Virginia holds death registers from 1853 to 1896 on microfilm, including Montgomery County records. These are available through interlibrary loan. The registers list name, race, sex, date and place of death, cause, age, occupation, marital status, and parents' names. For the New River Valley region, which includes Montgomery County, these registers are a key resource for 19th-century research.

Virginia residents can use Ancestry for Virginians free of charge. This program gives access to Virginia Death Records from 1912 to 2014 and Virginia Death Registers from 1853 to 1911. A free Library of Virginia card or a participating library card is required. This is a convenient way to search Montgomery County death records without traveling to Richmond or Christiansburg.

FamilySearch has free Virginia death databases covering 1853 to 1912. Searching FamilySearch first can help confirm the right certificate number before placing a request with VDH.

Montgomery County Death Records: Historical Research

Montgomery County was formed from Fincastle County in 1776. It covers a large part of the New River Valley in southwest Virginia. Death records follow the statewide Virginia pattern: no official records before 1853, registers from 1853 to 1896, a gap from 1897 through May 1912, and then continuous registration from June 1912 forward. The 1897 to 1912 gap is a problem for every Virginia county. In Montgomery County, church records and family papers from that era are the best supplementary sources.

The death registers from 1853 to 1896 are held on microfilm at the Library of Virginia. The Virginia Genealogical Society sponsors the Death Index of Virginia, 1853-1896, which covers Montgomery County entries and is searchable through the Library of Virginia.

The Library of Virginia holds a death index through 1954. Use that index to find the certificate number before ordering from VDH. Federal mortality census schedules from 1850 to 1880 are also at the Library of Virginia and can supplement Montgomery County death research for those census years. Before 1853, the county's probate records, church records, and family papers are the primary sources for death information in this part of southwest Virginia.

Nearby Counties

These counties border or sit near Montgomery County. Each has its own Circuit Court and vital records resources for deaths in those jurisdictions.