Uploading Death Certificates
Overview
A certified death certificate is required to begin or continue searching for accounts. This is a legal requirement that financial institutions use to verify death and authorize the release of account information to authorized representatives.
What is a Certified Death Certificate?
A certified death certificate is an official document issued by a government vital records office (state, county, or city) that includes:
An official government seal (raised or embossed)
The registrar's signature
Complete death information (full name, date of birth, date of death, place of death)
Cause of death
Photocopies, hospital printouts, and funeral home notices are not accepted by financial institutions.
How to Upload
Log in to your Sunset account
Click the "Upload Death Certificate" button
Choose your upload method:
Upload an existing PDF or image file from your device
Use your phone's camera to scan the death certificate directly
Ensure the entire document is visible and legible, including:
The official seal
Full legal name of the deceased
Date of birth
Date of death
Registrar's signature
Review the preview to confirm all text is readable
Submit the document
Troubleshooting
Upload fails or keeps loading:
Refresh the page and try again
Reduce file size to under 10MB
Convert images to PDF format
Remove special characters from the filename (use only letters, numbers, and hyphens)
Try a different browser (Chrome or Safari recommended)
Photo is blurry or unreadable:
Place the certificate on a flat, dark surface
Use bright, even lighting (natural light works best)
Hold your phone directly above the document, parallel to the surface
Avoid shadows by positioning yourself so you're not blocking the light
Turn off "Live Photo" mode on iPhone
Make sure the entire document fits in the frame
Tap the screen to focus before taking the photo
Wrong type of document: Hospital printouts, funeral home notices, photocopies, and informal death records are not certified documents and cannot be accepted. You'll need to request a certified copy from:
The vital records office in the state where death occurred
County clerk's office
City registrar's office
Most vital records offices offer online ordering with delivery in 1-2 weeks. Some offer expedited processing for an additional fee.
Uploaded the wrong file: Simply log in again and use the "Upload Death Certificate" button to submit the correct document. The new upload will replace the previous one. You can also reply to any message from Sunset and let us know - we can remove the incorrect document for you.
File is too large:
Most phone photos are compressed automatically, but DSLR or high-resolution scans may exceed limits
Use a free PDF compressor tool online
On iPhone: before uploading, go to the image and select "Share" → "Save to Files" → choose "Reduce File Size"
On Android: use a file manager app to compress the image before uploading
Need Help?
Reply to any message from Sunset or email us at [email protected] and we'll assist you with the upload process.