united-states
Using image of death certificate
<p>Well known banks and brokerage firms often only require a scan of the certified death certificate uploaded by secure message on their website. I believe this is referred to as an &quot;informational copy.&quot; How is this reconciled with the typical warning at the top of the certificate that &quot;it is illegal to duplicate this document by photostat or photograph&quot;?</p>

<p>Different states have different rules about what kinds of vital record certificates they issue and who they issue them to. <a href="https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CHSI/Pages/Authorized-Copy-vs--Informational-Copy.aspx" rel="nofollow noreferrer">For example, California</a> will only issue an &quot;authorized copy&quot; to certain people listed in the law who have an appropriate connection to the person named in the certificate. But California will issue an &quot;informational copy&quot; to anyone.</p>
<p>As for the prohibition about making copies, I have a death certificate from Pennsylvania that has a prohibition against making copies on the face of the certificate. I have not seen such a prohibition on vital records from other states.</p>
