Find Obituary Records in Bowie
Bowie obituary records and death certificates are issued through the Prince George's County Health Department, which serves one of Maryland's largest cities by land area. Bowie residents searching for death records work through county-level offices, and the process differs depending on whether the death occurred after 2015 or in an earlier year. This page covers the county health office, fees, online ordering options, and historical resources for Bowie obituary searches.
Bowie Overview
Getting Bowie Death Certificates
The Prince George's County Health Department handles death certificate requests for Bowie residents. The office is located in the Wayne K. Curry Administration Building in Largo, about 15 miles west of central Bowie. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The office is closed on weekends and all county holidays, so plan your visit accordingly.
| Office | Prince George's County Health Department |
|---|---|
| Address | Wayne K. Curry Administration Building 1301 McCormick Drive, Largo, MD 20774 |
| Phone | 301-883-7879 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Website | princegeorgescountymd.gov |
When visiting the office, bring a valid government-issued photo ID. You must also be able to show your relationship to the deceased or your legal need for the record. Payments can be made by check, money order, or credit and debit card. Card payments carry a $2.50 service fee. Checks and money orders must be made payable to "Prince George's County Health Department."
Bowie Death Certificate Fees
A certified death certificate for a Bowie resident costs $25 for the first copy. Each additional copy ordered at the same visit costs $20. These rates apply to deaths that occurred after 2015. The $2.50 card processing fee adds to your total if you pay by credit or debit card. Cash, check, and money order avoid that extra charge.
Deaths that occurred before 2015 in the Bowie area are not held at the county office. For those records, contact the Maryland Division of Vital Records at 410-764-3038 or use the online portal at health.maryland.gov/vsa/. You can also request older records through VitalChek at vitalchek.com, which adds a service fee for online ordering. The Maryland State Archives at 410-260-6400 holds historical records that go back much further and can help with older Bowie area death data.
Prince George's County Historical Society
The Prince George's County Historical Society at pghistory.org maintains genealogy and historical resources that cover Bowie and the broader county area. Located in Upper Marlboro, the society holds collections of local records, old newspapers, and family history materials that can supplement official death records when researching Bowie obituaries.
The society's collections include valuable historical materials that are not always available through official government channels. Notable holdings include Gleanings from the Records of the Francis Gasch's Sons Funeral Home, covering 1860 to 1940, and Prince George's County Maryland Marriages and Deaths in Nineteenth Century Newspapers. Both are useful for anyone researching Bowie area families from earlier eras. Circuit court death records from 1865 to 1866 are held at the Maryland State Archives under MSA reference C1196, and Board of Health records from 1919 to 1975 are under MSA C1289.
City of Bowie Resources
Bowie is an incorporated city with its own municipal government. The City of Bowie website at cityofbowie.org covers city services, but vital records like death certificates are a county function, not a city one. The city website is still useful for connecting you to the right Prince George's County office and for understanding what local services are available to Bowie residents.
For estate matters, probate, and court records connected to a death in Bowie, the Prince George's County Circuit Court is in Upper Marlboro at 14735 Main Street. The phone number is 301-952-3318. The circuit court handles probate filings and estate records for all Prince George's County communities, including Bowie. Court records are separate from death certificates and follow a different process to request.
Online Death Record Searches for Bowie
Several online tools let you search for Bowie obituary records and death data without visiting the county office in person. The Maryland State Archives has a free vital records search at vitalrec.msa.maryland.gov that covers older records from across the state, including Prince George's County. This is a useful first stop for historical research tied to the Bowie area.
For certified copies of more recent death records, use the state vital records portal at health.maryland.gov/vsa/ or VitalChek at vitalchek.com. Both accept online orders and will mail the certified copy to you. Processing times vary by the method you choose and how busy the office is at the time of your request. If you need the record quickly, calling the county office directly at 301-883-7879 is often the fastest way to find out current wait times for Bowie death certificate requests.
The Maryland State Archives at msa.maryland.gov also has a broader set of research tools and finding aids for Prince George's County records going back to the 1800s.
Prince George's County Obituary Records
Bowie is located in Prince George's County, and county offices handle all vital records for the city. For complete information on the Prince George's County court system, historical record collections, fee schedules, and all available resources, visit the county obituary records page.
Nearby Maryland Cities
Other qualifying cities near Bowie with their own obituary records pages include: