The State Board of Health has charge of the registration of births, deaths, and stillbirths, and shall establish a central bureau of vital statistics at the state capital. (Ala. Code 22-9-2 [1975]). The death certificate must be filed with the local registrar within five days of the death (22-9-70). The funeral director or person in charge of the interment completes the certificate by listing decedent's name, date of death, county of death, place of death, race, sex, date of birth, age, decedent's social security number, education, marital status, spouse's name, place of birth, occupation, address, father and mother's names, dates of birth, social security numbers, and physician's name. The bottom part of the form consists of Medical Certification and burial information. The medical certification of cause and time of death should be filed and signed by the attending physician, if any, or by the county health officer or the county coroner within three days of receipt from the registrar (Ala. Code 22-9-7 [Supp. 1927]). The burial information includes type of disposition of body, name and address of cemetery or crematory, date of disposal, funeral home, signature of funeral director, and signature of the registrar. All counties are copy issuing centers of death certificates for one year only after date of death.
