From 'Pen in Hand', the Genealogical society of PA, Vol XXV, #1, March 2004 Both the City of Philadelphia and the State of Pennsylvania have announced new fees and forms for obtaining copies of records. It is recommended that in either case the Philadelphia City Archives or the Pennsylvania Division of Vital Records be asked for a current application form in order to avoid misunderstandings and expedite the process.For Philadelphia, Cemetery Returns during the period May 1806 to 30 June 1860, the fee is $5.00 (complete death date must be provided); for Death Records during the period 1 July 1860 to 30 June 1915 (complete death date must be provided), and Certified Copies of Birth Records during the period 1 July 1860 to 20 June 1915 (complete birth date must be provided), the fee is $9.00. Checks or money orders payable to "The City of Philadelphia" should be sent to Department of Records, City Archives, 3101 Market Street, 15t Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19104-2807. Note that for Philadelphia birth and death records after 30 June 1915, application must be made through the state (see below) and may be made in Room 1009, State Building, Broad and Spring Garden Streets, Philadelphia. For Pennsylvania, as of 1 January 2004, the Department of Health, Division of Vital Records announced that the fee for each certified copy of a birth record is $10 and for each death record is $9. Birth and death records are available from 1906. The search for a death record when the year of death is not known is $34 for a search from two to ten years, with additional two to ten year spans searched for another $25 for each span. Due to confidentiality, Pennsylvania does not permit self-search of records. To obtain a death certificate, a direct relationship to the decedent must be indicated. An application may be found at the Web site www.dsf.health.state.pa.us/health. The Commonwealth also requires a photograph of the person requesting the information; they suggest that an enlarged copy of the driver's license photograph be sent.