Virginia Law

A death certificate received by a city or county registrar which contains a signed medical certification of cause of death, but the cause is not complete by reason of a pending inquest, investigation, or autopsy should be sent to the State Registrar on the regular reporting date with completed records. If the cause of death is completed by the presentation of a second and complete certificate before the original certificate is sent to the State Registrar, the original incomplete certificate should be marked "VOID." The completed death certificate should be processed as a current certificate and should be forwarded to the State Registrar. If the cause of death is completed by a properly signed query form or other statement, the cause of death information may be added to the incomplete death certificate by the State Registrar.