How to Order a Birth Certificate

Whether you need to replace a lost birth certificate or simply want a duplicate birth certificate for your records, it's easy to order an official copy of the document. Because it's vital to have a birth certificated with an embossed seal on safety paper (as opposed to a photocopy) to get a social security card or passport, for example, getting the document from your state agency is key. Consider these steps and information needed to order a birth certificate.

Instructions

    • 1

      Write a request letter or complete an application obtained from your State office of Vital Statistics. You'll need information such as the person's full name, date of birth, city and county where the person was born and the mother and father's full names as listed on the original birth certificate.

    • 2

      Provide additional information if you want to order a birth certificate of a minor. This can include your full name, your relationship to the person whose birth certificate you're requesting, address, phone number and signature. You may also need to include a legible copy of your picture identification (like a driver's license or government-issued identification card).

    • 3

      Get additional details, along with the address or contact phone number for your state's Vital Records department, by consulting a listing on websites such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (cdc.gov/nchs/w2w.htm). Each state will have it's own application process, payment requirements, mailing stipulations, wait times and fees.

    • 4

      Order a birth certificate online from states that allow you to get a duplicate birth certificate via their Department of State Health Services website. (Check the CDC link above for state website addresses.) Many states also offer heirloom birth certificates for an additional fee, decorative certificates that can be displayed or preserved as keepsakes.

    • 5

      Consider using a certificate service such as VitalChek or VitalRec if you'd rather have someone else do the legwork for you. You may pay higher service fees by using these services rather than ordering from your state office directly. Also ensure you're sending pertinent information over a secure connection or fax machine to avoid potential identify theft.

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