How to Get a Certified Copy of a Birth Certificate

To get a certified copy of a birth certificate, order it from the vital records office in the state or territory where the birth took place. Every state runs its own office with its own forms, fees, and turnaround times, but the steps are the same: find the correct office, prove your identity and eligibility, and submit your request online, by mail, or in person. USA.gov links directly to every state and territory’s ordering page, which is the fastest way to land on the right starting point.¹

Make Sure You’re Ordering a Certified Copy, Not an Informational One

A certified copy is an official reproduction of the record on file with the state, stamped with the seal of the issuing city, county, or state and signed by the registrar.² The seal and signature are what make it usable. An informational copy carries the same personal data but is printed with a notice saying it cannot be used to establish identity, and government agencies will reject it for passports, Social Security cards, and similar applications. When you place your order, confirm the option you’re selecting says “certified.”

A certified copy is what the Social Security Administration requires when you apply for an original Social Security number.³ It’s also what the State Department requires for a passport, and the department further insists that the birth was filed with the registrar within one year of the birth date.² Schools, employers, the military, and benefits agencies all rely on the same document.

Who Is Allowed to Order One

States treat birth certificates as confidential records, so you can’t order just anyone’s. Specific rules vary by state, but the authorized categories are consistent across most jurisdictions:

The person named on the certificate, if they are a legal adult
A parent listed on the record
A legal guardian with a court order establishing guardianship
An immediate family member such as a spouse, adult child, sibling, or grandparent, with proof of the relationship
A legal representative such as an attorney acting on behalf of someone in the categories above, with documented authorization

If you’re ordering for someone else, expect to send supporting paperwork. A guardian needs the court order. A spouse may need a marriage certificate. An attorney typically needs a signed authorization or power of attorney. The birth state’s vital records office spells out exactly what it accepts on its website or application form.

What to Gather Before You Apply

Have these details ready about the person whose certificate you’re requesting:

Full legal name at birth
Date of birth
City and county where the birth occurred
Full names of both parents as listed on the record, including the mother’s name before her first marriage

These fields mirror the U.S. Standard Certificate of Live Birth, the federal template every state adapts.⁴ A wrong detail, even a slightly different spelling of a parent’s name, can delay the order or trigger a “no record found” response. If you’re unsure of anything, call the vital records office before you submit.

You’ll also need to prove your own identity. Most states require a valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID: driver’s license, state ID, U.S. passport, or military ID. If you’ve lost all your identification, most states provide a workaround. A sworn statement of identity, or a notarized letter combined with a copy of a listed parent’s photo ID, can often substitute.¹ Rebuilding lost ID is one of the most common reasons people order a birth certificate in the first place, and vital records offices are set up to handle it.

Three Ways to Order

Start by locating the right office. USA.gov links to each state and territory’s ordering page, and the CDC publishes a directory called “Where to Write for Vital Records” that does the same job.⁵ Some states also let you order through the county where the birth occurred, so you may have more than one office to choose from. Then pick one of three ordering methods.

Online

Most state offices accept online orders, either directly through their own website or through an authorized third-party vendor. Online orders let you pay by credit or debit card and generally process faster than mail.

By Mail

Download the application form from the state’s vital records website, complete it, and mail it with a copy of your photo ID and a check or money order for the fee. Do not send cash. Mail-in requests take the longest, often several weeks.

In Person

Some state and county offices accept walk-in requests and can issue a certified copy the same day. Bring your completed application, photo ID, and payment. Call ahead to confirm hours and whether you need an appointment.

Using VitalChek and Avoiding Lookalike Sites

Many states contract with VitalChek as their exclusive online ordering platform. VitalChek partners with more than 450 government agencies and submits your order directly to the issuing office, which prepares and ships the certificate to you.⁶ The total price has three parts: the agency’s certificate fee, a VitalChek processing fee, and a shipping fee.⁷ That makes VitalChek more expensive than ordering straight from the state, so if the state’s own website accepts online orders, that route is usually cheaper.

Be cautious of unofficial sites that charge steep processing fees and mimic government pages. If a URL doesn’t end in .gov and isn’t VitalChek, verify it through the state’s official vital records page before entering any personal information or payment details.

Fees and Processing Times

State fees for a single certified copy run roughly $10 to $50, with most falling between $20 and $30. Additional copies ordered at the same time usually cost a few dollars less each. Many offices offer expedited processing and overnight shipping for an extra charge. Fee schedules change periodically, so check the state’s vital records website for current prices before you order.

Processing times depend on the method and the office’s backlog. In-person requests are sometimes filled the same day. Online orders through a state’s own portal typically arrive within one to three weeks. Mail-in applications can take four to eight weeks or longer during busy periods. If the certificate is for an upcoming passport application or enrollment deadline, build in extra time and consider paying for expedited service.

If You Were Born Outside the United States

U.S. citizens born abroad don’t have a state-issued birth certificate. The U.S. embassy or consulate in the birth country issues a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) when parents report the birth, and a CRBA functions exactly like a domestic birth certificate for passports, Social Security, and everything else.¹

CRBAs are issued to children under 18 who acquired U.S. citizenship at birth through one or both parents.⁸ To apply, visit the website of the U.S. embassy or consulate in the country where the birth occurred, or start through the State Department’s MyTravelGov portal. If only one parent is a U.S. citizen, or if the parents are unmarried and the father is claiming citizenship, additional forms and documentation apply.

If your CRBA was lost, stolen, or destroyed, request a replacement from the State Department’s Passport Vital Records Section. Submit a notarized Form DS-5542, a photocopy of your valid photo ID, and a $50 check or money order payable to the U.S. Department of State.⁹

1
USAGov. How to Get a Certified Copy of a U.S. Birth Certificate
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U.S. Department of State. Get Citizenship Evidence for a U.S. Passport
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Social Security Administration. Learn What Documents You Will Need to Get a Social Security Card
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. U.S. Standard Certificate of Live Birth
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Where to Write for Vital Records
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VitalChek. Order Birth Certificates Online
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VitalChek. Timing and Pricing
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U.S. Department of State. Birth of U.S. Citizens and Non-Citizen Nationals Abroad
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U.S. Department of State. How to Replace or Amend a Consular Report of Birth Abroad