To get a birth certificate, bring a current government-issued photo ID, the completed application from the vital records office in the state where the birth occurred, the identifying details of the person named on the certificate (full name at birth, date of birth, place of birth, and parents’ names), and the fee. If you’re ordering someone else’s record, also bring proof of your relationship or legal authority. That is the short answer to what you need to bring to get a birth certificate; the rest comes down to which state issued the record and whether you’re applying for yourself or someone else.
Photo ID That the Office Will Accept
Every vital records office requires you to prove you are who you say you are. The standard is a current, government-issued photo ID. The forms most commonly accepted include:
- State-issued driver’s license or non-driver ID card
- U.S. passport or passport card
- U.S. military ID
- Government employee ID (federal, state, or local)
- Tribal photo ID
Some jurisdictions ask for two forms of identification, especially for mail requests or when your primary ID is a learner’s permit or temporary license. Bring a second form of ID even if the office doesn’t explicitly require it. Acceptable secondary documents often include a Social Security card, voter registration card, or health insurance card.
If you’re mailing the request, send photocopies of your ID, not the originals. If you’re going in person, bring the real thing; clerks typically want to inspect the physical document even if they make their own copy for the file.
Information About the Person Named on the Certificate
The application asks for identifying details about the person whose birth was recorded. Have these in hand before you start the form:
- Full legal name at birth, including middle name if there was one
- Date of birth
- Place of birth, including the city or county and state
- Father’s full name, if listed on the certificate
- Mother’s full maiden name, if listed on the certificate
You’ll also provide your own details as the requester: full name, mailing address, phone number, and your relationship to the person on the certificate. If you don’t know every birth detail, contact the vital records office before you submit. Some offices will search with partial information, though it can take longer and occasionally costs extra.
If You’re Requesting Someone Else’s Certificate
States limit who can order a birth certificate. The person named on the record (as an adult), a parent listed on the record, a legal guardian with court papers, certain immediate family members with proof of the relationship, an authorized representative with written (sometimes notarized) authorization, and anyone granted access by court order all qualify in most states. Outside those categories, you’ll almost certainly need a court order. Don’t assume a power of attorney will work; some vital records offices accept them and some don’t.
Which document you bring depends on the relationship:
- Parent ordering a child’s certificate: your own government-issued photo ID is usually enough, because your name should already appear on the record. If it doesn’t, bring a court order establishing parentage.
- Legal guardian: a certified copy of the guardianship order from the court that appointed you.
- Spouse: a marriage certificate linking you to the person on the birth record.
- Adult sibling or adult child: your own birth certificate showing at least one shared parent, or another document proving the family connection.
- Authorized representative: a signed, notarized letter from the eligible person authorizing you to act on their behalf, along with a copy of their photo ID.
Bring originals or certified copies of these documents. Photocopies are generally not accepted for the relationship proof itself, even where photocopies of your ID are fine for a mail request.
What to Do If You Don’t Have a Photo ID
Losing all your identification creates a frustrating loop: you need ID to get a birth certificate, but you need a birth certificate to get ID. Most states offer a workaround. According to USA.gov, the two most common alternatives are a sworn statement of identity or a notarized letter accompanied by a copy of the photo ID from a parent listed on the birth certificate.1USAGov. Get a Copy of Your Birth Certificate
A sworn statement of identity is what it sounds like: you sign a statement, often under penalty of perjury, confirming who you are. Some offices require it to be notarized. The parent-letter route works for younger adults whose parents still have valid IDs and can vouch for them. If neither option fits, USA.gov suggests trying to replace your driver’s license first, since some motor vehicle agencies have more flexible identity verification procedures, and then using the replacement license to order your birth certificate.1USAGov. Get a Copy of Your Birth Certificate
The Fee and How to Pay It
Each state sets its own fee for a certified copy, typically between $10 and $30. Some states charge extra for each additional copy ordered at the same time. If you’re mailing the request, bring (or rather, enclose) a check or money order; don’t send cash. In person, offices generally accept cash, check, money order, or card, but confirm before you go. Ordering online through an authorized third-party vendor like VitalChek adds a separate processing fee and shipping charge on top of the state’s base price.
Where to Go and How to Submit
Birth certificates in the United States are issued at the state level. The federal government does not distribute birth certificates or maintain individual birth records.2CDC. Where to Write for Vital Records Contact the vital records office in the state where the birth occurred, not the state where you currently live. Many counties and cities also have local health departments that process birth certificate requests, and local offices sometimes offer faster turnaround for in-person visits. The CDC maintains a directory of every state and territory’s vital records office at cdc.gov/nchs/w2w, and USA.gov links to each state’s ordering page.1USAGov. Get a Copy of Your Birth Certificate
Most offices accept requests in at least two of three ways:
- Online, usually through a third-party vendor. You upload scans of your ID and pay by card. Fastest to start, but the processing and shipping fees stack on top of the certificate fee.
- By mail, with the completed application, photocopies of your ID and any supporting documents, and a check or money order. Slowest but universally available. Standard mail processing can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months depending on the state’s current backlog.
- In person, where the clerk verifies your documents on the spot and some offices issue the certified copy the same day or within a few business days.
If your timeline is tight, call the vital records office before ordering to ask about current turnaround. Expedited shipping speeds up delivery once the certificate is printed, but it doesn’t shorten the office’s internal processing time.
Make Sure You’re Getting a Certified Copy
A certified copy is printed or stamped by the state vital records office, carries an official government seal (raised, embossed, or multicolored), and is signed and dated by the registrar. This is the version you need for a passport, school enrollment, a driver’s license, or proof of citizenship for employment.
The decorative certificate many hospitals hand out after a baby is born is not a legal record. It may show footprints, the time of birth, and the hospital’s name, but it has no government seal and no legal standing. You cannot use it to apply for a Social Security number, a passport, or any other official document. When you order from a vital records office, you’re getting a certified copy. If someone hands you a document without a seal, you have a souvenir, not a legal record.