Birth Certificates and Records

A birth certificate is a vital record that legally documents a person’s birth. It can also be used to prove someone’s identity. 

If you require a new birth certificate, you can simply find your nearest vital records office with our directory and apply for a copy.

Get the info here!

How Birth Certificates Work in the U.S.

Birth certificates are an essential vital record to have for any U.S. citizen. Every American citizen should have a copy of their birth certificate.

Being born in the United States automatically makes you eligible for American citizenship. A birth certificate can prove your identity and your citizenship and is often necessary to apply for federal or state documentation.

In the United States, a standard birth certificate document does not exist at the national level.

Issuing birth certificates and registering births is left up to the governing body of each state. Individual counties and municipalities collect birth data and send it to the state. Afterward, the local government sends the vital statistics to the federal government.

If you are American but were born abroad, your parents would have received a Consular Report of Birth Abroad. This is provided that they registered the birth at the U.S. Embassy or consulate in the foreign country.

By contacting the U.S. Department of State, you can obtain a copy of this report. In certain countries, a vital records office in that nation might also list the birth.

The process may become further decentralized at state level. In most cases, the counties and municipalities of each state are in charge of issuing birth certificates.

Both the federal and state governments utilize birth statistics to analyze demographic trends and birth rates.

What information is on a birth certificate?

The information on U.S. birth certificates is generally the same across all 50 states. There is no major difference between the birth certificates from one state to another. In the United States, a certified copy of a birth certificate contains the following information:

  • Child’s full name

  • Child’s place of birth

  • Child’s date of birth

  • Child’s sex/gender

  • Details regarding birth (single birth, twins, triplets, etc.)

  • Parent’s full name

  • Parent’s place of birth

  • Parent’s date of birth

  • Parent’s residence (city, country, and state)

It is possible to get an informational birth certificate with only basic information, such as the names and time of birth. This is often issued as a keepsake and is not official.

What do you need a birth certificate for?

A birth certificate can be used as a form of identification. For this reason, many legal processes and institutions require you to submit a birth certificate to prove your identity. Having a United States birth certificate also provides proof of your American citizenship.

You may be requested to provide a birth certificate to apply for the following:

  • Passport

  • Driver’s license

  • School Registration

  • Employment

  • Genealogy purposes

You may also be required to have a U.S. birth certificate if you intend to apply for government benefits, register for sports teams or clubs, or  join the armed forces. 

To provide proof of your identity, it is essential to remember that you cannot use a non-official copy of your birth certificate. 

When submitting a copy of your birth certificate to any government agency or separate institution, it should always be a certified copy.

How to Get a Copy of your Birth Certificate

To obtain a copy of your birth certificate, you will need to gather the required documents and complete a few steps. 

It may also be necessary to visit your local vital records office to complete the application for a certified copy of a birth certificate. 

Use our Vital Records Office database to easily find the nearest office in your state and finish the application process faster. 

A certified copy of a U.S. birth certificate can only be given to the individual on the certificate, their spouse, or an immediate family member (children, parents, siblings, etc.). 

To successfully get a copy of your birth certificate, you will need to complete the following steps: 

  • Fill out a birth certificate application form

  • Prepare the necessary documents 

  • Visit your nearest vital records office (if applicable)

  • Pay a fee

  • Submit your application 

The necessary documentation must be government-issued photo identification. That means bills, a school ID, and other forms of identification will not be accepted. 

Examples of acceptable government-issued identification include: 

  • Passport 

  • Driver’s license 

  • State photo ID 

In most cases, you will be required to provide at least 2 forms of identification to submit a birth certificate application.

Browse Vital Records Offices for a Birth Certificate Application

To learn where to apply for your birth certificate, you may refer to the map below.

Explore Vital Records Offices by State

Select a state and find your nearest vital records office.

Birth Certificates and Records FAQs

To clear up any doubt you still may have about birth certificates and how to obtain one, we have answered some of the most common questions related to the subject.

Review the answers to the most frequently asked questions below about birth certificates and records.

Helpful resources

There are government and private agencies that offer services to U.S. citizens to find birth records of direct family members or distant relatives. 

They are especially useful for anyone that would like to research their ancestry to understand their past or create a family tree. 

To assist you in finding these types of genealogy services, we include a list of helpful resources below that allows you to find a birth record of an ancestor. 

  • Archives.gov –  government website focused on national archives 

  • Data.census.gov –  government website that contains census information

  • Familysearch.org –  website focused on finding information on past family members.

  • Ancestry.com –  private genealogy company that finds information about past family members

  • Findmypast.com –  private genealogy company that offers DNA tests and the ability to create a family tree

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Vitalrecordsoffice.net is an independent website, not associated with any federal or state government agency. Although our staff at Vitalrecordsoffice.net makes every effort to maintain the information up to date, we cannot guarantee that the data found in our database or directory is currently accurate, as it may be updated independently at any moment. 

We provide an information service that quickly provides users with essential details regarding Vital Records offices and locations near you and in all 50 states. Thanks to our online service, you can find information and resources regarding Vital Records offices, county clerks, and genealogy, making the vital record application process easier.