Iowa Department of Public Health - Bureau of Vital Records

City of Des Moines

County of Polk

State of Iowa

State Office

The Iowa Department of Public Health - Bureau of Vital Records's Office is the central office for the state of Iowa and it issues certified copies of Polk birth certificates, Polk death certificates and Polk marriage records for events that occurred in Polk. You may order copies of Iowa vital records through this office or, in some cases, the office of the county clerk where the deed happened.

Iowa Department of Public Health - Bureau of Vital Records Map

Direction Walk-in 515-281-4944

About Iowa Department of Public Health - Bureau of Vital Records

On December 28, 1846, Iowa became the 29th state in the Union. Iowa is located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west.

The state of Iowa's capital and its largest city is Des Moines. Other important cities include Cedar Rapids and Davenport. The five most populous counties by population are Polk County (Des Moines), Linn County (Cedar Rapids), Scott County (Davenport), Johnson County (Iowa City) and Black Hawk County (Waterloo).

The population of Iowa is 3,190,369 as of a 2020 study, and the state has a total area of 55,857.1 square miles (144,669.2 square kilometers).

Vitals records are held at the Iowa Department of Public Health, with the Bureau of Health Statistics. The office has birth, death & marriage records since July 1880.

Opening Hours

Monday8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Tuesday8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Thursday8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Friday8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.