How to Get Your Original Birth Certificate
Locate the state in which you were born., Find your state’s application process., Gather the necessary information., Complete and submit the application.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Locate the state in which you were born.
The federal government does not manage birth certificates and other vital records, so you will need to identify the appropriate state. -
Step 2: Find your state’s application process.
Each state will have a slightly different process for requesting a birth certificate.
Usually, this process is handled by the state’s vital records office.
Try doing an Internet search for this office’s website, or use the state-by-state guide compiled by the federal government., Although each state will have its own process, they will ask for much of the same information.
Some states may require additional information (like names of the cities your parents were born in), but you will certainly want to make sure you have the following facts, documents, and other requirements handy:
Your full name Your sex The full names of your parents, including any previous names each of them used The date of your birth The place of your birth, including the city, county, state, and hospital The reason for the request Your relationship to the person whose birth certificate is being requested, if you are doing so for someone other than yourself Contact information A copy of a valid ID, such as a drivers license A fee (make sure you know what payment methods your state accepts) , Each state will have its own application, which you can find either at the vital records office or online.
You will be given a number of options for submitting the application, although specific options will vary by state:
In person at the vital records office(s) By mail, addressed to the vital records office Online (increasingly common, though not everywhere) By telephone -
Step 3: Gather the necessary information.
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Step 4: Complete and submit the application.
Detailed Guide
The federal government does not manage birth certificates and other vital records, so you will need to identify the appropriate state.
Each state will have a slightly different process for requesting a birth certificate.
Usually, this process is handled by the state’s vital records office.
Try doing an Internet search for this office’s website, or use the state-by-state guide compiled by the federal government., Although each state will have its own process, they will ask for much of the same information.
Some states may require additional information (like names of the cities your parents were born in), but you will certainly want to make sure you have the following facts, documents, and other requirements handy:
Your full name Your sex The full names of your parents, including any previous names each of them used The date of your birth The place of your birth, including the city, county, state, and hospital The reason for the request Your relationship to the person whose birth certificate is being requested, if you are doing so for someone other than yourself Contact information A copy of a valid ID, such as a drivers license A fee (make sure you know what payment methods your state accepts) , Each state will have its own application, which you can find either at the vital records office or online.
You will be given a number of options for submitting the application, although specific options will vary by state:
In person at the vital records office(s) By mail, addressed to the vital records office Online (increasingly common, though not everywhere) By telephone
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Victoria Morales
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