Order US Vital Records the Right Way — the First Time
Step-by-step instructions for requesting certified birth certificates, death records, marriage licenses, and divorce decrees from every official US state and county office. 56 jurisdictions covered.
Records You Can Request
Each US state maintains its own vital records, and rules for who may order, what fees apply, and how long it takes vary considerably. Pick a record type to see a detailed state-by-state guide.
Birth Certificates
Certified copies of birth records used to establish identity, citizenship, age, and parentage. Required for passports, driver licenses, scho…
Read the guide → Vital RecordDeath Records
Official records of death used to settle estates, claim insurance proceeds, file Social Security survivor benefits, transfer property, and n…
Read the guide → Vital RecordMarriage Licenses
Civil records confirming a marriage was legally performed. Used for name changes, immigration petitions, joint tax filings, insurance enroll…
Read the guide → Vital RecordDivorce Decrees
Court-issued judgments dissolving a marriage. Used to remarry, restore a former name, modify custody or support orders, and verify marital s…
Read the guide →Browse by State
Every US state and the District of Columbia operates its own vital records office, usually inside the state Department of Health. Some states centralize all four record types; others delegate marriage and divorce records to county clerks and superior courts.
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
- Puerto Rico
- US Virgin Islands
- Guam
- American Samoa
- Northern Mariana Islands
How VitalRecordsHub Works
Vital records are issued by the government agency that registered the original event — generally the state Department of Health for births and deaths, and the county clerk or superior court for marriages and divorces. Because each jurisdiction has different fees, eligibility rules, and turnaround times, requesting the wrong way (or paying the wrong office) is one of the most common reasons people wait months for a document they actually needed in two weeks.
This site exists to make those rules visible at a glance. Every page tells you which office holds the record, the current fee, what identification you need to show, how to request a copy by mail, in person, or online, and how long the office typically takes to respond. We compile this information from published US government sources — the USAGov state vital records pages, the CDC's NCHS "Where to Write for Vital Records" directory, and individual state Department of Health websites — and re-check the details on a rolling basis.
We are not a government agency, we do not process applications, and we do not collect fees on anyone's behalf. Use the linked official pages to submit your actual request, and treat anything on this site as a starting map rather than a substitute for the issuing office's own instructions.
Why People Order Vital Records
The most common reason adults request a copy of their own birth certificate is to apply for a US passport or REAL ID-compliant driver license. Other recurring reasons include enrolling a child in school, claiming Social Security benefits, settling an estate after a parent's death, qualifying for veterans' benefits, completing an immigration petition, marrying or remarrying, and proving citizenship for employment eligibility.
Researchers, attorneys, journalists, and genealogists also rely on vital records — often older, non-restricted "informational" copies — to trace family history, document litigation timelines, or confirm public facts. Whether your request is personal or professional, the steps are largely the same: identify the right office, prove who you are (or your relationship to the record holder), pay the published fee, and wait the published turnaround.