What Is Required to Get Baby's Birth Certificate?

Most hospitals provide the child's parents with an uncertified copy of the child's birth certificate at the hospital before discharge. However, this is not the official birth certificate and will not be accepted for any purpose where a certified birth certificate is required. Depending on the county where the child was born, official birth certificates may be obtained from the office of Vital Records four to six weeks after birth. It takes this long for the hospital to complete birth certificates and send them to the office of Vital Records where parents can then apply for them. Additional copies of the birth certificate may be requested at any time and a fee will apply to each birth record search. The following information will be required every time a certified copy of a birth certificate is applied for.

In order to apply for a baby's birth certificate, there are several things that are needed. There are forms and fees that are almost always required, as well as the baby's name, birth date and parents' names, and finally proof of relation to the child. If an individual is not related to the child, proof must be provided as to why the birth certificate is needed. The information on the birth certificate provided by the hospital may be transferred onto the application form in order to receive a certified copy of the birth certificate.

Completed Form and Fee

Visit or call the Vital Records office in the county where your baby was born to find out where you can access the form that must be filled out in order to receive the baby's birth certificate. Some counties have the forms available on-line while others require the form to be picked up in person. There is almost always a fee that accompanies a birth certificate application. This must be paid before the birth certificate will be provided.

Proof of Relation and Photo ID

There are rules governing who can get a baby's birth certificate. It must be a person related to the child with proof of relation. In other cases, a lawyer or legal representative of the child has permission to get the child's birth certificate. A photo ID will be required, usually a license or state issued ID card, to receive a child's birth certificate. This is to prove the person applying for the birth certificate is who she says she is.

Date of Birth

The child's date of birth is needed when applying for a birth certificate. This includes the day, month and year.

Child's Full Name

The child's full name as it appears on the birth certificate is necessary for the office of Vital Records to find the correct birth certificate.

Mother's Maiden Name

The mother's maiden name exactly as it appears on the child's birth certificate is also necessary to identify the correct certificate. Anyone related to the child applying for his birth certificate should readily know this information.

Father's Full Name

The father's full name is also required when applying for a birth certificate for a child. If there is no father listed on the birth certificate then this information is not necessary.

Location of Birth

The child's place of birth, generally the city or county, is necessary for the birth certificate application. The hospital of birth is not usually information that is necessary, but may prove helpful in some situations.