How to Find Arizona State Birth and Death Records Online

online and free of charge

Arizona is user friendly when it comes to genealogists. If you are lucky enough to have ancestors born in Arizona at least 75 years ago your task of finding their birth records is quite simple. Death records are also available if the person has died at least 50 years ago. For privacy reasons, records for anyone born or died after that can only be obtained with proof of familial relationship.

Things You'll Need

• computer
• Adobe Acrobat Reader [free download]

Instructions

1. The state of Arizona has created a website that will allow you to search, view and print available birth and death records free of charge for genealogical purposes. Go directly to the search page by going to http://genealogy.az.gov/.

2. The search page will allow you to search an index of vital records. Once the results appear click on a possible record and the original record will open up in a new window. You can then print or save the record.

3. 

   You can search for births after 1855 by filling in a full name or just a surname, by father or mother or a combination of the choices. Fill in as much information as you have. If your search yields nothing try the search again using less information.

   I was always told that my grandmother didn't have a birth certificate. Imagine my surprise when I found my grandmother's birth certificate by typing in her Mother's name. It was the record of a daughter being born to my great grandmother on the same date as my grandmother's birthday. The baby had not been named yet so all these years it sat as baby girl McGrath.

4. 

   The same page has an option to search for death records. These are for years following 1844.

   I found my great great grandmother's death certificate by typing in her name. The record gave me all kinds of genealogical information as well as the cause of her death, how long she had lived in the area and the place and date of burial.

5. If you do not have computer access-

   You can also obtain non-certified birth certificates from the Arizona State History and Archives Division of the Arizona State Library. It is located on the third floor of the State Capitol Building, 1700 West Washington, Phoenix, Arizona 85007. The telephone number is [phone]. Any questions can be emailed to the reference librarian at [e-mail].

Tips & Warnings

• All records on the site are in PDF format and will require Adobe Acrobat Reader to view them. Once opened they can be printed or digitally saved.

Resources

• Arizona Records Search