How to Acquire a Birth Certificate

Parents must apply for a birth certificate for their new baby.

Applying for a birth certificate is one of the first things new parents must do for their newborn baby. Upon birth, each child is given an unofficial certificate of birth from the hospital at which they are born, and this form is sent to the county's office of vital records. You must apply for your child's official, certified birth certificate through the office of vital records, and the office will use the hospital's initial form as a starting point to get things rolling.

Things You'll Need

• Hospital records
• Application
• Personal ID
• Fee

Instructions

1. Wait four to six weeks before applying for the birth certificate, as it usually takes this long for the hospital to send the certificate of birth to the office of vital records for filing.

2. Visit or call the office of vital records in the county where the child was born and inquire as to how to receive an application for a birth certificate. Some offices offer access to the application online, and some require you to come into the office in person to pick up the form.

3. Fill out the form and include any personal information requested, including the child's full name, parents' names, county of birth and date of birth. Make sure this information matches the information found on the hospital's certificate of birth, as the office of vital records will compare the two for validity.

4. Send the application, along with the application fee, to the office of vital records and include a photocopy of your state-issued ID card, such as a driver's license, or your passport.

5. Call the office of vital records a week after sending in the application to ensure they have received the forms and are in the process of fulfilling the request.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep copies of the application in case your forms go missing at the office of vital records.

References

• National Fertility Law: How to Obtain US Birth Certificate for Newborn Baby
• CDC.gov