How to Find My Kid's Birth Certificate Online
Birth certificates are often required legal records when identity needs to be proven. Instances may include a child starting school, applying for a passport application, or tax and estate matters. Parents who need to obtain their child's birth certificate online may do so through their state's Department of Public Health office, or similar state office. Because of vital records laws, most states do not have searchable birth records online until the records are at least 50-plus years old. Many states utilize an online ordering system through VitalChek if they do not provide a separate ordering service. Services vary state to state.
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Things You'll Need
- Name of child
- Birth date of child
- Birthplace of child
- Mother's maiden name
Instructions
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Locate your state's Department of Public Health office website. Use a search engine and enter "X Department of Public Health," where X is the state in which the birth occurred. Click on the link provided to access the website. Look for a vital records section. This may be listed as "Birth, Marriage, and Death Records" or "Birth Certificates," or some variation.
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Review the online ordering instructions for the state. As an example, Ohio offers two ways to order a birth certificate online. The first is through the Ohio Department of Health, which sends the certificate out within three to six weeks but does not have expedited service. The second is through VitalChek, a nationwide online vital record service which provides expedited service. The state of Illinois does not offer a departmental online ordering system, but offers online ordering through VitalChek.
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Order the birth certificate according to the instructions provided by the state in which the birth certificate is held. Provide all necessary information and payments to complete the order transaction.
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Tips & Warnings
Before ordering the birth certificate, make certain it will be appropriate for the intended use. If the child is applying for a passport, a long form is required. If it is for personal use, the short form may suffice.
Most states do not release vital records online for searching until they are at least 50 years old. Each state has its own procedures for ordering vital records. Read through all instructions before placing an order.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit birth marriage and death image by Warren Millar from Fotolia.com
