How to Get a Certified Copy of Your U.S. Birth Certificate

Order from the state or territory where the birth occurred

If you were born in the United States, the correct issuing authority is the vital records office for the state or territory where you were born.

Your current state of residence does not control where you order the certificate. For example, if you were born in one state and later moved across the country, the birth jurisdiction still holds the record.

USAGov directs people born in the United States to their birth state or territory to learn:

• how to order a certified copy online, by mail or in person;
• how to request faster service when available; and
• the current cost for each certified copy.

The federal government does not issue state birth certificates

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains that the federal government does not maintain files or indexes containing identifying information for state vital records.

Birth records are permanently filed with a state vital statistics office or, depending on the jurisdiction, a city, county or other local office.

This means there is no single federal application, nationwide fee or nationwide processing time for a certified U.S. birth certificate.

Use an official federal directory to reach your birth jurisdiction

USAGov provides a national starting point for certified birth certificate requests, while CDC maintains its Where to Write for Vital Records directory with state and territorial information.

After identifying your state or territory of birth, follow that jurisdiction's official instructions rather than assuming another state's requirements will be the same.

Prepare the identifying details of the birth

Requirements vary, but CDC's official vital-records guidance lists information commonly requested for a birth record, including:

• the person's full name;
• sex;
• parents' names, including the mother's maiden name;
• month, day and year of birth;
• place of birth, including city or town, county and state;
• hospital name, if known;
• the purpose for which the copy is needed;
• your relationship to the person whose record is requested; and
• a daytime telephone number.

USAGov specifically recommends knowing the city and county where you were born.

Access rules are set by each state or territory

Vital records contain personal information, so states and territories control who may obtain a certified copy.

The person named on the record can commonly request their own certificate, but access by parents, guardians, spouses, relatives, attorneys or other representatives depends on the issuing jurisdiction's law and procedures.

Do not assume that being related to someone automatically gives you access to that person's certified birth certificate. Check the official eligibility rules before paying for an order.

The issuing office may require proof of identity or authority

States and territories determine what identification must accompany a birth-record request.

Depending on the jurisdiction and ordering method, you may be asked for a government-issued photo ID, copies of identification, proof of relationship, a signed application or a notarized statement.

Always use the current instructions from the office that actually holds the birth record.

Many states provide another way to verify identity

Losing all your identification does not necessarily prevent you from obtaining your birth certificate.

USAGov advises applicants to check their birth state's requirements because most states have another way to verify identity. Examples identified by USAGov include:

• a sworn statement of identity; or
• a notarized letter accompanied by a copy of the photo ID of the mother or father listed on the birth certificate.

The available alternative is state-specific, so use only the procedure accepted by your birth jurisdiction.

Birth certificate fees vary across states and territories

There is no national birth certificate fee.

Each state or territory sets its own charges for certified copies, additional copies, expedited processing and delivery services.

CDC's guidance warns that vital-record fees are subject to change and directs applicants to verify the current amount with the relevant state office.

If ordering by mail, use the exact payment method specified by the issuing office. CDC advises against mailing cash because money lost in transit cannot be refunded by the office.

Online availability depends on the issuing jurisdiction

USAGov confirms that state and territorial vital records offices may offer certified-copy ordering online, by mail or in person.

The actual methods available depend on where the birth occurred. There is no nationwide federal online application that issues all U.S. birth certificates.

Before entering identity or payment information, make sure you are following the official instructions supplied by the relevant state or territorial vital records authority.

Processing time varies by jurisdiction and service level

No single processing time applies nationwide.

The issuing office determines its own processing schedule for online, mail and in-person requests. Some offices offer expedited service, while others may have different timelines depending on the type of record or delivery method.

If you need the certificate for a time-sensitive application, check the official processing estimate before placing your order.

Certified copies are commonly used for identity and citizenship procedures

A certified birth certificate can be required as evidence of identity, age, parentage or U.S. citizenship for government and legal procedures.

For example, the U.S. Department of State accepts qualifying U.S. birth certificates as citizenship evidence in passport applications. If the record is for a minor, review the separate procedure for applying for a U.S. passport for a child under 16.

The organization requesting your document may specify whether it needs a certified copy and whether a particular version, such as a long-form certificate, is required. Follow that organization's requirements together with the options offered by your vital records office.

Corrections are handled by the jurisdiction that maintains the record

If the certified copy contains incorrect information, contact the state, territorial or local vital records authority that maintains the record.

Correction and amendment procedures are separate from simply ordering another copy and may require supporting documents under the issuing jurisdiction's rules.

Ordering additional copies of an incorrect record does not itself correct the underlying vital record.

Relationship and authorization rules vary by state

If you need a certificate for a child, parent or another person, first check whether the issuing jurisdiction allows you to order it.

The office may require proof of your relationship, guardianship, legal authority or written authorization from the person named on the record.

Because access rules differ significantly, there is no safe national assumption about which relatives may obtain a certified copy.

A Consular Report of Birth Abroad uses a separate federal process

If you are a U.S. citizen born outside the United States, a state vital records office generally is not the source of your U.S. citizenship birth record.

If your parents reported your birth to a U.S. embassy or consulate and the Department of State issued a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, Form FS-240, the CRBA serves as the U.S. government record showing that you acquired U.S. citizenship at birth.

The Department of State states that a replacement CRBA may be requested for:

• the person listed on the record, if age 18 or older;
• a parent of a child under age 18;
• an authorized government agency; or
• a person who has written authorization from the individual listed on the record.

A new CRBA copy currently costs $50

The Department of State's current July 2026 instructions list a $50 fee when a new copy of the Consular Report of Birth Abroad is required.

The current federal replacement process uses Department of State vital-record instructions and, where required, Form DS-5542, identification and payment to the U.S. Department of State.

This is a different procedure from ordering a certified state or territorial birth certificate.

Avoid delays by using the correct jurisdiction and current rules

• Ordering from your current state instead of your birth state: request the record from where the birth occurred.
• Looking for a federal birth certificate office: state and territorial records are not maintained in a federal birth-record database.
• Assuming fees are the same nationwide: each jurisdiction sets its own current fee.
• Using another state's ID rules: eligibility and identification requirements differ by jurisdiction.
• Leaving out birthplace details: have the city, county and state or territory available when possible.
• Mailing the wrong payment amount: verify the fee immediately before submitting the request.
• Waiting until a deadline is close: processing times and expedited options vary.
• Using the state process for a CRBA: U.S. citizens born abroad with a Consular Report of Birth Abroad use the Department of State replacement process.

Start with the official office for the place of birth

The key rule is simple: order from the authority that maintains the record where the birth occurred.

For births in the United States, use USAGov or CDC to identify the state or territorial vital records office, then follow that office's current eligibility, identification, fee, ordering and processing instructions.

For a U.S. citizen's Consular Report of Birth Abroad, use the U.S. Department of State's separate federal vital-record process.