How to get a copy of your birth certificate

Office of Vital Records

IF PAYING WITH CASH, CHECK, CREDIT/DEBIT CARD, OR MONEY ORDER

You have the option to fill out a paper order form and present proper identification at the Customer Service Window.   If you are not a qualified applicant, you will need to support your entitlement to the record requested at the time your application is submitted or have a qualified applicant submit the application. Order forms are located on the counter to your left as you enter our office. We accept cash, check, credit/debit cards or money orders for our fees at our customer service window.  

Local County Health Department

With the Introduction of our electronic issuance system, all county health departments can issue any birth or death certificates that have been registered statewide with our office. You will no longer have to travel to the county where the birth or death occurred. Identification will be required at the time of submission of your application and fees payable. IF you are not a qualified applicant, (parent, child, or spouse), you will also need to present any documents to support your right to the certificate. Entitlement documents can include custody orders, letters or testamentary, insurance policies denoting the beneficiaries, etc. 

Online Orders

Tennessee Office of Vital Records does not directly accept online orders. However, for your convenience, we have contracted with an independent company to provide you with this service. VitalChek is the only official vendor authorized by the state of Tennessee to process credit / debit card transactions for online orders. Any additional fees will be collected by the independent company.  

Check On The Status of Your Order

To check on your order, please click here to email the Customer Service Unit.

Please provide details about your order and your preferred method of contact between 8 am and 4:30 pm Monday through Friday.  

Request a Certified Copy of a Birth Certificate

For a birth occurring on or after January 1, 2003:

You may request a certified copy of the birth certificate from any town vital records office or the State Vital Records Office. 

For a birth occurring prior to January 1, 2003:

You may request a certified copy of the birth certificate ONLY from the following:

• The town vital records office of the town where the birth occurred, or
• The town of the mother’s residence at the time of birth, or
• The State Vital Records Office.

Checklist for Obtaining a Certified Copy of a Birth Certificate

☐ Make sure that you are eligible to obtain the birth certificate

☐ Complete the application 

☐ Order your vital record online (additional fees may apply) through VitalChek, or

☐ Complete the State application and mail your order in to the State Vital Records office, or

☐ Complete the Town application and mail your order in to the town of occurrence

☐ Include your photo ID

☐ Provide documentation proving that you are entitled to obtain the birth certificate (only applicable if the requester is not the birth registrant or a parent listed on the birth certificate)

☐ Include the applicable fee

Who Can Request a Certified Copy of a Birth Certificate?

Birth records are confidential records and are not open to the general public, except for those that are at least 100 years old.  For birth certificates less than 100 years old, you can only obtain the birth certificate if:

• It’s you and you are 18 years of age or older, or an emancipated minor or a certified homeless youth
• You are the parent, legal guardian, grandparent, spouse, adult child, or adult grandchild
• You are an attorney-at-law representing the person named on the birth certificate or an eligible relative (see above), an agent of approved state or federal agency, a member of a Connecticut genealogical society (see the Connecticut State Library for more information) or a Conservator of Person
• For additional eligible parties see C.G.S section 7-51

If you are a representative from a federal or state agency requesting a certified copy of a birth certificate, you must comply with the following requirements:

• Complete and sign the official request on agency letterhead.
• Submit a copy of his/her employee PICTURE IDENTIFICATION issued by the agency.
• Submit a RELEASE OF INFORMATION form signed by the client authorizing the agency to obtain his/her record or, submit an official copy of a guardianship decree issued by a proper Court.
• If a State certified certificate is not needed, you may obtain an official, certified copy from the town of birth
  • The fee for a birth certificate issued from the State of Connecticut Vital Records Unit is $30.00.
  • The fee for a birth certificate issued from the town/city of birth is $20.00.

What Needs to Be Included with Your Request?

All requests for certified copies of birth certificates must be accompanied by:

• a valid, government issued photographic identification which includes the requester’s name, date of birth, signature, and an expiration date. If the State or town vital records office has reason to doubt the authenticity of a document presented, the requester may be asked to provide additional documentation.

OR

• Other forms of identification:  If a photographic identification is not available, two (2) of the documents listed below may be substituted. For mail requests, a photocopy of the document is sufficient, do not send original;

  • Social security card;
  • Social security card supplemented with either an employment identification card, a paycheck stub or a W-2 form. Providing the documents in this subdivision fully satisfies the identification requirements of this section;
  • Automobile registration;
  • Copy of utility bill showing name and current address;
  • Checking account deposit slip or bank statement stating name and current address;
  • Voter registration card;
  • Valid government issued trade or professional license;
  • Valid government issued firearm permit;
  • Probation documents issued by a court or other government agency, pursuant to a criminal conviction;
  • Letter from a government agency verifying identity. The letter shall be dated within six months prior to the date of the request;
  • Release documentation from a correctional institution containing a photograph of the former inmate and a release date within 12 months prior to the date of the request;
  • Birth certificate of the requester;
  • Military discharge papers;
  • Current school or college photographic identification; or
  • Government issued photographic identification that has expired within 12 months prior to the date of the request.

If you are requesting a birth certificate for someone other than yourself or your child, you will need to submit proof verifying your relationship to the person whose birth certificate you are requesting.  For example:

• If you are requesting the birth certificate of your parent, you must submit a copy of your own birth certificate in order to prove the parent/ child relationship.

For persons with a legal name change

• If you have had a legal name change and your identification documents do not match the information on the vital record you are requesting, you must submit a copy of the court order verifying the legal name change.

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