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Vital Records

Vital records are records of life events kept under governmental authority, including birth certificates, marriage licenses (or marriage certificates), separation agreements, divorce certificates or divorce party and death certificates. In some jurisdictions, vital records may also include records of civil unions or domestic partnerships.

Note that only the life events meaning is restricted to government; the records management meaning in this article applies to both government and non-government organizations.

In the United States, vital records are typically maintained at both the county and state levels. In the United Kingdom and numerous other countries vital records are recorded in the civil registry. In the United States, vital records are public and in most cases can be viewed by anyone in person at the governmental authority. Copies can also be requested for a fee. There are two types of copies: certified and uncertified. Certified copies are official copies that can be used as identification whereas uncertified copies do not contain the governmental authority's seal and often are marked that they should not be used for identification. There may be additional restrictions in place on who can actually request a certified copy, such as immediate family or someone with written authorization. Certified copies are usually much more expensive than uncertified copies. Some states have started making vital records available online for free. Vital records that are online typically are 90 or more years old and assume the person listed in the record is no longer alive.

In the past 10 years, there has been an overall increase in global birth registration rates of children under five from 58 percent to 65 percent. However, more than 100 developing countries still do not have functioning systems that can support efficient registration of births and other life events like marriages and death. Around the world, almost 230 million children under the age of five are not registered. Sub-Saharan Africa is home to 85 million of these children, while 135 million live in Asia and the Pacific. Progress with death registration has been much slower globally. In countries in most need of CRVS, up to 80 percent of deaths that occur outside health facilities and two-thirds of all deaths globally are not counted.

Get copies of vital records and ID cards

Find out how to replace vital documents such as birth certificates, Social Security cards, and more.

How to replace lost or stolen ID cards

Rules for replacing government-issued ID cards vary. Many require you to show an official document, like your birth certificate. This proves your identity or citizenship.

Type of ID	Who to contact
Birth certificate	Contact your birth state or territory's vital records office to get a certified copy of your birth certificate.
Driver’s license or state ID card	Contact your state motor vehicle agency for a replacement license or state ID card.
Social Security card	Visit the Social Security Administration website to replace your card online, by mail, or in person.
Medicare card	Login or create a Medicare account online to print a copy or request a replacement card to be mailed to you. Or call 1-800-MEDICARE, ( TTY 1-877-486-2048).
Medicaid card	Contact your state Medicaid office to get a replacement.
U.S. passport	Report your lost or stolen passport to the State Department. Then request a replacement in person.
Permanent Resident (Green) Card	Contact the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to replace your Green Card.
Naturalization certificate	Submit Form N-565 to replace a Certificate of Citizenship.
Military ID card	Report the missing card to your unit security officer. Then find an ID Card office and make an appointment.

How to get a certified copy of a U.S. birth certificate

Learn how to get a birth certificate replacement if you were born inside or outside the U.S. And find out how to get a replacement if all your other forms of ID have been lost.

Born in the U.S.: how to get a certified copy of your birth certificate

Contact your birth state or territory’s vital records office to find out:

How to order a certified copy of your birth certificate online, by mail, or in person

How to get a copy fast

The cost for each certified copy

You will need to know the city and county where you were born.

U.S. citizen born abroad: how to get a copy of your birth certificate or report

The U.S. embassy or consulate in your birth country issued a consular report of birth abroad (CRBA) if your parents reported your birth to them. The CRBA serves the same purpose as a U.S. birth certificate. S.

Lost all your IDs: how to get a copy of your birth certificate

Check with your birth state’s vital records office for what it requires. Most states have another way to verify your identification, such as:

Your sworn statement of identity

A notarized letter and a copy of the photo ID from the mother or father listed on your birth certificate

If you cannot get a copy of your birth certificate, try to replace your driver's license first.

How to get a copy of a marriage certificate or a marriage license

A marriage license legally allows you to marry. A marriage certificate proves you got married. How you get copies depends on whether you were married in the U.S. or abroad.

How to get a certified copy of a marriage certificate

If you were married in the U.S., contact the vital records office in the state where you were married. They will tell you the cost, what information you need to supply, and if you can get a copy online, by mail, or in person.

How to get a copy of a marriage license

Most marriage licenses expire within 30 days to a year, depending on the issuing state. If yours expires or gets lost before you get married, apply for a new one.

Contact the vital records office in the state where you are getting married to find out how to apply.

Married abroad: how to get marriage records

Contact the embassy or consulate of the country where the marriage took place.

If you were married abroad before November 9, 1989, contact the State Department to get a copy of the Certificate of Witness to Marriage Abroad.

How to get a copy of a divorce decree or certificate

A divorce decree is a court order ending a marriage. A divorce certificate is a vital document proving a divorce occurred. Learn when you can use each and how to get copies.

Divorce decrees

A divorce decree establishes specific terms of the divorce. You will need a copy of it to get legal or government help that enforces decisions about:

The division of a couple’s assets and debts

Spousal alimony or maintenance

Custody, visitation, and child support

How to get a copy of a divorce decree

Contact the clerk of the county or city where you got divorced. They will tell you how to order a copy, the cost, and what information you need to supply.

Divorce certificates

In addition to a court-issued divorce decree, many state vital records offices provide a divorce certificate. The divorce certificate gives both people’s names and the location and date of the divorce. It may be all you need to:

Change your name

Remarry

How to get a copy of a divorce certificate

Contact the state vital records office where the divorce took place to learn if that state issues divorce certificates. They will tell you the cost, what information you need to supply, and how to get a copy online, by mail, or in person.

How to get a certified copy of a death certificate

Many organizations require a certified copy of the death certificate when someone dies. How you get copies depends on whether the person died in the U.S. or abroad.
Death in the U.S.: how to get a certified copy of a death certificate

Contact the vital records office of the state where the death occurred to learn:

How to order a certified copy of a death certificate online, by mail, or in-person

How to get a copy fast

The cost for each certified copy

You will need to know the date and place of death. The state may also ask for other details about the person, how you are related to them, or why you want the certificate.
Can anyone get a copy of a death certificate?

Only certain family members may be able to obtain a death certificate when someone dies. This includes a spouse, siblings, and children. But death certificates can be requested by anyone when they become public record. In some states, death certificates are released 25 or more years after death. Check with your state’s vital records office to find out when death certificates become public record.

When to use a certified copy or a photocopy

You will need to purchase a certified copy of the death certificate for tasks such as:

Notifying the Social Security Administration and other government agencies

Closing or transferring credit cards and bank accounts

Claiming a person's life insurance or pension

You may only need a photocopy for other tasks, such as canceling a subscription. Check with the agency or organization handling each account.

Death of a U.S. citizen abroad: how to get death records

When a U.S. citizen dies in another country, the U.S. embassy or consulate should get a death certificate or notification from the foreign government. It will then issue a Consular Report of Death Abroad (CRDA). Use the CRDA in the U.S. as proof of death for closing accounts and handling legal tasks.

You can get up to 20 free certified copies at the time of death. Order more copies of the CRDA from the Department of State.

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Delaware

District of Columbia

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Florida

Foreign or high-seas events

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Georgia

Guam

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Hawaii

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Kansas

Kentucky

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Louisiana

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New York (except New York City)

New York City

North Carolina

North Dakota

Northern Mariana Islands

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Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

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Pennsylvania

Puerto Rico

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Rhode Island

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South Carolina

South Dakota

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Tennessee

Texas

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Utah

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Vermont

Virginia

Virgin Islands

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Most recent revision June 30, 2025 08:08:50 PM

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