Vital records: birth, death, marriage and divorce certificates
Certified copies of vital records are issued by the vital records office of the state where the event happened, and often by a county or local registrar too. Only those offices, and vendors they name themselves, can issue them.
How certified copies work
- Order from the state where the birth, death, marriage or divorce happened, not where you live now.
- Many states limit who can order (for example, the person named, close family, or a legal representative) and require ID.
- Some states accept online orders only through one contracted vendor that the state names on its own website. For example, the Florida Department of Health's site says VitalChek is its only contracted vendor. Start from the state's page so you reach the vendor it actually uses.
- Divorce decrees are usually court records held by the court clerk, not the vital records office.
- For use abroad, you may also need an apostille.
We do not order records for anyone. Fees vary by state and change, so check the state page. The CDC also keeps a federal index of state offices: CDC — Where to Write for Vital Records.
Directory: state vital records offices
Links checked November 12, 2026. * = the site blocks automated checks, so we could not confirm the page loads. New York City keeps its own records separately from New York State; check the state page for directions.
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