New York State Department of Health can provide copies of birth certificates for individuals born outside of New York City’s five boroughs.
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Get a Copy of a Birth Certificate
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Who is eligible to obtain a birth certificate copy? *For births in the five boroughs of New York City, contact the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Overview
Guidance
Download the mail-in application to obtain a copy of a birth certificate.
How To
Refer to this step by step process to order a birth certificate:
- Gather the necessary identifying information (See list below)
- Complete the application online, by telephone or by mail
- Pay the required fees with credit card (internet only), check drawn from a U.S. bank or with a money order - DO NOT send cash.
- Submit the application
Ready? Have with you:
Applications must be submitted with either:
- A driver’s license
- A state-issued non-driver photo ID card
- Passport
- U.S. military-issued photo ID
Or applications may be submitted with TWO of the following:
- Utility or telephone bills
- Letter from a government agency dated within the last six months
What if I’m making a request from a foreign country?
If the country you are in requires a U.S. Passport for travel, you must also provide a copy of your passport with your application along with the other identification documents.
Fees
| ORDER TYPE | FEES (per copy) |
| Online or Phone Orders | $45 + $8 vendor processing fee per transaction (not per copy) |
| Walk-in Orders | $45 |
| Mail Orders | $30 |
Apply
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By Telephone:
Call VitalChek Toll Free at 1-877-854-4481
The Service is Available in English and Spanish
Call 24 hours a day, seven days a week
By Mail:
Send requests for regular handling to the following address:
New York State Department of Health
Vital Records Certification Unit
P.O. Box 2602
Albany, NY 12220-2602
On this page:
General Information
Homeless youth birth certificates
Veterans Administration (VA) birth certificates
Additional information
Birth certificate application forms
Related certificates
Office of Vital Records processing
times
The fastest way to get your birth certificate is through a Minnesota county vital records office. Apply in person or by mail.
One certified copy of a birth certificate costs $26. No-cost birth certificates are available for homeless youth and veterans. See the sections below for more information about no-cost birth
certificates.
You may get a birth certificate from:
- Any Minnesota county vital records office.
Check with the county office close to you about how they offer their services. County offices may print a birth certificate order while you wait.
- The Office of Vital Records at the Minnesota Department of
Health.
The Office of Vital Records does not have walk-in service. We accept applications by mail or fax. You must sign and date the application in front of a notary public before you send it.
General information
A birth certificate is an official legal document. It shows the subject’s name, sex, date and place of birth and parent information. A certified copy of your birth certificate is one of the documents you can use to apply for a Real ID driver’s license and other services. Fill out one of the birth certificate request forms below to order a certificate. If the birth record is confidential, you may not be able to get the certificate. The law specifies who may buy confidential birth certificates. For more information, see our Certificate Eligibility webpage.
You may also apply for a noncertified (informational) birth record. A noncertified copy costs $13. You cannot use the noncertified copy to apply for a Real ID driver’s license or other services. The application for a noncertified birth record application is here: Noncertified Birth Record Application (PDF). Read more about noncertified copies of birth records here: Noncertified Copies of Birth Records.
Homeless youth birth certificates
A homeless youth birth certificate is an official legal document. It expires six months from the date issued. You may request this certificate at no cost from any Minnesota vital records office if you are homeless, 24 years old or younger, and born in Minnesota.
You must complete the Homeless Youth Birth Certificate Application (PDF) and provide identification. You may provide acceptable identification or submit a Statement to Identify or an original or a copy of a signed Affidavit of Homeless Status form. The Affidavit of Homeless Status is valid for six months after it is signed.
See the Birth certificate for homeless youth fact sheet (PDF) for more information.
Veterans Administration (VA) birth certificates
A VA birth certificate is an official legal document. The VA birth certificate is printed with a statement across the top of the document that limits how you can use the certificate. Use a VA birth certificate to present a claim to the United States Veterans Administration. Or use it in connection with any veteran's organization or the Department of Veterans Affairs. Fill out the Birth Certificate Application (PDF) and on page two, complete Section F.
- The veteran named on the record
- The surviving spouse or next of kin of a veteran
- Service officers of veteran's organizations chartered by the U.S. Congress or the Department of Veterans Affairs
- Representatives of the Department of Veterans Affairs
Additional information
A birth record holds much of the information collected about the mother and child at the time of birth. A birth certificate is official documentation of a person’s birth.
Minnesota law lists who may obtain birth documents and the law limits who can buy certain birth documents.
You may buy a birth certificate for a person born in Minnesota from any Minnesota county vital records office. Or you may order a birth certificate from the state vital records office. For births before 1900, make your request to the county in which the birth occurred or the state vital records office.
If you have a parent notice, you can use it as your application form to request the birth certificate(s) for your newborn. You can also use the parent notice to correct the birth certificate before you buy it up until your child’s first birthday.
If you need to change the birth certificate after you buy one, you must request an amendment. See our Birth Record Amendments webpage.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security extended the REAL ID enforcement deadline to May 1, 2023. When you apply for your REAL ID, you must provide documents required by federal law. One document you can use is a certified copy of your birth certificate. If you were born in Minnesota, request your birth certificate now, and avoid the rush.
If you were born in another state, see Where to Write for Vital Records on the CDC website.
Birth certificate application forms
- Birth Certificate Application (PDF)
- Solicitud de copia certificada del acta de nacimiento - Spanish (PDF)
- Codsiga Shahaadada Dhalshada - Somali (PDF)
- Daim Ntawv Thov Ntawv Pov Thawj Yug - Hmong (PDF)
- Birth Certificate Application in the Karen Language (PDF)
- Homeless Youth Birth Certificate Application (PDF)
If you want a certificate for your stillborn child, see the Birth Resulting in Stillbirth webpage.
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Office of Vital Records processing times
As of November 17, 2022, the Office of Vital Records is mailing birth certificates from applications received on or before:
- October 24, 2022 - regular processing
- November 14, 2022 - rush processing
The Office of Vital Records deposits fees the day it receives them; this is before we review and process your request.
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