How to make copy of birth certificate

Long forms provide more information and are an actual copy of the original certificate. This form is available for births that occurred in Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee after January 1, 1966. In most cases, long forms are available within thirty days following birth.

Identification Requirements

Identification is required to obtain a certified copy of a birth certificate. An example of proper identification is a copy of your valid driver's license. Please send this in along with your completed application and payment.

If the person picking up the form is not the one requesting the birth certificate, then a separate letter authorizing pick up is required along with copy of that person's valid ID.

Fees

  • Birth Certificates (Long Form): $15
  • Each additional copy of birth record: $15
  • Certified birth abstract issued to another government agency: $15

Forms

  • Download the Application for True Copy of Certificate of Birth in Adobe Acrobat format.
  • Download the Home Birth Application in Adobe Acrobat format.

Get Copies in Person

Applications for birth certificates are accepted between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Vital Records office.

Get Copies by Mail

To apply for birth certificates please print a copy of the application form and mail it to Vital Records.

Questions?

Call 615-340-5611 for more information about Birth Certificates.

New York State Department of Health can provide copies of birth certificates for individuals born outside of New York City’s five boroughs.

Average Time of Transaction

Get a Copy of a Birth Certificate

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Overview

Who is eligible to obtain a birth certificate copy?

  • The person named on the birth certificate
  • A parent of the person named on the birth certificate whose name appears on the birth certificate
  • A spouse, child or other person who has an order from a New York State Court to obtain a copy of a birth certificate

*For births in the five boroughs of New York City, contact the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

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:

  1. Gather the necessary identifying information (See list below)
  2. Complete the application online, by telephone or by mail
  3. 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.
  1. 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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OR

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

Applying for a passport, driver’s license, or enrolling children in a new school are procedures that require an official birth certificate copy to be presented.

The easiest way to obtain a legal copy of a birth certificate that has full official validity is to order a certified copy of a birth certificate online. The resulting document will be suitable for official business as well as proving an individual’s identity, age, and citizenship.

To get a legal copy of a birth certificate, applicants need to fill out a simple online form with the record holder’s basic information. Depending on the state the citizen was born in, the birth certificate may be issued in long-form or short-form and require the applicant to be the record holder, a direct relative, or another eligible individual.

Can I Photocopy My Own Birth Certificate?

In most states, it's _not _illegal to obtain a birth certificate photocopy of your _own _records for personal use —unless, of course, your purpose is to commit fraud.

However, it is illegal to photocopy a third person’s vital records with out their consent.

Certain employers require new hires to provide a certified copy of their birth certificate and make a photocopy _with _the citizen’s consent to keep on file for the public's safety.

Other businesses photocopy passports, driver's licenses, and bank statements as part of their routine background checks, which is legal as long as the record holder has consented.

Those who need a copy of their own —or their child’s— birth certificate to have on file should keep any duplicates in a safe deposit box or other secure location to prevent fraud, just as they would keep certified copies.

Have a birth certificate copy and not sure whether it is an official certified copy? Read our quick guide on how to determine whether a birth certificate is official.

Are Birth Certificate Photocopies Legally Valid?

Even in states where photocopying a birth certificate is _not _illegal, the resulting document bears no legal validity. In other words, a birth certificate photocopy isn’t acceptable for official business.

If simple photocopies of a birth certificate were considered legally valid, fraud and **identity theft would likely skyrocket**. Furthermore, legal copies of birth certificates falling into the wrong hands could result in significant damage to the record holder’s identity.

Can I Notarize a Photocopy of a Birth Certificate?

A notary’s primary role is to authenticate documents in order to prevent fraud. In certain states, including Colorado, notaries are authorized to make a certified copy of an original document.

Nevertheless, a notary may _not _make a certified copy of a copy because of the risk of document tampering and fraud.

In this sense, it is useful to clear up the confusion about what constitutes an _original _birth record.

Original birth records are submitted by the hospital to the Vital Records Office after a child is born. The original documents are kept under lock and key at the agency to protect the citizen’s identity.

The document handed to new parents at the hospital after their baby is born is meant to be kept as a keepsake and holds no validity as an official birth certificate.

After the hospital has sent the birth record to the Vital Records Office, parents can easily obtain an official or certified copy of the birth certificate by ordering online. They will then receive a certified copy of the original birth certificate delivered by post to their preferred address.

The document issued by the Vital Records Office would be —a legal copy of the birth certificate—not the original. Since the certified copy of the birth certificate is issued by the Vital Records Office and bears a raised, embossed, multicolored seal, it does not need to be notarized. —Read more about notarizing birth certificates.

How can I obtain a copy of my birth certificate?

You can apply for a birth extract online using the e-Service. Only the following persons are eligible to apply for a birth extract: The birth certificate holder (aged 21 years and above) Parent of the birth certificate holder.

How do I replace my birth certificate in Singapore?

Once a birth certificate is lost and a replacement is required, applicant has to apply for a birth extract. All applications for a certified extract of these records have to be made on the requisite application forms. Applications can be made in person or via the Internet. The BC holder or his parents.

How do I replace my UK birth certificate?

You need to register on the General Register Office ( GRO ) website to get a copy of a birth, adoption, death, marriage or civil partnership certificate in England and Wales. You can use this service to research your family tree. Order with the GRO index reference number.

Is it illegal to copy a birth certificate in Wisconsin?

One of the most commonly used documents for fraud is a birth record. It is because of this, Wisconsin State Statutes make it illegal to photocopy a vital record and use it as legal proof of birth.