Family Tree Circles Locations
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Wiki
Offices
New York State Office Location
New York State Department of Health
Vital Records Section
Certification Unit
800 North Pearl Street
Menands, NY 12204
Mailing Address:
New York State Department of Health
Vital Records Section
Certification Unit
P.O. Box 2602
Albany, NY 12220-2602
Tel: (518) 474-3075
Email: vr@health.state.ny.us
Website
The Municipal Archives has records of births reported in the five Boroughs of New York City (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island), prior to 1910; deaths reported prior to 1949, and marriages reported prior to 1930.
For a complete description of our vital records collection, please see a list of the Municipal Archives Holdings.
If you are a resident of a county affected by the recent disaster associated with Hurricane Irene or Tropical Storm Lee, fees for replacement of your lost or damaged certificates have been waived. Please click on the link below for more information.
For information on obtaining genealogy copies, links to other resources and to download an application form.
New York City Office Location
NYC Health Department
Office of Vital Records
125 Worth Street, CN4, Rm. 133
New York, NY 10013
Tel: (212) 639-9675
Email: nycdohvr@health.nyc.gov
Website
Please note that New York State Vital Records outside the five boroughs of New York City are maintained by New York State Department of Health.
Remarks: All individuals requesting a
certified copy of a record, must present/submit copies of positive
signed identification, including, but not limited to, a driver's
license, passport or other picture identification.
Full-Colored Heirloom Certificate
The NYC Department of Records is pleased to offer "presentation quality" copies of certificates. Computer-scanned from the actual original records, these copies are of the highest quality, printed on high-grade paper stock.
For that extra-special event, for framing purposes, or just for the family scrapbook, this quality reproduction is the next step.
Fee: $25.00
Reverse Copy: $10.00
Notes: Additional copies ordered at the same time
are $10.00 each.
Remarks: Certificates are provided for personal use only and may not be sold to another individual or institution. Permission must be obtained before any certificate may be published or reduplicated in any way (Form MA-45).
Options to obtain a certified copy:
Walk-In - Counter Service for requesting birth certificates through the Santa Fe State Office is available Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Counter hours are subject to change during Holidays or other infrequent closings;
By Mail - Certified copies of birth, death, marriage and divorce certificates may be ordered directly from the New York State Department of Health Vital Records Section. Two levels of service are offered;
-
Priority handling is available for an additional fee (see fees below). Requests submitted for priority handling require up to two (2) to four (4) weeks to process from the day they are received.
-
Regular handling is where requests are submitted for regular handling will be processed within six (6) to eight (8) weeks from the day they are received.
By Phone - Internet and telephone requests receive priority handling. The $45.00 fee for each certified copy of a birth, marriage, death or divorce certificate requested includes a $15.00 (per copy) priority handling fee.
VitalCheck - Secured online applications to request for vital records, which accepts all major credit card payments, can be made through VitalCheck with an additional charge for their service.
Vital Records
Birth
New York State Office Location
New York State Department of Health
Vital Records Section
Certification Unit
800 North Pearl Street
Menands, NY 12204
Mailing Address:
New York State Department of Health
Vital Records Section
Certification Unit
P.O. Box 2602
Albany, NY 12220-2602
Tel: (518) 474-3075
Email: vr@health.state.ny.us
Website
State office has records since 1881. For records before 1914 in Albany, Buffalo, and Yonkers, or before 1880 in any other city, write to Registrar of Vital Statistics in city where event occurred. For the rest of the State, except New York City, write to State office.
Fee: $30.00 per copy
Time-frame: since 1881.
Notes: Additional copies of the same birth
records ordered at the same time of certification are $15.00
each.
Remarks: Please note that the borough of Kings is sometimes referred to as Brooklyn and the borough of Staten Island is sometimes referred to as Richmond.
While adoption and birth records remain confidential and under court seal, an adoptee who was born and adopted in New York State, the birth parent of that adoptee or the biological sibling of that adoptee can register with the Adoption Information Registry to obtain certain kinds of information.
The Registry helps adoptees obtain available non-identifying information about their birth parents and enables the reunion of registered adoptees with their birth parents and biological siblings.
Remarks: The Registry provides a place for birth parents to file medical information updates which may be shared with registered adoptees.
Acknowledgment of Paternity
An Acknowledgment of Paternity signed by both the mother and the father will legally establish who the child's father is. An Acknowledgment of Paternity will have the same force and effect as a court order establishing paternity for the child.
The Putative Father Registry is the state registry which maintains a record of the name and address of persons who acknowledge paternity or who have been determined by a court to be the father of a child born out of wedlock.
Remarks: The Putative Father Registry may only release the name and address of such persons upon request to a court or authorized agency or to another person but only by order of a court.
New York City Office Location
NYC Health Department
Office of Vital Records
125 Worth Street, CN4, Rm. 133
New York, NY 10013
Tel: (212) 639-9675
Email: nycdohvr@health.nyc.gov
Website
The Office of Vital Records issues birth certificates for individuals who were born in one of the five boroughs of New York City (Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, or Staten Island) since 1910.
Fee: $15.00 per copy
Time-frame: since 1910
Notes: Additional copies of the same birth
records ordered at the same time of certification are $10.00
each.
Remarks: For birth records issued prior to 1910, please click here. If you would like to mail an application to the NYC Health Department, please be aware that applications must be notarized and processing time is at least 30 days.
Ordering Birth Certificates:
- Express Orders
The easiest and fastest way to order a certificate is online. Ordering online allows you to avoid the lines experienced by those applying in-person.
Another option is to go to the NYC Health Department and place your order in-person. Bring a valid form of photo identification with you.
- Non-Express Orders
If you submit forms that require original documents, you can mail this information. Applications sent by mail must be notarized and take at least 30 days to be processed. You must include an application to send your request by mail.
- Attorney Requests
Attorneys may submit requests for NYC birth certificates on behalf of their clients only when following these instructions (For non profit agencies representing individuals without identification or permanent address, please email the details to nycdohvr@health.nyc.gov).
Correcting a NYC Birth Certificate
Call the hospital of birth when submitting a correction for a child 12 months of age or younger. Corrections submitted directly through the hospital are usually processed more quickly and are free of charge within 12 months of birth.
If you still have questions about how to make a correction, look at these frequently asked questions. Use the following instructions when adding the first and/or middle name of your child.
Newborn Certificates & Social Security Cards
Birth certificates for newborns are automatically mailed about a month after the child's birth at no charge. We cannot provide information about the status of your child's certificate until three weeks after the child's birth.
If you applied for a Social Security card for your new baby while at the hospital at the time of birth, it will be sent to you within one month. You can check the status of your new card. If you did not request a Social Security card at the hospital and would like to request one, please visit this website or call 800-772-1213.
Click here to learn how to add the Name of your Child
Death
New York State Office Location
New York State Department of Health
Vital Records Section
Certification Unit
800 North Pearl Street
Menands, NY 12204
Mailing Address:
New York State Department of Health
Vital Records Section
Certification Unit
P.O. Box 2602
Albany, NY 12220-2602
Tel: (518) 474-3075
Email: vr@health.state.ny.us
Website
State office has records since 1881. For records before 1914 in Albany, Buffalo, and Yonkers, or before 1880 in any other city, write to Registrar of Vital Statistics in city where event occurred. For the rest of the State, except New York City, write to State office.
Fee: $30.00 per copy
Time-frame: since 1881
Notes: Additional copies of the same birth
records ordered at the same time of certification are $15.00
each.
Remarks: Please note that the borough of Kings is also referred to as Brooklyn and the borough of Staten Island is also referred to as Richmond.
Death Certificates with Cause of Death:
To order an updated copy of a death certificate that includes the Medical Examiner's cause of death, please follow these instructions. For all other death certificates, this information is available for deaths occurring on or after January 1, 2010.
You can be told the cause of death if you are the spouse or domestic partner of the person who has died or are the child, parent/legal guardian or the person in control of disposition as written on the death certificate.
Remarks: To get this information, check box #20 on the death certificate application and submit it in-person or by mail.
Medical facilities and funeral directors will file a Certificate of Spontaneous Termination of Pregnancy for stillbirths and miscarriages.
Upon request, one certificate is issued to the mother or funeral director free of charge.
Fee: $15.00 per copy
Notes: Additional copies of the same birth
records ordered at the same time of certification are $15.00
each.
Remarks: Please note that if your child was born with some evidence of life such as a heartbeat or voluntary muscle movement, you must apply for a death certificate.
New York City Office Location
NYC Health Department
Office of Vital Records
125 Worth Street, CN4, Rm. 133
New York, NY 10013
Tel: (212) 639-9675
Email: nycdohvr@health.nyc.gov
Website
The Office of Vital Records issues death certificates for individuals who died in one of the five boroughs of New York City (Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, or Staten Island) since 1949.
Fee: $15.00 per copy
Time-frame: since 1949
Notes: Additional copies of the same birth
records ordered at the same time of certification are $10.00
each.
Remarks: For death records issued prior to 1949, please click here. An application to send for a death certificate is available at the website.
Marriage
New York State Office Location
New York State Department of Health
Vital Records Section
Certification Unit
800 North Pearl Street
Menands, NY 12204
Mailing Address:
New York State Department of Health
Vital Records Section
Certification Unit
P.O. Box 2602
Albany, NY 12220-2602
Tel: (518) 474-3075
Email: vr@health.state.ny.us
Website
State office has records since 1881. For records before 1914 in Albany, Buffalo, and Yonkers, or before 1880 in any other city, write to Registrar of Vital Statistics in city where event occurred. For the rest of the State, except New York City, write to State office.
For records from 1880-1907 and licenses issued in the cities of Albany, Buffalo, or Yonkers, apply to--Albany: City Clerk, City Hall, Albany, NY 12207; Buffalo: City Clerk, City Hall, Buffalo, NY 14202; Yonkers: Registrar of Vital Statistics, Health Center Building, Yonkers, NY 10701.
Fee: $30.00 per copy
Time-frame: since 1880
Notes: Additional copies of the same birth
records ordered at the same time of certification are $15.00
each.
Remarks: Please note that the borough of Kings is also referred to as Brooklyn and the borough of Staten Island is also referred to as Richmond.
New York City Office Location
Office of the City Clerk
Municipal Building
1 Centre Street, Room 252 South
New York, New York 10007
Manhattan Borough:
City Clerk's Office
Municipal Building
New York, NY 10007
Bronx Borough:
City Clerk's Office
1780 Grand Concourse
Bronx, NY 10457
Brooklyn Borough:
City Clerk's Office
Municipal Building
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Queens Borough:
City Clerk's Office
120-55 Queens Boulevard
Kew Gardens, NY 11424
Staten Island Borough:
(no longer called Richmond)
City Clerk's Office
Staten Island Borough Hall
Staten Island, NY 10301
Tel: (212) 669-8090
Email: nycdohvr@health.nyc.gov
Website
Marriage records from 1996 to present can be obtained in person from any office of the New York City Clerk. Marriage records from 1930 to 1955 can be obtained solely in the Manhattan Office.
Always provide as specific information as possible about the marriage event. Precise and accurate information enables us to perform a thorough search and will result in a greater likelihood of locating the certificate.
Fee: $15.00 per copy
Time-frame: since 1996 |
1930 - 1955 Manhattan Office
Notes: Additional copies of the same birth
records ordered at the same time of certification are $10.00
each.
Remarks: Not all marriages were reported to the appropriate civil office. This is most frequently the case with marriages performed in Roman Catholic churches.
Divorce
Location:
New York State Office Location
New York State Department of Health
Vital Records Section
Certification Unit
800 North Pearl Street
Menands, NY 12204
Mailing Address:
New York State Department of Health
Vital Records Section
Certification Unit
P.O. Box 2602
Albany, NY 12220-2602
Tel: (518) 474-3075
Email: vr@health.state.ny.us
Website
This is the document prepared by the court, setting forth the terms and conditions of the divorce. It is signed by the judge and filed with the County Clerk of the County where the decree was issued. This is usually the County where the plaintiff resided. For information about obtaining a copy of a divorce decree, contact the appropriate County Clerk.
There is a divorce certificate filed with the New York State Department of Health for divorces granted on or after January 1, 1963. The divorce certificate contains basic information about the spouses, and the date and place the marriage ended.
Fee: $15.00 per copy
Time-frame: since 1963
Notes: Additional copies of the same birth
records ordered at the same time of certification are $10.00
each.
Remarks: Please note that if the divorce was granted before January 1, 1963, the divorce decree is the only type of document available.
