Family Tree Circles Locations
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Ohio
Locations
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Wiki
State Offices
Ohio Department of Health
Vital Statistics
225 Neilston Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Mailing Address:
Ohio Department of Health
Vital Statistics
P.O. Box 15098
Columbus, Ohio 43215-0098
Tel: (614) 466-2531
Tel: (614) 466-3543
Fax: (614) 564-2422
Email: vitalstat@odh.ohio.gov
Website
Ohio Vital Records issues certified copies of Ohio birth certificates and Ohio death certificates for events for events that occurred within the State of Ohio.
Ohio marriage records and Ohio divorce records are maintained in the county where the marriage or divorce occurred. You may order copies of Ohio vital records through VitalChek on an expedited basis.
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.
Online Ordering - The state Office of Vital Statistics now offers online ordering of birth certificates. Orders can be placed online with no additional fees. Turnaround is estimated at 3 to 6 weeks from the day the request is received, not including additional time for mailing. Please note that no rush orders are available through this service;
Mail-In - Turn around is estimated at 3 to 6 weeks from the day the request is received. However, people are urged to allow sufficient time for delivery for all birth/death records. Mail a check or money order for $21.50 for each certified certificate;
Walk-In - Same day service is available to walk-in customers. This is the fastest way to obtain a birth certificate. When you arrive, you will complete an application and pay the $21.50 required fee by cash, check or money order;
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
Location:
Ohio Department of Health
Vital Statistics
225 Neilston Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Mailing Address:
Ohio Department of Health
Vital Statistics
P.O. Box 15098
Columbus, Ohio 43215-0098
Tel: (614) 466-2531
Tel: (614) 466-3543
Fax: (614) 564-2422
Email: vitalstat@odh.ohio.gov
Website
State law restricts access to the registrant's Immediate Family members or those who represent tangible proof of legal interest in the requested record.
Ohio Vital Records issues only certified copies of Ohio birth certificates which are typically acceptable for passport, social security, employment, personal identification and other legal purposes. You may order copies of Ohio birth certificates for yourself or a family member.
Fee: $21.50 per copy
Time-frame: since December 20,
1908
Notes: Additional copies of the same birth
records ordered at the same time of certification are $21.50
each.
Remarks: For earlier birth and death records, write to the Probate Court in the county where the event occurred.
Celebrate the birth of a baby or a special birthday of a loved one by purchasing one of Ohio's new, certified heirloom birth certificates.
All certificates are printed on 8.5 by 11 inch high quality paper with a raised seal, which allows them to be used for official business in addition to display.
For more information contact:
Ohio Department of Health
Revenue Room
P.O. Box 15098
Columbus, Ohio 43215-0098
Remarks: For only $25.00 you will have a legal document that can be passed from generation to generation as a cherished keepsake. The proceeds go to further a good cause: Ohio's Family and Children First Initiative.
The Ohio Department of Health, Office of Vital Statistics, houses birth and adoption records of persons born in Ohio and adopted anywhere in the United States.
For more information contact:
Ohio Department of Health
Office of Vital Statistics
P.O. 118
Columbus, Ohio 43216-0118
Telephone: (614) 466-2531
Adoption records open to people who were born and adopted in Ohio, with proper identification.
Adoption records are sealed and only opened by a probate court order (H.B. 84).
Adoption records are open to adoptive parents when the adopted person is between 18-21 years of age. If the adopted person is 21 years or older, the records are open to the adoptee. (H.B. 419).
Corrections on certificates are orders from a probate court correcting errors/mistakes on the original birth record. You may call the Probate Court in the county in which you reside to get a list of required documents.
Establishment of a new birth record in the Ohio Vital Statistics office requires a certified copy of the court order of correction. The court order must have been granted by an Ohio Probate Court.
Remarks: Whenever the correction ordered in the birth record involves a change in the child's name, sex, race, or natural father, a new birth record is established. You may be able to use a simple affidavit to correct some items, such as one letter in a name.
A paternity or legitimization is any action taken by a parent to add a father to your child's birth certificate. In some cases you may also be given an opportunity to change your child's name during the paternity process.
The only way to remove a father or change a father is through a local Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA) or juvenile court.
Contact:
Ohio Department of Health
Revenue Room
246 N. High Street
P.O. 15098
Columbus, Ohio 43215-0098
Columbus Local Phone: 614-224-8909
Notes: There are several ways to establish paternity/legitimization for a child. Each action is governed by its own law and regulations.
Remarks: The Ohio Department of Health does not charge a fee to change your child's birth certificate. If you would like to have a copy of the new record after the amendment has taken place.
The Acknowledgment of Paternity Affidavit is for women who are not married at the time of the child's birth, or has not been married within 300 days from the date of conception.
This document is generated from either the hospital at the time of the child's birth, local health department, or a Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA).
Contact:
Paternity Enhancement Program
131 North High Street
Suite 320
Columbus, Ohio 43215Columbus Local Phone: 614-224-8909
Note: You cannot remove a father from your child's birth certificate with this document.
Remarks: The biological father and mother must complete an affidavit to be placed on the original birth certificate. No signatures of the parents are required on the original birth certificate.
A Determination of Paternity (DOP) (HEA 3029) is an Ohio Department of Health form that can be submitted by either a juvenile court with a court order or a Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA) with DNA results to establish a parent-child relationship.
It authorizes paternal changes to a child's birth certificate, such as adding the father's information or changing the child's name, if you choose to do so.
Note: The CSEA will refer you to Juvenile Court when they are unable to assist in your situation. The Juvenile Court can and will make the decisions regarding paternity and your child's birth certificate.
Remarks: When submitting these documents to change your child's birth certificate, you must submit a Certified Copy, meaning that it must contain an original signature or raised seal from the CSEA or court.
Authentications are in the form of either an apostille or a gold seal certificate for use overseas. To have a vital record authenticated, the vital record must be forwarded to the Secretary of State of Ohio.
Any birth certificate purchased from our office will be returned to the customer, who is responsible for verifying that information before submitting it to the Secretary of State with payment for an authentication.
Contact:
Secretary of State's Office
180 E. Broad Street, Suite 103
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 728-9200
Born Outside of USA:
To obtain a birth certificate for children born outside the United States and born to U.S. parents, contact:
Contact:
U.S. Dept. of State
Passport Services, Correspondence Branch
1111 19th Street NW, Suite 510
Washington, DC 20522-1705
Telephone: (202) 955-0307
Remarks: For more information contact that Office at (614) 728-9200 or http://www.sos.state.oh.us/SOS/authentication.aspx.
Death
Location:
Ohio Department of Health
Vital Statistics
225 Neilston Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Mailing Address:
Ohio Department of Health
Vital Statistics
P.O. Box 15098
Columbus, Ohio 43215-0098
Tel: (614) 466-2531
Tel: (614) 466-3543
Fax: (614) 564-2422
Email: vitalstat@odh.ohio.gov
Website
State law restricts access to death certificates to the deceased registrant's (also called decedent) Immediate Family members or those who represent tangible proof of legal interest in the requested record.
Ohio Vital Records issues only certified copies of Ohio death certificates that can typically be used to obtain death benefits, to claim insurance proceeds and for other legal purposes. Anyone can order copies of Ohio death certificates.
Fee: $21.50 per copy
Time-frame: since January 1,
1954.
Notes: Additional copies of the same birth
records ordered at the same time of certification are $21.50
each.
Remarks: For earlier death records, write to the Probate Court in the county where the event occurred.
The definition of "Stillbirth" means that an infant suffered a fetal death. A free certificate of stillbirth can be obtained from January 1, 1954 to the present from the Ohio Department of Health, Office of Vital Statistics.
Remarks: Effective September 12, 2008: Senate Bill 175 allows either parent the ability to apply to file for a fetal death certificate at the local health department if the product of conception is less than 20 weeks.
The legal definition of "Fetal death" means "death prior to the complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of human conception.
After such expulsion or extraction does not breathe or show any other evidence of life such as beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord, or definite movement of voluntary muscles."
Remarks: Ohio Revised Code: § 3705.20. Fetal death certificate: A fetal death shall be registered on a fetal death certificate form.
Marriage
Location:
Ohio Department of Health
Office of Vital Statistics
P.O. Box 15098
Columbus, Ohio 43215-0098
Mailing Address:
Franklin County Probate Court
ATTN: Marriage Records
373 S. High St., 22nd Floor
Columbus, OH 43215-6311
Tel: (614) 466-2531
Tel: (614) 466-3543
Fax: (614) 564-2422
Email: vitalstat@odh.ohio.gov
Website
For certified copies of marriage records, please write to the Probate Court in the county where the event occurred.
Fee: $3.00 per copy
Time-frame: since January 1,
1950.
Notes: Additional copies of the same birth
records ordered at the same time of certification are $3.00
each.
Remarks: Copies of marriage records are not available from the State Health Department. Inquiries will be referred to appropriate office.
Divorce
Location:
Ohio Department of Health
Office of Vital Statistics
P.O. Box 15098
Columbus, Ohio 43215-0098
Mailing Address:
Ohio Department of Health
Vital Statistics
P.O. Box 15098
Columbus, Ohio 43215-0098
Tel: (614) 466-2531
Tel: (614) 466-3543
Fax: (614) 564-2422
Email: vitalstat@odh.ohio.gov
Website
Certified copies are not available from the State Health Department.
Fee: $3.00 per copy
Time-frame: January 1, 1954.
Notes: Additional copies of the same birth
records ordered at the same time of certification are $3.00
each.
Remarks: For certified copies of divorces, please write to county Clerk of Courts where the divorce was granted.
