Request Birth Certificates

The Division of Vital Records' lobby is open to service all customers by appointment only.

Certificates may also be ordered by mail (see below) or at some local health departments. Please click here to get more information on the location closest to you.

The Following Persons May Apply:

An individual requesting his/her own birth certificate.
A parent named on the certificate.
A court-appointed guardian of the individual named on the certificate. A foster care appointment is not acceptable; proof of guardianship must be submitted.
A surviving spouse of the individual named on the certificate.
A representative of: (1) the individual or a parent named on the certificate; or (2) the court-appointed guardian of the individual named on the certificate. The representative must have a letter signed by the individual, parent, or guardian, and certified by a notary public, stating that the representative has permission to obtain a copy of the certificate.

Order Certificate

To Order Online:

To order online, visit www.vitalchek.com.

For your convenience, you can process online requests through an independent company that we have partnered with to provide you this service, VitalChek Network, Inc. An additional fee is charged by VitalChek for using this service, and all major credit cards are accepted, including American Express®, Discover®, MasterCard® or Visa®.

Neither our office nor VitalChek have control over the services and fees other Internet vendors offer and charge, nor can we guarantee the confidentiality of any vital record data provided to vendors other than VitalChek.

To Order by Mail:

Download an application for a copy of a Birth Certificate:

Download (PDF) (requires Adobe Reader - free download)

Descargue el formulario bilingüe (Inglés / Español) (necesita Adobe Reader - descárgelo gratis)

To obtain a birth certificate, complete and mail the application with your payment, a self-addressed envelope, and a photo copy of your Identification to the Division of Vital Records, P.O. Box 68760, Baltimore, MD 21215-0036. Acceptable forms of payment are check or money order made payable to the Division of Vital Records. (Note that expedited shipping is not available when ordering by mail.)

For a recorded message about birth certificates, call (410) 764-3038 (Baltimore local) or (800) 832-3277 (toll-free).

Additional Services

Creating A New Birth Certificate: A person born in Maryland, whose birth was never registered, may apply for a delayed certificate of birth. Contact the Division of Vital Records at 410-764-3038 for further information. A new birth certificate may also be prepared in the case of:

Adoption (Below are documents describing how to request a certificate for adopted children.)

Legitimation
Adjudication of paternity
Sex change*
Diagnosis of an intersex condition*

Commemorative birth certificates suitable for framing are available. Proceeds from these certificates benefit the Children's Trust Fund.Click here for more information.