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Birth and Death Records

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Order a Certificate through vitalchek  

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How to Order

Go to: Birth and Death Certificates | Corrections | Required Documents

VitalChek: Only Authorized Online Vendor

For the fastest service, order certified copies online through VitalChek, which is the only vendor authorized by the Health Department to process birth and death certificate orders.

There are unauthorized vendors charging customers high fees for help getting a birth or death certificate. If you ordered a certificate through an unauthorized vendor and would like to file a complaint, visit the NYC Department of Consumer Protection or call 311.


You can order birth and death certificates online, by mail or in person. Certificate corrections can only be requested by mail or in person. All in-person orders require an appointment. Click here to schedule an appointment online.

If you are unable to schedule an in-person appointment and have an emergency request related to travel, health care coverage, government services, military, housing or employment, call 311, or email nycdohvr@health.nyc.gov for ordering a birth or death certificate, or correctionsunit2@health.nyc.gov for corrections. In your email, include current photo ID and documents showing that you have an emergency, such as a paid plane ticket, letter from an employer with a job start date, or letter from a government agency with an appointment date.

The Health Department recommends ordering birth and death certificates online. This is the fastest way to receive your certificate.

For information on how long it will take to process a request and how much it will cost, see Birth and Death Records: Fees and Processing Times.

If you are an attorney and are requesting a birth certificate on behalf of a registrant or parent of a registrant, see ordering instructions on our Birth Certificates page.


Birth and Death Certificates

Online

For the fastest service, order copies directly through VitalChek:

Online orders can be completed only if your name appears on the certificate or you are entitled to the certificate.

Mail

Applications must be mailed to the address on the application form:

NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
125 Worth Street, Room CN-4, Room 119
New York, NY 10013

Your application should also include the application fees and a current photo ID.

Standard first-class U.S. postal service mail is not tracked. Tracking can be done online at the customer's expense by any express mail courier service. If you requested a confidential medical report/cause of death, it will be mailed to you separately after the death certificate.

In-Person

All in-person orders require an appointment. Click here to schedule an appointment online. If you are unable to schedule an appointment and have an emergency request related to travel, health care coverage, government services, military, housing or employment, email nycdohvr@health.nyc.gov or call 311. Our office is open Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

In-person orders can only be processed for birth records from 1920 to present (if named on record) or death records from 1970 to present.

You must provide a photocopy of Category 1 identification or original copies of identification from Category 2. See below for more information on required documents.

Records for pre-adoptions, non-electronic records and older records will not be issued the same day as the request and should be submitted online or by mail.


Corrections

Mail

All applications must be mailed to the address listed on the application form:

NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
125 Worth Street, CN-4, Room 144
New York, NY 10013

Your application should also include the application fees and a current photo ID.

In Person

All in-person orders require an appointment. Click here to schedule an appointment online. If you are unable to schedule an appointment and have an emergency request related to travel, health care coverage, government services, military, housing or employment, email correctionsunit2@health.nyc.gov or call 311. Our office is open Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.


Required Documents

The following types of ID are accepted for mailed or in-person requests.

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Identity Proof (Category 1)

Submit any one of the following, as long as it includes your photo, your signature and is not expired:

  • Driver's license or non-driver's I.D. from any state or U.S. territory
  • IDNYC — Municipal ID
  • Public benefit card
  • U.S. or foreign passport
  • U.S. certificate of naturalization
  • Military ID card
  • Employee ID with photo, verifiable employer and recent pay stub
  • MTA reduced-fare Metro Card
  • Student ID and current transcript from an accredited and verifiable institution
  • Inmate photo I.D. with release papers

Residency/Address Proof (Category 2)

If you do not have any of the above Category 1 identity proof, you may instead provide proof of address. You will need two of the following documents, dated within the past 60 days, if they show your name and address:

  • Utility bills (online bills can be downloaded from your provider)
  • Letter from a government agency to the applicant, in the name of the applicant

Your certificate will be mailed to the address on the documents provided.

If you cannot provide Category 1 or 2 identification, email nycdohvr@health.nyc.gov for orders or correctionsunit2@health.nyc.gov for corrections.


Chat: For more help ordering a certificate, you can chat online with an operator, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.