Can you get your birth certificate at the health department

A birth certificate is an official recording of a birth that occurred in the state of Georgia. It is used for a number of reasons including but not limited to: 

• establishing one’s identity
• tax purposes
• enrolling in school
• applying for a driver’s license
• obtaining health insurance

At the State Office of Vital Records, birth records are available from January 1919 to the present. For records older than 1919, please contact the county in which the birth occurred or the Georgia Archives.

How do you request a certified copy of a birth certificate?

You may request a certified copy of a birth certificate from your local county office or the State Office of Vital Records. This request can be made in person or by mail. You can also request certified copies online using one of our approved third-party vendors (GO Certificates, ROVER, and Vital Chek).

Certificate Corrections

There are two types of corrections performed at the State Office of Vital Records.

Current Year Corrections (CYC): Current year corrections are defined as corrections made to the certificate within one year of the child’s birthday. There is no charge for current year corrections.

Affidavit for Current Year Correction

General Amendments: A general amendment is defined as a change that is made to a certificate after 1 year of age. Amendments can occur due to a legal name change, adoption, legitimation, adding of a spouse and/or paternity acknowledgement.

Birth Certificates are only issued to applicants having a direct and tangible interest to the registrant, i.e. immediate family members, and/or legal representatives of the family.

O.C.G.A. 31-10-26 (2010)

There are instances in which specific documentation is required based on who is requesting the record.

• The person named on the certificate- If the person named on the certificate (i.e. the registrant) is the requestor, that person must provide valid photo identification at the time of the request.
• The parent(s) named on the birth record- Must provide valid picture identification.
• An authorized legal guardian or agent- Any person who has legal custody or control of a minor child must provide a certified copy of the court order establishing guardianship and legal custody.
• Grandparents of the person named on the certificate- Must provide proof of relationship such as the birth certificate of the registrant’s parent.
• An adult child or adult sibling of the person named on the certificate-Must provide proof of relationship by providing a copy of his or her birth certificate listing one of the same parents, along with his or her valid government issued picture identification which includes signature.
• The spouse of the person named on the certificate- Must provide a copy of the marriage certificate, a photocopy of the spouse’s picture identification, which includes the spouse’s signature, with a notarized letter from the spouse giving permission.
• Attorney- Must represent an immediate family member and provide a notarized letter on letterhead signed by the attorney; provide bar number indicating reason for the request and whom they represent; provide supporting documentation with the fee; provide a notarized release from the biological mother, in the event of an adoption.
• State or Federal Government Officials- The State Registrar or the local custodian may disclose data from Vital Records to authorized representatives of Federal, State, or County agencies of government which request such data in the conduct of their official duties.

ADH is pleased to offer vital records services in every county. Click here to see your Local Public Health Unit. 

Q: How much do birth certificates cost? ORDER NOW

The cost of a birth record is $12.00 for the first copy and $10.00 for each additional copy of the same record that is ordered at the same time. If you choose to order online through Vital Records, a $5.00 standard processing fee and a $1.85 non-refundable identity verification fee will be charged in addition to the cost of any expedited shipping options you select. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep $12.00 for a search fee. The processing fee for online orders is also non-refundable. However, you will receive a refund of any amount you paid apart from these fees.

Q: How can I obtain a birth certificate?

Eligible individuals (click here to see the list of eligible individuals) may order a birth certificate by any of the following methods:

• Online: You may order a copy of a birth record online in minutes through Vital Records.  Multiple expedited shipping options are available through this service. Pay the service fee, certificate fee, and charges for any expedited shipping options by debit or credit card (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, or American Express). Requests typically take 7-14 business days from the date your order is approved plus additional shipping time. 

• By Mail: You may order a certified copy of the birth record by mailing in a completed application (available here or from your local health unit) a check or money order made out to Arkansas Department of Health (no cash or temporary checks), and a copy or copies of acceptable ID to:

            Arkansas Department of Health
            Vital Records, Slot 44
            4815 West Markham Street
            Little Rock, AR 72205

Please allow 10-14 days for processing, in addition to mail delivery time.

• Walk-in: You may order a certified copy of the birth record by coming into the Arkansas Department of Health’s vital records office. The office is located at 4815 West Markham St. Little Rock, AR 72205, across the street from War Memorial Stadium, and is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 A.M. until 4:30 P.M. The office is closed on state holidays. Most certificate requests can be fulfilled the same day for customers arriving by 4:00 P.M., provided they are eligible to receive the certificate requested and have all the required information, including acceptable ID (see above). However, same day service is not guaranteed for non-routine requests such as certificate corrections, court orders, paternity affidavits, and genealogical requests prior to 1935. Customers who arrive in the office after 4:00 P.M. may pick up their request the following day or may ask that it be mailed.  Walk-in payment options are cash, credit or debit cards, or a check or money order made out to Arkansas Department of Health (no temporary checks are permitted).
• Telephone: You may order a copy of the birth record via telephone toll-free at (866) 209-9482. Multiple expedited shipping options are available through this service. Payment of service fee, certificate fee, and charges for any expedited shipping options may be made by debit or credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express).

Q: Who should I contact with additional questions about ordering a birth certificate?

If you have questions on registering, amending, or obtaining copies of vital records, please contact the Arkansas Department of Health Vital Records Office at: 

Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm, with the exception of state holidays.

If you are having technical difficulties,  click here, and fill out the online form and submit.

Q: How can I check on the status of my vital record order?

To obtain the status of an order you have submitted, use the "Check Order Status" service. Simply enter your confirmation number to view your status.

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