North Carolina Vital Records
Requesting Certificates in North Carolina
| Effective September 1, 2004, we will require that a standard form be signed and submitted to document all requests for copies of certificates. The required forms can be found elsewhere on this page. |
Information Needed
In order to process a request, Vital Records needs to know:
| Birth Certificate |
- Full Name on Certificate
- Date of Birth
- Mother's Full Maiden Name
- Father's Full Name
- Place (City or County) of Birth
|
| Death Record |
- Full Name of Deceased
- Date of Death
- Place (City or County) of Death
- Date of Birth
|
| Marriage Record |
- Full Name of Groom
- Full Name of Bride
- Date of Marriage
- Place (City or County) Where License Was Issued
|
| Divorce Record |
- Full Name of Husband
- Full Name of Wife
- Date of Divorce
- Place (City or County) of Divorce
|
In addition, in order to receive a certified copy, you must provide the requestor's relationship to the person named on the record. If the requestor is not of the immediate family, a brief statement as to why the certificate is needed MUST be included.
N.C. General Statute 130A-93(c) specifies who is entitled to a certified (as opposed to an uncertified) copy of a vital record.
| Note: Under North Carolina Law (G.S. 130A-26A), it is a felony violation to fraudulently request a certified copy of a vital record or obtain, possess, sell, furnish, use, or attempt to use for any purpose of deception a North Carolina birth certificate. |
Costs
- A fee of $15 is charged for each name searched in a five-year period, regardless of the search results as per G.S. 130A-93.1. If the record is located, one certified or uncertified copy of the record will be provided at no additional cost. Additional copies of the same record, when requested at the same time, are $5 each.
- These fees are for a search, regardless of the results. Search fees are not refundable. Any additional request to search in 5-year increments for records outside of the original 5-year period will cost an additional $15 fee.
Requests
Requests for copies of vital record certificates can be processed online or by fax or phone by having a credit card and making a request using a private company that offers expedited credit card service. Credit card service is only available online, or by fax or telephone (1-800-669-8310) and is not provided by NC Vital Records but by a private corporation, VitalChek Network, Inc. at http://www.vitalchek.com/
Mail Requests:
Select the form you need below. You can fill out the form on your computer and then print it out and sign it, or print the blank form and fill it out by hand.
Send the completed form with check or money order in the correct amount to North Carolina Vital Records, 1903 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1903. Due to the high demand, it will take approximately 6-8 weeks to complete your request.
To view and print these applications, you will need to download the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.
In - Person Requests:
Individuals may visit the office on the first floor of the Cooper Memorial Health Building at 225 N. McDowell Street, Raleigh, N.C. between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday – Friday, except on state government holidays. Parking is available on the north (Lane Street) side of the Cooper Building. Customers should bring a valid photo ID and non-refundable $15 search fee for each request. Copies of the same certificate are $5 if requested at the same time. You will be asked to fill out an application upon arrival or you may bring a completed one with you (see above for required forms). Walk-in requests for same day service are subject to an additional $15 expedited services fee and will usually be fulfilled in about one hour. Customers are encouraged to leave completed requests forms with us for a mailed response to avoid the extra fee for same day services.
North Carolina Vital Records
1903 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1903
(919) 733-3526
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Page last updated May 10, 2005