A certified birth certificate in Georgia costs $25 for the first copy and $5 for each additional copy ordered at the same time.1Georgia Department of Public Health. Fees That base price covers the state’s search of its records plus one certified copy. What you actually pay can run higher once you factor in how you order and whether you need extras like an apostille or a correction.
What the Base Fee Covers
The $25 fee pays for the search itself and one certified copy of the record. Additional copies ordered in the same request are $5 apiece, so three copies at once comes to $35.1Georgia Department of Public Health. Fees Fees are non-refundable once the search is performed, even if no record is found.
The Office of Vital Records holds Georgia birth records from January 1919 to the present.2Georgia Department of Public Health. Birth Records For births before 1919, the state cannot help; you would need to contact the county where the birth occurred or the Georgia Archives.
Fees That Can Raise Your Total
How you place the order changes the final bill.
Online orders through the state portal add an $8 processing fee on top of the $25 per copy.3Georgia.gov. Order a Birth or Death Certificate The three approved online vendors — GO Certificates, ROVER, and VitalChek — each charge their own service fees, which vary by vendor and can push the total meaningfully higher than the state’s base price.2Georgia Department of Public Health. Birth Records Comparing vendors before you check out is worth the minute it takes.
Walking into a county vital records office and paying with cash avoids every processing surcharge. In-person payment can also be made with debit or credit.1Georgia Department of Public Health. Fees Mail orders charge the base fee only but require a money order or cashier’s check; personal checks and cash are not accepted.4Georgia Department of Public Health. Order Georgia Birth and Death Records by Mail
Corrections and Amendments
Fixing an error on a birth certificate costs $10 for the amendment plus $25 for the new certified copy, for a total of $35.1Georgia Department of Public Health. Fees Corrections filed in the same calendar year as the birth are free.
Some amendments require a certified court order, such as changes based on a paternity determination or an adoption. The original court order or a certified copy with the court seal stays on file at the State Office of Vital Records.5Georgia Department of Public Health. Request Vital Records
Apostilles for Use Abroad
If you need the certificate for use in a country that participates in the Hague Apostille Convention, add $3 per document for the apostille, issued by the Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority.6Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority. General Apostille Information Processing normally takes one to two business days. The underlying birth certificate must be an official certified copy with the signature and seal of the issuing state or county official. Photocopies, laminated documents, and out-of-state certificates cannot receive a Georgia apostille.
Sample Totals
- One copy, in person with cash at a county office: $25
- Three copies, in person: $35
- One copy ordered online through the state portal: $33 plus any vendor service fee
- One copy by mail with money order: $25
- Correction plus one new certified copy: $35
- One copy with apostille for international use: $28, plus any ordering surcharge
How Fast You Need It Changes the Math
Mail and online orders typically take eight to ten weeks after the state receives payment and ID. If you have a passport application, school enrollment, or any other deadline, the fastest route is visiting a local county vital records office in person, where many requests are handled the same day. The State Office in Atlanta does not offer same-day service.7Georgia.gov. FAQs About Certificates Speed in Georgia is less about paying extra and more about choosing the right counter.
Who Is Allowed to Order One
The fee only matters if you qualify to request the record. Georgia limits certified birth certificates to the person named on the record, a parent listed on the certificate, a grandparent, an adult sibling, an adult child, a legal spouse, a legal guardian (or someone who has applied in good faith to become one), and anyone who demonstrates a legal right or claim that requires the certificate. Every requester must show a valid government-issued photo ID and documentation of their relationship to the person on the record. The state registrar can ask for additional information, including a sworn statement, before releasing a record.8Legal Information Institute. Georgia Comp R and Regs R 511-1-3-.33 – Disclosure of Vital Records and Information
If you show up without the right ID or proof of relationship, you lose both the trip and the fee: the search charge is still non-refundable.