A certified copy of a birth certificate in Kansas costs $20 when you order directly from the state’s Office of Vital Statistics. If you order online or by phone, you also pay a separate processing fee to VitalChek, the third-party service the state uses for card payments. Walk-in and mail orders avoid that add-on.
What the $20 Actually Pays For
The $20 is technically a five-year record search fee, not a guaranteed certificate. If the office locates your record, you receive the certified copy. If it doesn’t, you still pay the $20 and get a letter saying no record was found.1Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE). Birth Certificate
Each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time is another $20.2Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Kansas Administrative Regulations 28-17-6 – Fees for Copies, Abstracts, and Searches So two copies cost $40, three copies cost $60, and so on.
Kansas also offers a decorative heirloom birth certificate for $40 per certified copy.2Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Kansas Administrative Regulations 28-17-6 – Fees for Copies, Abstracts, and Searches It is the same legal document in a presentation format, and it is optional.
How Much You Pay by Ordering Method
The state fee is the same regardless of how you order. What changes is whether you pay a service charge on top and how you can pay.
Mail: $20, No Add-On
A mail request sent to the Office of Vital Statistics costs only the $20 state fee per copy. You pay by check or money order made out to “Kansas Vital Statistics.” If you want faster return shipping, you can send the request by FedEx, UPS, or Express Mail and include a pre-paid, self-addressed priority envelope. The state fee doesn’t change; you only cover your own shipping.3Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Regular / Priority Mail
Online or Phone: $20 Plus a VitalChek Fee
Online orders go through VitalChek, which is also the service behind the state’s 24/7 phone line at 877-305-8315.4Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Ordering Birth Certificates by Internet5Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Telephone VitalChek charges its own processing fee on top of the $20, and the amount varies with the delivery speed you choose. The total is shown before you confirm the order. Payment is by credit or debit card in the name of the person placing the request.
Walk-In: $20, Credit Card Only
You can request a certificate in person at the Office of Vital Statistics in Topeka, Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The fee is $20 per copy, payable by credit card.6Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Walk-in Only the person who placed the request can pick up the certificate, and they must bring a government-issued photo ID.
Other Costs You Might Be Budgeting For
If you’re pricing out a project rather than just one certified copy, a few related fees come up often enough to plan around.
Delayed Birth Certificate: $30 Plus $20
If a Kansas birth was never registered when it happened, you can file a delayed birth certificate with KDHE. The filing fee is $30, and a certified copy of the resulting record is a separate $20.7Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE). File a Delayed Certificate of Birth Expect at least $50 total. Documentation requirements vary, so contact the office before submitting anything.
Amendments and Corrections: $20 Plus $20
Correcting an error on a birth certificate carries a $20 search fee to process the amendment. A new certified copy showing the correction is another $20.2Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Kansas Administrative Regulations 28-17-6 – Fees for Copies, Abstracts, and Searches Required supporting documents depend on what you’re changing, and the Amendment Unit at 785-296-1434 can tell you what applies to your situation.8Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Amend Minor Birth Certificates A legal name change on an adult certificate also requires a certified court order, which carries its own court costs separate from the KDHE fees.9Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Amend Adult Birth Certificates
Apostille for International Use: $10 Plus a Fresh Copy
If you need the certificate for use in another country, most foreign governments require an apostille from the Kansas Secretary of State. As of March 2, 2026, the apostille fee is $10 per document.10Kansas Secretary of State. Apostilles and Authentications The apostille is attached to the actual certified copy, so if you want to keep a clean copy for domestic purposes you’ll need to order a second one. Plan on at least $30 total: $20 for the certificate and $10 for the apostille.
Who Can Order, and Why It Matters Before You Pay
Kansas restricts birth certificate access to people with a direct connection to the record. State law requires applicants to have a “direct interest” and to need the information to establish personal or property rights.11Kansas Legislature. Kansas Code 65-2422d – Disclosure of Records In practice, eligible requestors are the person named on the certificate (if of legal age), immediate family members (parents, spouses, children, siblings, grandparents), legal representatives with proof of authority, and others who can document a direct interest such as a named beneficiary.12Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Office of Vital Statistics
This matters for cost because the $20 is nonrefundable even if your request is denied for lack of eligibility or because the record can’t be located. Confirm you qualify, and have the subject’s full name at birth, date of birth, place of birth, and both parents’ names (including mother’s maiden name) ready before you pay.1Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE). Birth Certificate
The Cheapest Way to Get One
For a single copy with no rush, mailing a check for $20 to the Office of Vital Statistics is the lowest-cost option, since it skips the VitalChek service fee entirely. Walk-in service in Topeka is also $20 flat if you can get there during business hours and pay by card. Online and phone orders are the fastest paths to placing the request, but you pay for that convenience.