How to Get a Birth Certificate in DC: Eligibility, IDs, and Fees

To get a birth certificate in DC, order a certified copy from the Vital Records Division of DC Health for $23 per copy. You can apply online, by phone, by mail, or in person, and every method requires proof of who you are and proof that you’re entitled to the record.

Who Can Order One

DC law limits certified birth certificates to a defined group of requesters, and you must be at least 18 (or an emancipated minor) to apply.¹ Eligible requesters are:

The person named on the certificate
A parent listed on the record
An adult child or sibling of the person named, with documentation proving the relationship
A grandparent, with certified birth records showing lineage
A legal guardian, with a court order establishing guardianship
A legal representative, with a retainer agreement, bar card, and a letter on firm letterhead

If you’re requesting on someone else’s behalf, bring original or certified proof of the relationship or legal authority. Photocopies won’t be accepted.¹

What to Have Ready Before You Apply

Fill in the following for the person whose certificate you want:

Full name at the time of birth
Date of birth
Hospital where the birth occurred
Father’s full name
Mother’s full name, including maiden name

Each person needs a separate application.²

Identification You’ll Need

DC’s ID rules are more layered than in many jurisdictions. What you need depends on how you’re ordering, and for in-person visits it depends on a kiosk check when you arrive.³

In Person

The Vital Records office uses self-service kiosks that run an identity verification questionnaire before you present ID at the counter. The outcome sets your document requirement.³

If the kiosk verifies you, one primary photo ID is enough. Accepted options include a state driver’s license or non-driver’s ID, U.S. passport or passport card, permanent resident card, employment authorization card, military ID, Department of State card, or (with prior approval from the State Registrar, and limited to licensed social workers or government representatives) a government employee ID. All IDs must be original, valid, unexpired, and undamaged.³

If the kiosk verifies you but you don’t have a primary photo ID, bring two forms of alternate identification. Acceptable alternates include a Social Security card, a utility bill from the last 60 days, a vehicle registration or title, a pay stub from the last 30 days, a voter registration card, court documents, a previous year’s W2 or federal tax return, or an expired driver’s license or passport (expired no more than five years).³

If the kiosk cannot verify you, you’ll need three forms of identification total, and at least one must be a primary photo ID. The other two can come from either list. This is the scenario that catches people off guard, so bring extras.³

If your current name doesn’t match the name on the birth certificate, bring proof of the legal name change, such as an original marriage certificate or a sealed name-change court order.³

By Mail or Online

Mail applications require a photocopy of your government-issued photo ID inside the envelope.² Online orders through VitalChek ask you to upload scanned copies of your ID during the digital application.

How to Submit Your Request

DC Vital Records accepts requests four ways.³

Online or by Phone

DC doesn’t process online orders itself. The District partners with VitalChek Network, Inc., which handles electronic and phone orders.² You’ll pay the $23 certificate fee plus a $6 VitalChek processing and handling fee. Regular U.S. Postal Service shipping is free; UPS Next Day Air adds $20.⁴ VitalChek accepts credit and debit cards.

By Mail

Download the application from the DC Department of Health website, complete it, and mail it with a photocopy of your photo ID and a check or money order payable to the DC Treasurer. Cash is not accepted. Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope for the return. The address on DC’s current birth application is:

Vital Record Mail Services
ATTN: DC Vital Records
P.O. Box 222130
El Paso, TX 79913⁵

That Texas address is a processing center operated by LexisNexis VitalChek on behalf of DC Vital Records.

In Person

The Vital Records office takes walk-ups during these hours:³

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday: 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Wednesday: 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Check dchealth.dc.gov for the current office address and any closure notices before you go. Appointments are available too, but walk-up service works during posted hours.⁶ When you arrive, you’ll do the kiosk identity questionnaire first and then present ID at the counter.

Fees

A certified copy costs $23, and each additional copy is the same.⁷ The base fee is identical across all four ordering methods. Online and phone orders through VitalChek add the $6 processing fee and any shipping charge you choose.⁴

The $23 fee is waived for individuals recently released from Federal Bureau of Prisons custody, for up to one year after release, and for individuals in BOP custody at a halfway house in the District.

How Long It Takes

Remote orders (online, phone, and mail) generally take two to four weeks to process, with shipping added on top depending on the method you pick.⁸ In-person requests for records in the active system are usually handled the same day. Older, archived records that have to be pulled from off-site storage take longer.

What This Process Doesn’t Cover

Ordering a copy is separate from three related requests you may also need. Fixing a mistake on the record goes through the Vital Records Division’s amendment process, which has its own eligibility rules, supporting-document requirements, and $23 fee.⁹ Adding a second parent who isn’t on the record runs through a Voluntary Acknowledgement of Paternity or a court order establishing parentage.¹⁰ Using the certificate abroad usually requires an apostille from the Office of Notary Commissions and Authentications, which charges $15 per document and needs an original certified copy from Vital Records as the starting point.¹¹

1
D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 7-231.25 – Certification from the System of Vital Statistics
2
District of Columbia Department of Health. Birth Certificate Request Form
3
DC Health. Birth Certificates
4
VitalChek. DC Birth Application
5
District of Columbia Department of Health. DC Health – Birth Certificate Application
6
DC Health. Vital Records Appointments
7
DC Health. Vital Records Fee Schedule
8
DC Health. DC Vital Records Important Notices
9
DC Health. Amending a Birth Record
10
Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia. Parentage and Paternity — Unwed Parents
11
Office of the Secretary of the District of Columbia. Authentications