To get a birth certificate in Delaware, you apply through the Office of Vital Statistics online, by mail, or in person. The fee is capped at $25 per copy, and in-person requests at the Dover, Newark, or Georgetown office are usually handled the same day. Mail requests take two to five weeks, and online orders go through an authorized third-party service that adds its own fee on top of the state’s charge.
Who Can Request a Copy
Delaware limits who can order a birth certificate. You qualify if you are the person named on the record, a parent listed on it, or an immediate family member — spouse, sibling, grandparent, or grandchild. Legal guardians and legal representatives can also apply, but they need to show proof of their authority, typically a court order establishing guardianship or a power of attorney.
If someone doesn’t fit one of those categories, the Office of Vital Statistics won’t release the record to them.
What You Need Before You Apply
The application asks for the full name at birth of the person on the certificate, the date and place of birth, and both parents’ full names, including the mother’s name before her first marriage. You’ll also give your own name, mailing address, phone number, and your relationship to the person on the record.
A government-issued photo ID is required no matter which method you use. A driver’s license, state ID, U.S. passport, or government-issued work badge all qualify.1National Center for Health Statistics. Where to Write for Vital Records – Delaware For mail requests, include a clear photocopy of both sides of your ID.
One choice matters on the form itself. Delaware issues birth records as certified abstracts by default. If you need a full certified copy — usually for dual citizenship, international marriage, or a legal name change — mark that on the application. Ordering the wrong type means starting over.
How to Submit the Application
In Person
In-person is the fastest option. Same-day pickup is normal. The Office of Vital Statistics has three locations:
- Dover: 417 Federal Street
- Newark: 258 Chapman Road
- Georgetown: 546 S. Bedford Street
Offices are generally open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Bring your completed application, original photo ID, and payment.
By Mail
Send the completed application, a photocopy of your ID, and a check or money order payable to “Office of Vital Statistics” to:
Office of Vital Statistics
Division of Public Health
417 Federal Street
Dover, DE 19901
Processing runs about two to five weeks from the date the office receives your package.1National Center for Health Statistics. Where to Write for Vital Records – Delaware
Online
Online orders run through an authorized third-party service such as VitalChek, linked from the Delaware Division of Public Health website. You upload the application and ID and pay by credit card, and the request is forwarded to the Office of Vital Statistics. Expect a service fee on top of the state’s $25. Online is convenient, not instant — the state still has to process and mail the certificate.
Fees
Delaware law caps the fee at $25 for each certified or noncertified copy of a birth certificate, whether ordered in person, by mail, or through the state’s online channel.2Justia. Delaware Code 16-3132 – Fee for Issuance of Certificates and Searches Third-party online vendors add their own processing fees.
A calligraphed heirloom birth certificate designed for framing is $35.2Justia. Delaware Code 16-3132 – Fee for Issuance of Certificates and Searches
There is one fee waiver. If you hold a valid, unexpired Delaware personal credential card issued under Title 29 § 8915, you pay nothing for a certified copy.2Justia. Delaware Code 16-3132 – Fee for Issuance of Certificates and Searches That card is typically available to individuals experiencing homelessness or other barriers to obtaining standard ID.
Correcting an Error or a Name Change
If the certificate has an error or your legal name has changed, you can request an amendment through the State Registrar. A legal name change requires a certified copy of the court order granting the change. The request can come from you, a parent, a guardian, or a legal representative.3Legal Information Institute (LII) / Cornell Law School. 16 Del. Admin. Code 4205-10.0 – Amendment of Vital Records
Changing a given (first) name after the child’s first birthday requires a court order. Minor spelling or clerical corrections within the first year can go through a simpler administrative process with the Office of Vital Statistics.
Situations That Follow Different Rules
A few common needs sit outside the standard ordering process and are worth flagging.
Adult adoptees. If you were adopted and born in Delaware, you can request a noncertified copy of your original pre-adoption birth certificate at age 21.4Justia. Delaware Code 16-3110 Birth parents can file a veto that blocks release, and for adoptions finalized before January 18, 1999, the office checks whether a confidentiality affidavit was filed in the adoption court. If neither a veto nor an affidavit exists and the birth parent doesn’t respond within 35 days of notice, the original certificate is released.
Births never registered. If a Delaware birth was not recorded at the time, you can file for a delayed birth certificate when registration is happening six months or more after the birth. This uses a special form from the State Registrar, must be signed and sworn before a notary or similar officer, and requires documentary evidence such as hospital, census, church, or school records; personal affidavits alone are not accepted.5Legal Information Institute (LII) / Cornell Law School. 16 Del. Admin. Code 4205-11.0 – Delayed Registration of Birth Delayed registration is not available for a deceased person.
Use in another country. A Delaware birth certificate used abroad usually needs an apostille (for Hague Convention countries) or an authentication (for non-member countries), issued by the Delaware Division of Corporations. The certificate must be an official copy issued by a Delaware state or county official; photocopies are not accepted, and foreign-language documents need a notarized English translation.6Delaware Division of Corporations. Certifications, Apostilles and Authentication of Documents
Genealogy and historical research. Delaware birth records become public 72 years after the birth and transfer to the Delaware Public Archives, where they can be viewed on microfilm without eligibility restrictions.7Delaware Public Archives. Guide to Vital Statistics Records Many are also available digitally through Ancestry.com (free for Delaware residents entering a Delaware zip code, covering roughly 1650 through 1908) and FamilySearch.org.8Delaware Public Archives. Digital Ancestry Delaware’s Bureau of Vital Statistics wasn’t established until 1913, so earlier records may exist only through church and county sources.