To get a birth certificate in Washington State, submit an application to the Washington State Department of Health’s Center for Health Statistics with a government-issued photo ID, proof of your qualifying relationship to the person on the record, and payment. A certified copy costs $25 when you order by mail or in person, and starts at $40.50 when you order online or by phone through VitalChek, the state’s contracted vendor. Turnaround runs from same-day at some county offices to 8–10 weeks by mail.
Who Can Request a Copy
Washington restricts birth certificates to people with a qualifying relationship to the person named on the record. You can order one if you are:
- The person named on the certificate
- A spouse or domestic partner
- A parent, stepparent, or legal guardian
- A child, stepchild, grandchild, or great-grandchild
- A sibling, grandparent, or great-grandparent
- A legal or authorized representative
Government agencies and courts may also request certificates for official purposes.1Washington State Department of Health. Ordering a Birth Record Every applicant must prove both identity and relationship.2Washington State Legislature. Washington Code Title 70 – Section 70-58A-530
Sending Someone Else in Your Place
If you can’t apply yourself, you can name an authorized representative using the Department of Health’s Authorized Representative Form. Both of you sign it in front of a notary, and your representative has 60 days from the notarization to submit it with the birth certificate application.3Washington State Department of Health. Instructions for Authorized Representative Form The notarized form itself serves as the eligibility documentation, so your representative doesn’t have to separately prove any relationship to you.
What You Need to Provide
Every application needs a government-issued photo ID. Washington accepts a driver’s license, state ID card, military ID, U.S. passport or passport card, or another government-issued identification document. The ID must show your full name, photograph, and date of birth, and cannot be expired by more than 60 days.4Cornell Law Institute. WAC 246-491-320 – Identity Documentation Required to Obtain Certifications of Birth, Death, Fetal Death, Marriage, and Registered Domestic Partnerships
You also need proof of your qualifying relationship. What counts depends on the relationship: a parent might submit the child’s existing birth certificate, a spouse might provide a marriage certificate, and a legal guardian would need a certified court order. The Department of Health publishes a full list of acceptable proofs.5Washington State Department of Health. Acceptable Proofs of Eligibility Documentation
Finally, have the record details ready: the full name at birth, date of birth, city or county of birth, and the full names of all parents listed on the certificate.6Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Where to Write for Vital Records – Washington
Three Ways to Order
Washington offers three routes. The right one depends on how quickly you need the certificate and how much you want to pay.
By Mail
Mail is the cheapest option: $25 per certificate, no service fees. Download and print the Birth Certificate Order Form from the Department of Health website, fill it out, and mail it with photocopies of your ID and eligibility documents plus a check or money order payable to “Department of Health.”
Center for Health Statistics
Department of Health
PO Box 9709
Olympia, WA 985077Washington State Department of Health. Vital Records
Processing takes 8–10 weeks from when the department receives and processes your payment. Missing information or incomplete documents add more time.8Washington State Department of Health. Ordering a Vital Record
In Person at a County Office
Many county health departments run local vital records offices where you can apply over the counter. Bring your completed application, original photo ID, eligibility documents, and payment. In-person orders can sometimes be issued the same day. Call the specific office first to confirm hours and accepted payment methods. Most offices take cash, credit and debit cards, money orders, and cashier’s checks.
Online or by Phone Through VitalChek
The fastest option is VitalChek, the state’s contracted vendor. Order on the VitalChek website or by calling 1-866-687-1464 at any hour. You complete an application, upload scans of your ID and eligibility documents, and pay by credit or debit card. Orders ship within 3–7 business days after the Department of Health receives them, depending on the shipping speed you choose.
The trade-off is cost. The base price starts at $40.50: the $25 certificate fee plus an $8.50 VitalChek service fee and a $7 Department of Health processing fee. An optional identity authentication quiz adds $3, and expedited shipping costs extra.8Washington State Department of Health. Ordering a Vital Record
Checking on an Order
If your order is taking longer than expected, email contactchs@doh.wa.gov or call the Center for Health Statistics at 360-236-4300.7Washington State Department of Health. Vital Records
Fees at a Glance
The statutory fee for a certified or informational copy is $25.9Washington State Legislature. RCW 70.58A.560 – Fees for Certifications or Informational Copies It applies even when no matching record is found, so the fee is nonrefundable either way.
- Mail: $25 per copy, check or money order, 8–10 weeks.
- In person: $25 per copy, potentially same-day depending on the office.
- Online or phone through VitalChek: $40.50 minimum per copy, ships in 3–7 business days, expedited shipping available for an added fee.8Washington State Department of Health. Ordering a Vital Record
When the Fee Is Waived
Washington waives the $25 certificate fee in two situations. If you are homeless, were born in Washington, and currently live in the state, a government agency or homeless service provider can submit the request for you at no charge. The agency must include a letter on official letterhead confirming your homeless status, along with the standard application and identification.10Washington State Department of Health. Vital Records No Fee in Specific Circumstances
The fee is also waived if you are a parent or guardian enrolling a child in a Washington early learning program or K–12 public school, and that child receives or is eligible for SNAP (Basic Food) benefits. You need a DSHS determination letter or proof from your client benefit account showing the child’s name, plus an enrollment letter from the school or program. Fee-waived applications can go to any county health department or by mail to the Department of Health.10Washington State Department of Health. Vital Records No Fee in Specific Circumstances
If You Need the Certificate for a Foreign Country
Foreign governments usually require an apostille, a one-page document issued by the Washington Secretary of State that authenticates the certificate for international use. An apostille costs $15 on top of the $25 certificate fee.11Washington State Department of Health. Apostilles
If you already have a certified copy, take it directly to the Secretary of State. If you need both, order them together by phone through VitalChek at 1-866-687-1464 or by mail using the standard order form. Include the country requiring the document and the number of apostilles you need. The Department of Health processes the certificate within 3–5 business days and forwards it to the Secretary of State, who typically mails the apostille within a week of receiving it.11Washington State Department of Health. Apostilles Requesting an apostille alongside expedited certificate service still delays mailing, because the certificate has to stop at the Secretary of State’s office before reaching you.
Heirloom Birth Certificates
Washington also sells an Heirloom birth certificate, a larger-format document signed by the Governor and the State Registrar. It carries the same legal information as a standard certified copy but is designed as a keepsake. Heirlooms cost $50, are available only by mail, and follow the same eligibility and identification rules as a standard certificate. More than half the fee goes to the Children’s Trust Fund of Washington, and $25 of each purchase is tax-deductible.1Washington State Department of Health. Ordering a Birth Record
Fixing Errors or Adding a Name Change
Ordering a copy and correcting a record are separate processes. To fix a misspelling, wrong date, or other detail, Washington uses an Affidavit for Correction printed on the back of every certificate; a current version is also on the Department of Health website. Corrections currently take about six months to process. If you exchange a certified copy issued in the past year with your correction request, the replacement is free; after a year, a new certified copy is the standard $25.12Washington State Department of Health. Changing Birth Certificates
A court-ordered legal name change is different. Submit a certified copy of the court order (original signature or raised seal from the clerk, no photocopies) along with either the Court Order Legal Name Change Request Form (DOH 422-126) or a letter listing the name on the record, date of birth, place of birth, both parents’ full names, and your contact information. The department does not return the certified court order, so ask the court for an extra copy before you send one in. A replacement certified copy is free if the previous one was issued within the past year; otherwise, include a Birth Certificate Order Form and $25.13Washington State Department of Health. Court-Ordered Name Change This process is only for people born in Washington and for parents on a Washington birth certificate whose own names have changed.