How to Get a Certified Michigan Birth Certificate Copy

To get a certified copy of a Michigan birth certificate, you can order online through VitalChek, mail an application to the state vital records office in Lansing, or visit the county clerk in the county where the birth was filed. The state charges $34 for a search and one certified copy, and mailed requests typically take four to five weeks. Michigan treats birth records as restricted, so you’ll need to prove who you are and show that you have a legal right to the record before a copy is released.

Who Can Request a Copy

Michigan is a closed-record state. Only people with a direct legal connection to the record can order a certified copy:

The person named on the record.
A parent listed on the certificate.
An heir, legal representative, or legal guardian. Heirs ordering for a deceased person must apply by mail and include proof of death.
A court of competent jurisdiction.

A restriction that surprises people: you cannot order your spouse’s birth certificate, and you cannot order a living sibling’s, aunt’s, or uncle’s. Each adult has to place their own request.

If the record is 100 years old or older, anyone can request a certified copy regardless of relationship.¹

Proving Your Identity

Michigan uses a three-tier system for ID. You satisfy one tier, starting with the strongest. The tiers apply whether you order online, by mail, or in person. Mail and online applicants send photocopies; walk-in applicants at a county clerk bring originals.

Tier 1: One Document

A single unexpired document that establishes identity on its own. Acceptable options include a U.S. or foreign passport, a U.S. passport card, or a driver’s license or state ID card from any U.S. state or territory.²

Tier 2: Photo ID Plus Supporting Paper

If you don’t have a current Tier 1 document, you can pair certain photo ID with supporting paperwork:

A Tier 1 document that expired within the past five years, plus one Tier 3 document issued in the past year.
Employment photo ID, plus a pay stub or W-2 from the past year.
Student photo ID, plus a current report card or enrollment verification from the same school.
Department of Corrections photo ID, plus probation or discharge papers from the past year, or verification of incarceration on facility letterhead for current inmates.

Tier 3: Three Alternative Documents

If you meet neither of the first two tiers, submit at least three documents from different sources, with at least one issued in the past year. The state accepts a signed Social Security card, a utility bill, a health insurance card, a bank statement, a voter registration card, a marriage or divorce certificate, a motor vehicle registration, a W-2, a baptismal certificate, and military discharge papers, among others.²

What to Have Ready Before You Apply

The state matches your application against the record on file. Mismatches delay or reject the request, so gather these details first and check them against other family paperwork:

The full legal name at birth, not a later married or changed name.
The exact date of birth.
The city or county where the birth was filed.
Both parents’ full names, including the mother’s maiden name.

The form itself is DCH-0569, “Application for a Certified Copy — Michigan Birth Record.” Complete every field about your relationship to the person on the record and the intended use of the certificate.²

How to Place the Order

Online Through VitalChek

VitalChek is the only vendor authorized to process online orders. Applications go through the VitalChek website or by phone at 866-443-9897. Online ordering is limited to the person named on the record, a parent ordering a child’s record, or anyone ordering a record 100 years old or older. Heirs of a deceased person cannot use the online channel and must order by mail.³

VitalChek charges its own processing fees on top of the state’s $34 search fee. Standard service adds $14, for a minimum $48 before shipping, and typically takes 21 to 45 business days. Rapid service adds $50 in VitalChek fees, for a total of $84 plus shipping, and processes in one to five business days.³

By Mail

Send the completed Form DCH-0569, photocopies of your ID, and a check or money order payable to “State of Michigan” to:

Vital Records Request
P.O. Box 30721
Lansing, MI 48909⁴

The base fee is $34 for a search and one certified copy. Additional copies of the same record ordered at the same time are $16 each. If you’re 65 or older and ordering your own birth certificate, the fee is $14.⁴⁵⁶

Standard mail fulfillment runs about four to five weeks. Search fees are nonrefundable, even if no matching record turns up. Overnight shipping is available on top of the expedited search fee.

In Person at a County Clerk’s Office

A county clerk can issue certified copies for births filed in that county. This is often the fastest route if you were born in a county you can drive to. Fees vary by county and are usually lower than the state office, so call ahead. County clerks also set their own ID requirements, though the eligibility rules in MCL 333.2882 still apply.¹ If you were born in a different county, contact that county’s clerk or go through the state.

Ordering a Newborn’s Certificate

New parents should expect a wait. The state needs up to 30 days to receive and record the birth certification from the hospital before it can process copy requests.⁶

Fee Waiver If You’re Experiencing Homelessness

Michigan waives the birth certificate fee for people experiencing homelessness. Submit the standard application along with a “Verification of Homelessness” form signed by an authorized representative at a homeless service provider or shelter. Both go to the state vital records office in Lansing.

Correcting or Changing a Record Is a Separate Process

The copy application won’t fix an error or update a name. Corrections and changes go on Form DCH-0847, “Application to Correct or Change a Michigan Birth Record.” The nonrefundable fee is $50, which includes one corrected copy, and a $25 rush option is available. Payment is by check or money order to “State of Michigan.”⁷

Name change rules depend on age and which part of the name is changing:

Last name change for anyone over age 1 requires a court order.
First or middle name change for anyone over 18 requires a court order.
First or middle name change for someone ages 1 to 18 requires either proof the name has always been used or a court order.

You’ll also submit a photocopy of valid government photo ID for each parent listed on the record. If the change is court-ordered, ID for one parent is enough. Originals sent with this application are not returned, so send certified copies of court orders rather than the originals.⁷

1
Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws 333-2882
2
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Application for a Certified Copy – Michigan Birth Record
3
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Order A Record Online
4
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Where to Write for Vital Records – Michigan
5
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Fees
6
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Turn-Around Time
7
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Application to Correct or Change a Michigan Birth Record