To get vital records in Virginia, you order a certified copy of the birth, death, marriage, or divorce certificate from the Virginia Department of Health’s Office of Vital Records. You can request it by mail for $12, in person at any DMV customer service center for $14, or online through VitalChek for about $33 plus optional shipping. You’ll need valid ID and, for recent records, proof that you’re an immediate family member or otherwise authorized to receive it.
Who Is Allowed to Request a Certificate
Virginia keeps vital records private for a set period after the event. Birth records are restricted for 100 years after the date of birth; death, marriage, and divorce records are restricted for 25 years.1Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 32.1-271 – Disclosure of Information in Records
During that window, only next of kin can order a certified copy. Virginia defines next of kin as the mother, father, husband, wife, child, brother, or sister of the person named on the record.2Virginia Department of Health. ID Requirements – Vital Records Grandparents are also specifically authorized to request a grandchild’s birth certificate.1Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 32.1-271 – Disclosure of Information in Records A legal representative or authorized agent can request a record with proof of authority, such as a court order or a notarized authorization letter. Without a qualifying relationship, the Office of Vital Records will deny the request. Once the privacy period expires, the record becomes publicly available.
What to Have Ready Before You Apply
The Office of Vital Records searches its database using the details on your application, so accuracy matters. You’ll need the name on the certificate, the date of the event, and the Virginia city or county where it occurred.3Virginia Department of Health. Online Application for Certification of a Vital Record For a birth certificate, add both parents’ full names, including the mother’s maiden name.4Virginia Department of Health. Application for Certification of a Vital Record For marriage or divorce, list both spouses.
The $12 search fee is not refunded if the record cannot be found, so a misspelled maiden name or wrong county can cost you the fee and force a second submission. Check old family papers, hospital paperwork, or religious records first if anything is uncertain.
Identification You’ll Need
Every applicant must present acceptable ID. One primary photo ID is enough: a current state-issued driver’s license, a U.S. passport or passport card, or a photo identification card issued by any U.S. state or territory, unexpired or expired for no more than one year.2Virginia Department of Health. ID Requirements – Vital Records
Without a current photo ID, Virginia accepts two secondary documents in its place. That list includes a utility bill from the last six months, a valid voter registration card, a health insurance card, a military dependent ID, a life insurance policy, or a driver’s license expired up to five years.2Virginia Department of Health. ID Requirements – Vital Records A Social Security card is not on the accepted list. For a newborn or child with no ID, the parent’s identification is used.
Three Ways to Order
Virginia lets you order by mail, online through VitalChek, or in person at a DMV customer service center or a local health department.5Virginia Department of Health. Vital Record Walk-In Locations The channels differ mainly in cost and speed.
By Mail
Mail is the cheapest route. Send the completed application from the VDH website, a copy of your ID, and a $12 check or money order payable to “State Health Department” to:
VDH, Office of Vital Records
P.O. Box 1000
Richmond, Virginia 23218-10006Virginia Department of Health. Office of Vital Records
Processing takes about eight business days from the day the office receives your application.7Virginia Department of Health. Online Application for a Vital Record Starter checks are rejected, and a returned check triggers a $50 fee, so a money order is safer if your account is new.8Virginia Department of Health. How to Complete a Money Order or Check – Vital Records
Online Through VitalChek
Online orders go through VitalChek, the vendor the Virginia Department of Health uses for electronic processing.9Virginia Department of Health. Express Delivery through the VitalChek Network You upload your ID, pay by credit card, and get a tracking number. Processing takes about five business days.7Virginia Department of Health. Online Application for a Vital Record
VitalChek charges $20.80 per certified record (which includes the state fee) plus a $12.70 non-refundable service fee. Shipping is extra: UPS Next Day Air runs $19.50, UPS 2-Day Air $18.00, and regular USPS mail is free.9Virginia Department of Health. Express Delivery through the VitalChek Network A single birth certificate with overnight shipping is close to $53 this way, compared with $12 by mail. The premium is worth it if you’re out of state or on a deadline.
In Person at DMV or a Local Health Department
Every DMV customer service center in Virginia sells certified copies of birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates. You’ll fill out a DMV form (DL 81 for births, DL 82 for other records), show acceptable ID, and pay a $14 search fee, which is $2 higher than the mail price because the DMV adds its own charge.10Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Vital Records at DMV Eligible customers usually walk out with the certificate. If the DMV can’t locate or print the record, it forwards the application to VDH, which mails the certificate if the search succeeds.
Local health departments also take walk-in requests during business hours. Services and hours vary, so call ahead.5Virginia Department of Health. Vital Record Walk-In Locations
What It Costs
The base state fee is $12 per certificate search, and it’s non-refundable whether or not a matching record is found.7Virginia Department of Health. Online Application for a Vital Record Total cost by method:
- Mail: $12 per certificate.
- DMV in person: $14 per certificate.
- VitalChek online: $20.80 per certificate plus a $12.70 service fee, plus $0 to $19.50 for shipping.
Fixing a Mistake on a Certificate
A misspelled name, wrong date, or missing parent information can cause trouble when you use the certificate for a passport or benefits application later. Virginia charges a $10 administrative fee to amend a certificate. If you also want a new certified copy showing the correction, the total is $22.11Virginia Department of Health. How to Request an Amendment to a Birth Certificate
Submit the amendment request online or by mail. The office will review the original record and then tell you what supporting documentation is required, since it depends on what’s being changed.11Virginia Department of Health. How to Request an Amendment to a Birth Certificate Amendments are handled only by the central Office of Vital Records in Richmond. DMV offices and local health departments can’t process them.5Virginia Department of Health. Vital Record Walk-In Locations
If a Virginia Birth Was Never Registered
Virginia allows a delayed birth certificate to be filed when a birth was never registered. If seven or more years have passed since the birth, the application goes directly to the State Registrar.12Virginia Code Commission. 12VAC5-550-260 – Delayed Birth Registration
You have to establish the person’s full name at birth, the date and place of birth, and the parents’ names, backed by at least three pieces of documentary evidence. Acceptable evidence includes school admission records, physician records, insurance applications, baptismal records, federal census abstracts, immunization records, and passports. Only one affidavit of personal knowledge is allowed, and it counts as one of the three documents. If at least one supporting document was created before the person’s seventh birthday, only two pieces of evidence are required.12Virginia Code Commission. 12VAC5-550-260 – Delayed Birth Registration
Records for Use Outside the U.S.
If you’re using a Virginia vital record in another country, you’ll usually need an apostille under the Hague Apostille Convention. In Virginia, apostilles are issued by the Secretary of the Commonwealth, not by the Office of Vital Records. You submit the original certified certificate to the Secretary’s Authentication Division in Richmond.13Secretary of the Commonwealth. Authentications Federal documents like FBI background checks are authenticated by the U.S. State Department instead.
Using a Virginia Certificate for Social Security or REAL ID
The Social Security Administration requires an original or agency-certified birth certificate when verifying age or identity for a new or replacement Social Security card. Photocopies and notarized copies are not accepted.14Social Security Administration. Learn What Documents You Will Need to Get a Social Security Card Certified copies from Virginia’s Office of Vital Records meet that standard.
For a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or ID card, the birth certificate must be an original or certified copy with a raised seal from a state Bureau of Vital Statistics or Board of Health. Virginia’s certified copies carry the raised seal and satisfy the requirement.