A Jersey City birth certificate is issued by the Office of the City Clerk, Division of Vital Records, at City Hall, 280 Grove Street, Room 118, Jersey City, NJ 07302, for anyone born in the city after 1949.1City of Jersey City. Birth, Marriage, Death Records The first certified copy costs $20, and each additional copy ordered at the same time is $10. You can apply three ways: in person by appointment, by mail, or online through the state’s authorized vendor, VitalChek.
Who Can Request the Record
New Jersey restricts who may receive a certified copy. You qualify if you are:
- The person named on the record
- A parent, legal guardian (with a certified court order), or legal representative
- A spouse, civil union partner, domestic partner, child, grandchild, or sibling of legal age
- A state or federal agency acting for official purposes
- Anyone acting under a court order
These categories come from the state’s vital records application requirements.2New Jersey Department of Health. Application to Amend a New Jersey Vital Record If someone is picking up the certificate for you, send them with a signed authorization letter and copies of both your ID and theirs.
What to Bring or Send
You need a valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID with your current address, such as a driver’s license or state ID card. If your name has changed since birth through marriage, civil union, or a court order, bring the document that links your current name to the name on the birth record.1City of Jersey City. Birth, Marriage, Death Records
No photo ID? The office accepts two alternate forms instead, at least one of which must show your current address:
- Vehicle registration or insurance card
- Voter registration card
- U.S. or foreign passport
- Permanent resident card or immigrant visa
- County, school, or federal/state ID card
- Bank statement or utility bill dated within the past 90 days
- W-2 from the current or previous tax year
Phone photos of documents are not accepted. Bring the actual document or a photocopy.1City of Jersey City. Birth, Marriage, Death Records
You will also need the information from the birth itself: the full legal name recorded at birth, the date of birth, the hospital or place of birth, the mother’s full maiden name, and the father’s full name. The application form is REG 37A in English or REG 37B in Spanish. If any of these details do not match what the office has on file, the request can be rejected. When you are not sure about a spelling or a name used at the time, check with a family member before you file.
Applying In Person
Walk-ins are not accepted. Call 201-547-5150 and press Option 1 to schedule an appointment. The office is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.1City of Jersey City. Birth, Marriage, Death Records Bring your ID, cash for the fee, and any name-change documents. Same-day walk-in service for birth records is not currently available in Jersey City, so expect to pick up the certificate on a later date or have it mailed to you after the appointment.3New Jersey Department of Health. Same Day Walk-In Service
Applying by Mail
Send your packet to:
Office of the City Clerk – Division of Vital Records
City Hall
280 Grove Street, Room 118
Jersey City, NJ 07302
Include:
- The completed REG 37A or 37B form
- A photocopy of your government-issued photo ID (not the original), or photocopies of two alternate IDs
- A check or money order payable to “The City of Jersey City”
- A self-addressed stamped envelope
- A photocopy of your marriage or civil union certificate if your name has changed
If the address on your ID does not match your return address, include a utility bill or bank statement from within the past 30 days showing where you live now.1City of Jersey City. Birth, Marriage, Death Records Mail requests take several weeks because of postal transit and manual processing.
Applying Online Through VitalChek
Jersey City uses VitalChek as its state-approved online vendor. Orders can be placed any time through the VitalChek portal or by calling 877-622-7549.1City of Jersey City. Birth, Marriage, Death Records Online orders ship directly to you and cannot be picked up at City Hall. VitalChek adds its own processing fee on top of the certificate price. The state lists VitalChek’s mail processing fee at $6 and its phone processing fee at $12.95, though these can change.4New Jersey Department of Health. Fees at a Glance VitalChek may ask you to upload a driver’s license, passport, or other government-issued ID before processing the order.
Fees and Payment
The city’s fees are the same whether you apply in person or by mail:
- First certified copy: $20
- Each additional copy in the same order: $10
In-person applicants pay in cash. Mail-in applicants pay by check or money order made out to “The City of Jersey City.”1City of Jersey City. Birth, Marriage, Death Records VitalChek accepts credit and debit cards, and the total will include its service fee and any shipping you select. If you know you will need multiple copies, order them together. Buying a second copy later costs $20 instead of $10.
Certified Copy Versus Certification
New Jersey issues two different birth documents, and this distinction trips people up. A certified copy is the full legal record, accepted for passports, REAL ID, and court use. A certification is a shorter informational version that cannot be used for identification or legal purposes.5Legal Information Institute. New Jersey Administrative Code 8:2A-2.2 – Certifications For anything official, ask specifically for a certified copy.
Fixing an Error on the Record
If the name, date, parent information, or other details on your birth certificate are wrong, you can file an amendment through the New Jersey Department of Health using form REG-15. The documentary proof required depends on what you are correcting and when you were born; a certified court order is needed for a legal name change if you were born before January 1, 1993, while surname changes for births on or after that date can be supported by a school, medical, or baptismal record.2New Jersey Department of Health. Application to Amend a New Jersey Vital Record The fee is $25 and covers the search and one corrected record. Additional copies of the amended record are $2 each. Driver’s licenses, Social Security cards, and decorative hospital birth certificates are not accepted as proof. Adding a father to the record cannot be done on REG-15; that requires a separate Certificate of Parentage.
Older Records and Births Outside Jersey City’s Range
The Jersey City Division of Vital Records holds births after 1949. The state has authorized the city to issue certificates for births after 1925, so records between 1925 and 1949 may need to be requested through the state instead.6New Jersey Department of Health. Jersey City Birth Records For births before 1923, the New Jersey State Archives is the primary resource.7New Jersey State Archives. Genealogical Records at the New Jersey State Archives If you are not sure which office holds your record, call the NJ Department of Health at 609-292-4087.