Residents can access the new DC Health headquarters via the following public transportation options:
You can order certificates by mail, phone or online through a remote ordering service provider.
DCVRD does not directly provide remote ordering and application processing. For ordering by mail, phone, or online, orders may be placed through VitalChek.com as noted below. The other remote ordering services listed below process online orders only. Please note that this list may not be exhaustive, and has been presented in order by lowest to highest Application Processing Fee charged by each organization. Once the order application process is completed by the selected organization as noted below, the orders and payments are dispatched to DCVRD and shipped from the DCVRD fulfillment center in Washington, DC.
Includes electronic identity verification and secure processing via PCI Level 1 Compliant portal. Approved orders are sent directly to the DC Vital Records Division for fulfillment.
BEFORE you call or visit, please check the type of certificate you want to order to make sure District of Columbia law allows you access. Review entitlement requirements for birth , death , or domestic partnership certificates (which can also be printed out via this Entitlement Guidelines Information Sheet). Complete guidance regarding these requirements may be reviewed at https://dc.gov/page/laws-regulations-and-courts.
The DC Vital Records Division (DCVRD) maintains birth certificates dating back to August 1874. Birth records become public after 125 years. Death records become public after 75 years. All other birth records are closed, and certified copies may only be obtained if you are legally entitled and present the required personal documentation and fees.
A request for an unofficial copy of an open birth record between 1874 – 1898 or an unofficial copy of an open death record between 1874 – 1945 can be made with the District of Columbia Archives.
DCVRD does not issue birth , death , or domestic partnership certificates for individuals if those events occurred in another state. Please make these requests directly to the vital records office in the state where the birth, death or domestic partnership occurred. Visit the CDC’s Where to Write for Vital Records page for a listing of agencies. For certificates for US citizens who were born or died abroad, please visit the US Department of State’s Birth Abroad or Death Abroad webpages.
If you need an Apostille (to authenticate a document for use in countries that are part of the Hague Convention), contact the DC Office of Notary Commissions and Authentications or call (202) 727-3117.
We recommend that you bring several forms of ID to ensure that DCVRD employees are able to verify your identity.
For a printable version of the below requirements, please review our Identity Guidelines Information Sheet.
During your visit, you will be required to complete an identity verification questionnaire at our self- service kiosks. (Read more under “How do the on-site kiosks work?”)
If the kiosk is able to authenticate your identity, you will be required to present at least ONE of the following forms of primary photo ID (which must be original, valid, unexpired, and undamaged.):
If the name on your identification does NOT match the name on the certificate, you must prove evidence of a legal name change, like an original marriage certificate or an original sealed legal name change order.
If the kiosk is able to authenticate your identity but you do not have a primary photo ID , you will be required to present TWO FORMS of alternate identification from the list below (which must show your full name, current address and/or signature where appropriate):
If the kiosk is unable to authenticate your identity, you will be required to present any combination of THREE (3) forms of identification from Primary list above and the additional list below. At least ONE (1) of the THREE (3) forms must be from the Primary list above and all identification must show full name, current address, and/or signature where appropriate.
When you order certificates in person at the DCVRD office, you’ll use kiosks (computers with touch screens) to place the order
You’ll choose English or Spanish (or ask staff for assistance if you need another language) and select the certificate you want to purchase.
Then you’ll choose your relationship to the person on the certificate, check if you’re entitled to order that birth, death, or domestic partnership certificate and show proof of this relationship. You’ll answer questions about the certificate holder, like full name, gender, parents’ names, date of birth or death.
The kiosk will ask four to five questions about your identity. Then to further prove your identity, you’ll need to show the required ID as detailed above. If you don’t answer enough of the kiosk questions correctly, you’ll have to present additional ID as detailed above.
Finally, make your payment by credit or debit card, check, cash, money order or voucher payment. Be sure to keep your kiosk receipt. When your number is called, you’ll need to bring it, your ID and any other supporting documents up to the counter to pick up your certificate.
See our birth, death, or domestic partnership pages for information.
In most cases, yes; however some requests may require a search into DCVRD archives, which are stored off site.
While most of archived records (pre-2009 birth and pre-2005 death) have been digitized, some originals must be ordered from DC Archives or the Federal Records Center. These requests typically take two to three weeks after you clear identity and entitlement verification and pay the associated certificate fee.
A record cannot be identified as available prior to purchase because under District of Columbia statute (D. C. Code § 7-231.27(a)(2)), the fee associated with a certificate is for the DCVRD office to search the records to determine if a record is on file. This non-refundable fee includes one copy of the certificate if the record is found. If the record is not found, you will be issued a Certificate of Search.
Please review our return of fees policy. This information will be helpful should you notice an error on your certificate and wish to immediately amend it.
You can complete a survey to provide your feedback. Please follow the link below that applies to your experience.
DC Vital Records Division Survey – Remote Order Customers ( Coming Soon )
You can provide feedback regarding the service you received from the DCVRD or a data provider (a medical facility, physician or funeral services provider) by clicking here for an Ask the Director form.
To file a complaint with a licensing board regarding the service you received, contact the applicable board via the websites below.
| DC Licensed Data Provider | Type(s) of Vital Records Services Provided | Licensing Board Contact Information |
| Medical Facility | Reports birth, death, and fetal death data to DC Health using an electronic system. These data are used to produce certificates. | DC Health – Health Regulation and Licensing Administration |
| Physician | Reports and certifies birth, death and fetal death data to DC Health using an electronic system. These data are used to produce certificates. | DC Health – Health Regulation and Licensing Administration |
| Funeral Services Provider | Reports death and fetal death data to DC Health using an electronic system. These data are used to produce certificates. | DC Board of Funeral Directors |
The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) enforces the District of Columbia’s consumer protection laws. If you believe that you have been taken advantage of by an unlawful, deceptive or unethical business, you may file a complaint with the DC Office of the Attorney General – Office of Consumer Protection.
We take data privacy very seriously, and this includes protecting sensitive personal information that’s not considered a public record in the District of Columbia. Please make sure you have the documents you need to prove your identity and your entitlement to the certificate and that you’re ready to pay the fee. Be prepared for phone and in-person wait times, and allow processing and shipping time for phone, on-line and mail orders. Processing and shipping times vary by vendor.
9am to 1pm , except District holidays
Alternate Service Hours
Vital records and HRAL processing center will be open from 9 am - 1 pm through March 31, 2020.
The DC Vital Records Division will open at 10am on the 3rd Tuesday of every month (except March) to facilitate mandatory staff training.
FY2020 Affected Dates – 1/21/2020, 2/18/2020, 4/21/2020, 5/19/2020, 6/16/2020, 7/21/2020, 8/18/2020, 9/15/2020
2201 Shannon Place, SE Washington, DC 20020
Phone: (202) 442-5955
Fax: (202) 442-4795
TTY: 711
Email: [email protected]
Vital Records: (202) 442-9303
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