Birth Certificates

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Notice of Fee Increase for Alabama Vital Records on October 1, 2009.

Records Available

The Alabama Center for Health Statistics began filing birth certificates in 1908 for persons born in Alabama.

Restrictions

By Alabama law, birth certificates are confidential records with restricted access for 125 years from the date of birth. They may be obtained by the following persons, upon payment of the proper fee:

• person named on the certificate
• mother, father, or legal guardian
• husband or wife of person named on certificate
• son or daughter of person named on certificate
• sister or brother of person named on certificate
• legal representative of an authorized person

Cost

The fee to search for a birth certificate is $15.00, which includes one certified copy of the birth certificate or a "Certificate of Failure to Find." For each additional copy of the certificate ordered at the same time, the fee is $6.00. Checks or Money Orders should be made payable to the State Board of Health. Please do not send cash. Fees are not refundable. Additional fees are required for expedited service.

Information Required

Please provide as much of the following information as possible for us to locate the birth certificate:

• full name of person at birth
• date of birth
• sex
• county or city of birth
• hospital of birth - if not in a hospital state "home"
• full maiden name of mother
• full name of father
• your name
• your signature
• your relationship to the person whose certificate you are requesting
• address where the certificate is to be mailed
• your daytime phone number

How to Obtain a Birth Certificate

• Download Mail-In Application (also available in Spanish)
  
• By Mail: Send the above information and the appropriate fee to:
  Alabama Vital Records
  P.O. Box 5625
  Montgomery, Alabama  36103-5625
  
• In Person in Alabama: You may go to any county health department in the State of Alabama to obtain a certified copy of an Alabama birth certificate. Most birth certificates can be issued while you wait. A map showing locations of county health departments where vital records may be obtained is available. View Reference Map
  
• To Order a Certificate Online: You may order certificates through a service provider called VitalChek using a credit card. Note that there are additional fees for using this service. Order a Certificate Online

Keepsake Birth Certificate New!

Keepsake Birth Certificates, intended only for framing and display, may now be ordered from this office.  There are three designs available, and the cost is $45.00. Learn how to place an order and view the designs on the Keepsake Birth Certificate page.

Birth Certificates of Adopted Individuals

• Individuals born in Alabama who were adopted may obtain informational copies of their original birth certificate from a sealed file upon reaching the age of 19. To find out more information, view the Adoptee Information page.
• Birth parents may place information in the sealed file of the child who was adopted if born in Alabama. To find out more information, view the Birth Parent of Adopted Child page.
• Adult adoptees needing a birth certificate for legal purposes should follow the instructions on this page to receive a certified copy of their current birth certificate.
• Adopting parents or their legal representatives may request a certified copy of their child's new birth certificate following a recent adoption. To find out more information, view the Recent Adoptions page.

Corrections or Changes to Birth Certificates

Errors on birth certificates may be corrected through an amendment process and other changes may be made through legal actions. For more information on making corrections, view the Information on Making Corrections page.