Dr. M Blatstein's Blog

HOW To GET A CERTIFIED COPY of YOUR BIRTH CeERTIFICATE

GETTING YOUR U.S. BIRTH CERTIFICATE

Learn how to get a birth certificate replacement if you were born inside or outside the U.S., And find out how to get a replacement if all your other forms of ID have been lost.

Born in the U.S.: how to get a Certified Copy of Your Birth Certificate

Contact your birth state or territory’s vital records office to find out:

  • How to order a certified copy of your birth certificate online, by mail, or in person
  • How to get a copy fast
  • The cost for each certified copy 

You will need to know the city and county where you were born.

U.S. citizen Born Abroad: how to get a Copy of Your Birth Certificate or report

The U.S. embassy or consulate in your birth country issued a consular report of birth abroad (CRBA), or if your parents reported your birth to them. The CRBA serves the same purpose as a U.S. birth certificate. See Contact your birth state or territory’s vital records office.

Lost all your IDs: how to get a Copy of Your Birth Certificate

Check with your birth state’s vital records office for what it requires. Most states have another way to verify your identification, such as:

  • Your sworn statement of identity
  • A notarized letter and a copy of the photo ID from the mother or father listed on your birth certificate

If you cannot get a copy of your birth certificate, try to replace your driver’s license first. But, coming out of the BOP, should you have no ID, the I.D. they provide will be a substitute, although I believe I read that this will start 1/2025.

LAST UPDATED: January 30, 2024