Arizona Vital Records
Table of Contents
What are Arizona Vital Records?
Arizona vital records include records of births and deaths that occurred in Arizona. The Arizona Office of Vital Records maintains all Arizona birth and death records since 1909, as well as some delayed Arizona birth records from 1855 and some Arizona death records from 1877.
By Arizona state law, vital records are not public records but are considered "closed records" to protect the confidentiality rights of the citizens of the State of Arizona, and access to them is limited to specific persons.
The state's vital records office does not maintain marriage and divorce records. Those records are maintained by each Arizona county clerk's office in the county where the marriage or divorce took place. Arizona marriage and divorce records are public records, and anyone may access and obtain a certified copy.
How Can I Get a Copy of an Arizona Birth Certificate?
The Arizona Administrative Code specifies who may obtain a copy of an Arizona vital record. Only the following persons may obtain a certified copy of a birth certificate:
- The registrant (person listed on the birth certificate).
- Parents of the registrant.
- The spouse of the registrant.
- A grandparent of the registrant.
- An adult child of the registrant.
- An adult grandchild of the registrant.
- An adult brother or sister of the registrant.
- A guardian of the registrant.
- A person designated as the registrant's power of attorney.
- A conservator of the registrant.
- Any person appointed by court order.
- An attorney representing the registrant, registrant's parent, or grandparent.
- Adoption agencies representing biological or adoptive parents.
- A private attorney representing adoptive parents.
- A government agency.
How Can I Get a Copy of an Arizona Death Certificate?
The Arizona Administrative Code restricts access to Arizona death records to the following persons:
- The funeral director or the director's designee.
- The spouse of the decedent.
- The parent of the decedent.
- The grandparent of the decedent.
- An adult child of the decedent.
- An adult grandchild of the decedent.
- A brother or sister of the decedent.
- A person holding a valid power of attorney of one of the approved persons.
- A person named as the executor or beneficiary of the decedent's estate.
- A beneficiary of the decedent named in a life insurance policy.
- Any person with a court order.
- A person properly authorized by an eligible person.
- The consulate of a valid foreign government request.
- A government agency.
To obtain a certified copy of a birth certificate, a certified copy of a death certificate, stillbirth, or fetal death, you may apply in person or by mail. The Arizona Department of Health Services (AZDHS), Bureau of Vital Records, located at 1818 W. Adams Street, Phoenix, AZ 85007, no longer offers same-day in-person requests. You should visit a local Arizona county health department Office of Vital Records to apply in person.
To apply by mail, you should complete a Bureau of Vital Records Request for Copy of Birth Certificate or Request for Copy of Death Certificate, and mail it with a copy of both sides of your driver's license or other valid government picture identification, or include your notarized signature on the request notarized. Additionally, you will be required to submit proof of eligibility.
The office of vital records also requires that you include a self-addressed stamped envelope and the required fee, which may be made by money order, cashier's check, credit cards, or Visa and Mastercard debit cards. Money orders and cashier's checks should be made payable to the Bureau of Vital Records. Cash and personal checks are not accepted.
The required items may be mailed to the Arizona Bureau of Vital Records. The mailing address is P.O. Box 6018, Phoenix, Arizona 85005. The telephone number for this office is (602) 364-1300. The office of vital records usually processes your request within 5-7 business days of its receipt.
How Can I Get a Copy of a Marriage Certificate or Divorce Certificate in Arizona?
Arizona marriage records and Arizona divorce records are public records and may be accessed by anyone. Anyone can obtain copies of Arizona marriage and divorce records.
To search online for an Arizona marriage or divorce record, you can visit the Arizona Courts website. From that home page, you have the option to choose "Find a Court Case," and from there, you can enter a name to search for a marriage or divorce record. From the Arizona Courts website, you can also locate each county Superior Court Clerk's office, where you can apply for a copy of a marriage or divorce record in person.
When you submit the name of one of the parties, the site will return a list of persons with that name. You can scroll through the list to locate the record you wish to view. For accuracy, the case entry provides a party's full name and date of birth, as well as the case number, the title of the case, the filing date, and disposition date.
Once you choose the case, you have access to a content list. Some of the entries have hyperlinks so you can view minute entries.
If you cannot locate the marriage or divorce record through the website, you will need to visit or call the county office of the Superior Court where the marriage or divorce occurred. The fee for obtaining a copy through the county clerk's office will vary. Each county clerk's office has its application request procedure and chooses the fees it charges for searching for and obtaining the marriage or divorce record.