New Jersey Vital Records

What are New Jersey Vital Records?

Vital records in New Jersey are the official records of all births, marriages, civil unions, divorces, and deaths. These records are kept by the State of New Jersey Department of Health, Office of Vital Statistics, and Registry. New Jersey vital records are not public records and cannot be searched online.

How Can I Get a Copy of a Birth Certificate in New Jersey?

The State Office of Vital Statistics and Registry maintains records from 1922. New Jersey birth records are confidential and are not available to the general public. Only specific individuals may request a copy of a New Jersey birth certificate.

These individuals include:

• The person named on the birth certificate (if 18 years of age or older).
• A parent or legal guardian of the person named on the birth certificate.
• A grandparent, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, or legal representative of the person named on the birth certificate.

To request a copy of a New Jersey birth certificate, you must complete the Application for Certified Copy of Birth Certificate Form and send it to the Office of Vital Statistics and Registry with payment and photo ID. A copy of a New Jersey birth certificate is $26, and additional copies cost $2 each.

You can request a copy of a New Jersey birth certificate by mail, online, or by visiting their walk-in center.

Upon request, you will need to provide the following information:
The full name of the person on the certificate

• The date of birth.
• The city or town of birth.
• The father's full name.
• The mother's full maiden name.
• Your relationship to the person on the certificate.
• Your reason for requesting the certificate.
• Your contact information, including a daytime phone number and email address.
• The payment for the certificate fee.
• A photocopy of your valid photo ID.

For online orders, you can visit the VitalChek website or call them at 877-622-7549. VitalChek charges $21 - $37, not including the cost of shipping the certificate. They accept all major credit cards, including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover.

You may also mail your application with payment to:

New Jersey Department of Health
Office of Vital Statistics and Registry
P.O. Box 370
Trenton, NJ 08625-0370

For walk-in requests, you can visit:

New Jersey Department of Health
Office of Vital Statistics and Registry
140 East Front Street
Trenton, NJ
Driving directions

You can visit the office from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm, Monday through Friday, with a completed application form and a government-issued ID, such as a passport or driver's license. You can also contact the office at 877-622-7549 for more details and information.

How Can I Get a Copy of a Death Certificate in New Jersey?

The State Office of Vital Statistics and Registry maintains death records from 1931. New Jersey death records are confidential and are not available to the general public. Only specific individuals may request a copy of a New Jersey death certificate.

These individuals include:

• A surviving spouse of a decedent.
• A child of the decedent.
• A parent of the decedent.
• A grandparent, aunt, uncle, niece or nephew, or legal representative of the person named on the certificate.
• The executor or administrator of the estate of the decedent.

To request a copy of a New Jersey death certificate, you must complete the Application for Certified Copy of Death Certificate Form and send it to the Vital Statistics and Registry office with payment. A copy of a New Jersey death certificate is $25, and additional copies cost $2 each. You can request a copy of a New Jersey death certificate by mail, online, or by visiting their walk-in center.

Upon request, you will need to provide the following information:

• The full name of the decedent.

• The date of death.
• The city or town of death.
• Your relationship to the decedent.
• Your reason for requesting the certificate.
• Your contact information, including a daytime phone number and email address.
• The payment for the certificate fee.
• A photocopy of your valid photo ID.

For online orders, you can visit the VitalChek website or call them at 877-622-7549. VitalChek charges $21 - $37.95, not including the cost of shipping the certificate. They accept all major credit cards, including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover.

You may also mail your application with payment to:

New Jersey Department of Health
Office of Vital Statistics and Registry
P.O. Box 370
Trenton, NJ 08625-0370

For walk-in requests, you can visit:

New Jersey Department of Health
Office of Vital Statistics and Registry
140 East Front Street
Trenton, NJ
Driving directions

You can visit the office from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm, Monday through Friday, with a completed application form and a government-issued ID, such as a passport or driver's license. You can also contact the office at 877-622-7549 for more details and information.

How Can I Get a Copy of a Marriage Certificate in New Jersey?

The State Office of Vital Statistics and Registry maintains marriage records from 1931. New Jersey marriage records are confidential and are not available to the general public. Only specific individuals may request a copy of a New Jersey marriage certificate.

These individuals include:

• The married parties as listed on the certificate.
• A child of either married party.
• A parent of either married party.
• A grandparent, aunt, uncle, niece, or nephew of either married party.
• The executor or administrator of the estate of any person mentioned on the certificate.

To request a copy of a New Jersey marriage certificate, you must complete the Application for Certified Copy of Marriage Certificate Form and send it to the Vital Statistics and Registry Office with payment. A copy of a New Jersey marriage certificate is $25, and additional copies cost $2 each. You can request a copy of a New Jersey marriage certificate by mail, online, or by visiting their walk-in center.

Upon request, you will need to provide the following information:

• The full name of both married parties.

• The date of marriage.
• The city or town of marriage.
• Your relationship to either married party.
• Your reason for requesting the certificate.
• Your contact information, including a daytime phone number and email address.
• The payment for the certificate fee.
• A photocopy of your valid photo ID.

For online orders, you can visit the VitalChek website or call them at 877-622-7549. VitalChek charges an additional $21 - $37.95, not including the cost of shipping the certificate. They accept all major credit cards, including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover.

You may also mail your application with payment to:

New Jersey Department of Health
Office of Vital Statistics and Registry
P.O. Box 370
Trenton, NJ 08625-0370

For walk-in requests, you can visit:

New Jersey Department of Health
Office of Vital Statistics and Registry
140 East Front Street
Trenton, NJ
Driving directions

You can visit the office from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm, Monday through Friday, with a completed application form and a government-issued ID, such as a passport or driver's license. You can also contact the office at 877-622-7549 for more details and information.

How Can I Get a Copy of a Divorce Record in New Jersey?

In New Jersey, divorce cases are filed and heard in the Family Division of the Superior Court at the county court level.

It is not necessary to obtain a copy of the actual divorce decree in many cases. The Superior Court Clerk's Office can prepare a divorce record for a nominal fee.

The certificate includes information such as county of venue, docket number, names of the parties, and date of the final judgment, together with the Seal of the Superior Court.

To find out if a divorce case was filed in New Jersey, you can check the Superior Court Clerk's Office's Dissolution Files Inventory. The inventory is organized by case year, county, and case number. If you find the case listed, you can contact the county Superior Court Clerk's Office in that county to obtain a copy of the certificate.

If you do not know your docket number, you can contact the Superior Court Clerk's Office Customer Service Unit at 609-421-6100. A search will provide you with the docket number, the county in which the divorce case was filed, the approximate year the divorce occurred, and the name of the parties.

The Superior Court sets the copy and authentication fees, and they vary by county.

• Plain copies: 5¢ per page for letter-size pages/7¢ per page for legal-size pages.
• Certified copy: $15.00
• Seal of the Court: $10.00
• Exemplified copy: $50.00 plus the plain copy fees
• Triple exemplified copy: $60.00
• Certificate of Statewide Judgment Lien: $10.00
• Certificate of Divorce: $10.00
• Certified copy of the Final Judgment of Divorce: $25.00

The state accepts money orders and checks for payment of the fees. You can pay with cash only during walk-in or in-person transactions. Checks/money orders must be payable to the Treasurer - State of New Jersey.

You will need to provide the following information when requesting a copy of a divorce certificate:

• The names of the parties involved in the divorce.
• The approximate year the divorce was finalized.
• The docket number, if known.
• Your relationship with the parties involved in the divorce.
• The reason you are requesting the certificate.
• Your contact information, including a daytime phone number and email address.
• The payment for the fees associated with the request.
• A photocopy of your valid photo ID.

If you don't have access to a computer, you can mail your request to:

Superior Court Clerk's Office
(attn) Customer Access
PO Box 971
Trenton NJ 08625.

Contact the office for additional information at 609-421-6100.

Helpful State Resources

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• New Jersey Court Records