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What are North Dakota Vital Records?
Vital Records in North Dakota are the official records of births, deaths, marriages, and divorces in North Dakota. The Division of Vital Records office maintains copies of these records for public inspection.
You can obtain copies of vital records from the Division of Vital Records Office or from the county registrar in the county where the event occurred.
How Can I Get a Copy of a Birth Certificate in North Dakota?
The Division of Vital Records maintains birth records from 1870. Birth records are not available for public inspection. Only the following persons can request a certified copy of their birth record:
- The person named on the birth certificate (provided that they are at least 16 years old).
- A parent or guardian of the person named on the birth certificate.
If you are not any of these individuals, you cannot request a certified copy of the birth record unless:
- You have a court order listing the specific information to be released.
- Other documentation listing you as an authorized representative of the person named on the birth certificate.
You can also fill out an application form to receive a non-certified copy of a birth certificate.
If you are requesting a certified copy of a birth record for a deceased individual, you must be:
- A member of the immediate family of the dead person.
- An authorized representative of the immediate family.
- An authorized representative of a government agency.
Upon request, you must submit one of the following photo IDs together with your request. Make sure that the identification is not expired:
- Driver's license.
- State ID.
- U.S. Passport.
- U.S. Military ID.
- U.S. Permanent Resident Card.
- U.S. Visa.
- Tribal ID Card.
If you cannot submit any of these identification documents, you may submit two from the following list:
- A bank statement with your current address (must be less than three months old).
- A utility bill with your current address (must be less than three months old).
- Social security card.
- Income tax return from the current or previous year.
If you cannot provide any of the items listed above, you can call the Vital Records Office at (701) 328-2360 or email them at vitalrec@nd.gov.
To apply for a birth record by mail, you must complete the Birth Request Application Form together with the required payment and identification.
You must mail your request to:
Division of Vital Records
600 E. Boulevard Ave., Dept. 301
Bismarck, ND 58505
Once your request order is processed, copies are usually mailed in 3 to 5 business days. The standard fee for a certified copy of a birth certificate is $15.
For online orders, you can visit VitalChek. They are an online service that provides you with the option to request and pay for certified copies of your birth certificate online.
The cost of a certified copy of a birth certificate through VitalChek is $27.95, not including the cost of shipping and handling. VitalChek accepts all major credit cards, including American Express, Visa, Discover, and MasterCard.
How Can I Get a Copy of a Death Certificate in North Dakota?
The Division of Vital Records maintains death records from 1893. Death records are not available for public inspection. Only the following persons can request a certified copy of their death record:
- The surviving spouse of the deceased.
- The child of the deceased.
- The parent of the deceased.
- A sibling of the deceased.
- An authorized representative.
- A funeral director reporting the facts of death.
Upon request, you must submit one of the following photo IDs together with your request. Make sure that the identification is not expired:
- Driver's License.
- State ID.
- U.S. Passport.
- U.S. Military ID.
- U.S. Permanent Resident Card.
- U.S. Visa.
- Tribal ID Card.
If you cannot submit any of these identification documents, you may submit two from the following list:
- A bank statement with your current address (must be less than three months old).
- A utility bill with your current address (must be less than three months old).
- Social security card.
- Income tax return from the current or previous year.
If you cannot provide any of the items listed above, you can call the Vital Records Office at (701) 328-2360 or email them at vitalrec@nd.gov.
To apply for a death record by mail, you must complete the Death Request Application Form together with the required payment and identification.
You must mail your request to:
Division of Vital Records
600 E. Boulevard Ave., Dept. 301
Bismarck, ND 58505
Once your request order is processed, copies are mailed in 3 to 5 business days. The standard fee for a certified copy of a death certificate is $15, and $10 for every additional copy.
For online orders, you can visit VitalChek. They are an online service that provides you with the option to request and pay for certified copies of your death certificate online.
The cost of a certified copy of a death certificate through VitalChek is $27.95, not including the cost of shipping and handling. VitalChek accepts all major credit cards, including American Express, Visa, Discover, and MasterCard.
How Can I Get a Copy of a Marriage Certificate in North Dakota?
As of January 1, 2008, the North Dakota Department of Health, Vital Records no longer issues marriage certificates.
All certified copies of marriage records must be obtained from the county where the marriage license was issued. You can visit the ND Division of Vital Records, Certified Copies of Marriage Records to view a list of counties and their contact information.
The cost of a certified copy of a marriage certificate varies by county. If you have any concerns or questions, you should contact the county where the marriage license was issued.
You can also contact the North Dakota Department of Health at (701) 328-2360 or email them at vitalrec@nd.gov.
How Can I Get a Copy of a Divorce Certificate in North Dakota?
Certified copies of divorce records are not available from the North Dakota Department of Health, Vital Records.
Copies of divorce records can only be obtained from the district court in the county where the divorce was granted. You can visit the ND Division of Vital Records, Certified Copies of Divorce Records.
If you need assistance determining which county your divorce was granted in, you can contact the North Dakota Department of Health at (701) 328-2360 or email them the information you are looking for at vitalrec@nd.gov.