Table of Contents
What are Ohio Vital Records?
Vital records in Ohio are records of births, deaths, marriages, and divorces. They are kept by the Ohio Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics. You can obtain copies of vital records online, by mail, and in person at local offices.
How Can I Get a Copy of a Birth Certificate in Ohio?
The Bureau of Vital Statistics maintains copies of birth certificates for events that occurred in Ohio since December 20, 1908. Earlier records are transferred to the custody of the Ohio History Connection.
There are three ways you can order a copy of an Ohio birth certificate: online, by mail, or in person.
Online orders can be made through the Ohio Department of Health's online portal. You will need to provide the following information:
- The full name of the person on the birth certificate.
- The date of birth.
- The mother's last name prior to marriage
- The county where the birth occurred.
- Your credit or debit card information for payment.
Orders placed online will be charged a $21.50 fee per transaction. The Bureau of Vital Statistics accepts all major credit cards, including American Express, Visa, Discover, and MasterCard.
VitalChek is also available for online orders. They are an independent company that provides 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 $29 - $42, not including the cost of shipping and handling. VitalChek accepts all major credit cards, including American Express, Visa, MasterCard, and Discover.
Mail orders can be made by downloading and completing the Bureau of Vital Statistics' Application for Certified Copies form. Once completed, you can send the application with the appropriate payment to the following address:
Ohio Department of Health
Bureau of Vital Statistics
PO Box 15098
Columbus, Ohio 43215-0098
The cost for a copy of an Ohio birth certificate is $21.50, and applications must be paid by money order or check. The office does not offer expedited services for mail orders. All mail-in orders typically take 4 to 6 weeks to process. To check your order status, you can email the office at vs.issuance@odh.ohio.gov.
At the moment, the Bureau of Vital Statistics is not offering a walk-in service. However, you can still order copies of birth certificates in person by locating a local health district office that processes birth certificates. You can also visit the Ohio local district locator page and see if there is an office near you that offers this service.
How Can I Get a Copy of a Death Certificate in Ohio?
The Bureau of Vital Statistics maintains copies of death certificates for events that occurred in Ohio since January 1, 1964. Earlier records are transferred to the custody of the Ohio History Connection.
Death certificates can be ordered online, by mail, and in person at local health district offices.
Online orders can be made through the Ohio Department of Health's online portal. You will need to provide the following information:
- The full name of the decedent.
- The date of death.
- The gender.
- The county where the death occurred.
- Your credit or debit card information for payment.
- The mother's first name, middle name, and maiden name.
Orders placed online will be charged a $21.50 fee per transaction. The Bureau of Vital Statistics accepts all major credit cards, including American Express, Visa, Discover, and MasterCard.
VitalChekis also available for online orders. They are an independent company that provides 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 $29 - $42, not including the cost of shipping and handling. VitalChek accepts all major credit cards, including American Express, Visa, MasterCard, and Discover.
Mail orders can be made by downloading and completing the Bureau of Vital Statistics' Application for Certified Copies Form. Once completed, you can send the application with the appropriate payment to the following address:
Ohio Department of Health
Bureau of Vital Statistics
PO Box 15098
Columbus, Ohio 43215-0098
The cost for a copy of an Ohio death certificate is $21.50, and applications must be paid by money order or check. The office does not offer expedited services for mail orders. All mail-in orders typically take 4 to 6 weeks to process. To check your order status, you can email the office at vs.issuance@odh.ohio.gov.
As of the moment, the Bureau of Vital Statistics is not offering a walk-in service. However, you can still order copies of death certificates in person by locating a local health district office that processes death certificates. You can visit the Ohio local district locator page and see if there is an office near you that offers this service.
How Can I Get a Copy of a Marriage Certificate in Ohio?
The Bureau of Vital Statistics does not maintain copies of marriage certificates. Certified copies of marriage certificates can be obtained from the probate court in the county where the marriage license was issued. Each county probate court in Ohio has its own website with additional contact information.
Some county probate courts offer online ordering for marriage certificates. You can find a list of those counties on the Ohio Find Local Health Districts page.
Upon request, you might need to provide information such as:
- The full name of both spouses.
- Their date of marriage.
- The city and county where the marriage license was issued.
- Your credit or debit card information for payment.
Typically, individuals that can request and receive a copy of a marriage certificate include:
- One of the spouses named on the certificate.
- A parent or legal guardian of one of the spouses.
- A grandparent, child, or sibling of one or both spouses.
- An attorney representing one of the spouses.
How Can I Get a Copy of a Divorce Certificate in Ohio?
The Bureau of Vital Statistics does not maintain copies of divorce certificates. Certified copies of divorce certificates can be obtained from the Clerk of Courts in the county where the divorce was granted. Each county clerk of courts in Ohio has its own website with additional contact information.
Some counties offer online ordering for divorce certificates. You can visit OCCA's listing of county clerks to find the county where the divorce was granted.
Upon request, you might need to provide information such as:
- The name of the parties involved in the divorce.
- The date of the divorce.
- Your relationship with the parties involved.
- Your credit or debit card information for payment.
- A photocopy of your valid photo ID.
Typically, individuals that can request and receive a copy of a divorce certificate include:
- The divorced parties.
- A parent or legal guardian of the divorced parties.
- An attorney representing the divorced parties.