Are Birth Records Public in Virginia
No. According to Virginia Statutes, birth records are subject to a specific confidentiality period following which they become public information. For birth records, this time limit is 100 years after the vital event. Meanwhile, the time limitation for other vital records, including death records, marriage certificates, and divorce records, is 25 years after their respective vital events. Thus, Virginia public birth records only exist after the record’s time limitation has passed.
During the confidentiality period, Virginia birth records are only accessible to eligible persons. These include the person named on the record, their legal guardian, their legal representatives, and their immediate family members. Immediate family members include mother, father, husband, wife, child, brother, sister, and grandparents.
What are Birth Records in Virginia?
In the Commonwealth of Virginia, birth records contain vital information about persons born in Virginia. Statewide birth recording in Virginia began in 1853 after the passage of a law by the General Assembly. At that time, records of new births registered by the District Commissioners of Revenues were passed to the Auditor of Public Accounts through the Clerks of the Courts in each locality. By 1912, the Office of Vital Records, under the Virginia Department of Health, started maintaining birth records.
Persons named on Virginia birth records are eligible to obtain such birth certificates. A typical Virginia birth record contains the following information:
- Child’s full name
- Gender of the child
- Date of birth
- Place of birth
- Mother’s full name, including maiden name
- Father’s full name
- Single or plural birth
- Order of birth (if plural)
If a child’s parents are not married at the time of birth, the father’s full name will not be entered on the birth certificate. However, a sworn acknowledgment of paternity can put the father’s name on the certificate.
Birth records are important in Virginia because they are required to process documents such as passports, personal identification cards, and social security numbers. Falsification of a birth certificate is a crime in Virginia. Virginia statutes classify forging a birth certificate to establish a false identity as a Class 1 misdemeanor. It is punishable by a jail period of up to 12 months, or a fine not exceeding $2,500, or both.
How to Find and Request Birth Records Online in Virginia
Looking up recent Virginia birth records online using state-run websites is impossible. Records registered for over a hundred years are not digitized. However, persons interested in obtaining birth records may submit applications online directly to the Office of Vital Records. Applicants are expected to complete and submit the Application for Certification of a Birth Record for such requests. Once an online application process is completed, a requester is assigned an Application Tracking ID to monitor the status of the application till fulfilled. Interested persons may also use the service of approved third-party vital records websites to request birth records online in Virginia.
Considered open to citizens of the United States, public records are available through both traditional, government sources, and through third-party websites and organizations. In many cases, third-party websites make the search easier as they are not limited geographically or by technological limitations. They are considered a good place to start when looking for a specific record or multiple records. In order to gain access to these records, interested parties must typically provide:
- The name of the person listed in the record. Juveniles are typically exempt from this search method.
- The last known or assumed location of the person listed in the record. This includes cities, counties, and states.
While third-party sites offer such services, they are not government-sponsored entities, and record availability may vary on these sites when compared to government sources.
How to Get Birth Records in Virginia
While ordering birth records online offers requesters the advantage of getting them remotely, obtaining birth records in person or by mail drop-offs also has some benefits. In Virginia, walk-in requesters can obtain requested birth records on the same day and pay lesser fees since extra shipping costs are not involved. The Virginia Office of Vital Records introduced two convenient methods of obtaining birth records in person. These are:
Two-hour Pick-up
This option is suitable for walk-in requesters who do not desire to wait for the entire duration of preparing their requests. Applicants may submit their birth records requests on or before 3:00 p.m. at the front desk and return to collect them after two hours.
Application Drop-off
Persons interested in requesting birth records in Virginia can submit completed applications and required documents in the drop box provided at the Office on Vital Records. An application received through this box is prepared and mailed back to the requester on the next business day. Requests submitted in the box before 4:00 p.m. will be processed and shipped on the next business. Applications received in the box after 4:00 p.m. will not be treated until the next business day.
Where Can I Find Birth Records in Virginia?
1853 - 1896
Virginia records of births between 1853 and 1896 exist as microfilm at the Archives Division of the Library of Virginia and may be obtained at:
The Archives Division of The Library of Virginia
800 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219-1905
June 1912 – Present
In the Commonwealth of Virginia, eligible requesters (registrants and immediate relatives) can obtain records of birth that have occurred since 1912 to date, in person or by mail at/to:
- The Office of Vital Records
- Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
- Local Health Departments
Office of Vital Records
The Office of Vital Records maintains and issues Virginia birth records upon request. Interested persons should complete the Application for Certification of a Birth Record and apply in person or by mail at/to the Office of Vital Records.
Walk-In Request at the Office of Vital Records
An individual can walk into the Office of Vital Records between 7:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays to apply for a birth record in Virginia. A completed application form must be submitted with the requester’s valid photo ID. A driver’s license that expired within the last one year of the date of application is also considered valid. Interested persons may apply for Virginia birth records in person at:
Office of Vital Records
Suite 101 2001 Maywill Street
Richmond, VA 23230
Applicants may call the Office of Vital Records on (804) 662-6200 to make inquiries on their processes if required.
Mail Request to the Office of Vital Records
For a mail request, a completed application form and supporting documents should be sent to:
Office of Vital Records
P.O. Box 1000
Richmond, VA 23218-1000
The application must be signed by the requester, who must clearly state a return address.
Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
Persons seeking to obtain birth records at the DMV must download and complete the Virginia Birth Certificate Application. Once completed, the forms and supporting valid documents should be submitted in person. Currently, requesters can only visit the DMV offices in person after booking appointments online. As such, interested persons may check for the closest DMV offices and book appointments. All applications are processed on the same day. Records not found are forwarded to the Office of Vital Records for further search. If found, the Office will send such documents by mail directly to the requesters.
Local Health Departments
Getting birth records from most Local Health Departments is possible, although a few do not currently issue birth records. The health department in Alleghany Health District, for instance, does not issue birth records. However, the health departments in Fairfax, Virginia Beach, and Hampton all issue birth records to walk-in requesters only. To obtain birth records from the Virginia Beach Health Department, interested persons should visit:
Virginia Beach Department of Public Health
Pembroke Corporate Center III
4452 Corporation Lane
Virginia Beach, VA 23462
The Virginia Beach Health Department attends to birth record requests between 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily.
Can Anyone Get a Copy of a Birth Certificate in Virginia?
Interested persons can access Virginia birth records from 1853 to 1896 as microfilms at the Archives Division of the Library of Virginia. To obtain certified copies of the records of births that occurred during this period, requesters may apply to the Office of Vital Records. For birth events less than a hundred years, only the persons named on the records (registrants) and their immediate relatives can obtain such documents. Only registrants who are at least 18 years old can obtain records of birth registered in less than 100 years. However, parents, guardians, and immediate relatives can obtain such birth records on behalf of minor registrants.
How Much Does a Birth Certificate Cost in Virginia?
The cost of obtaining birth certificates varies depending on requesters’ choice of application.
The Library of Virginia
Viewing birth records archived at the Library of Virginia as microfilm is free. However, to obtain certified copies of these records, requesters will pay $12 per copy.
Online Requests - Office of Vital Records
Requesting birth records online from the Office of Vital Records costs $12 per copy. This fee is nonrefundable. The records are delivered via regular mail at no extra cost. Requesters’ checks or money orders are payable to the State Health Department. A service charge of $50 is paid for every returned check.
Walk-In Requests - Office of Vital Records
Walk-in requesters at the Office of Vital Records are charged $12 for each copy of a certificate requested. Requesters who opt for the two-hour pick-up and the application drop-off services can only pay by checks or money orders. The fee is non-refundable even if the records being sought are not found. In such instances, “No Record” letters are issued to requesters.
Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
At the DMV, requesters are charged a non-refundable fee of $14 for every Virginia birth record search.
Local Health Departments
Requesters pay a non-refundable fee of $12 per copy of each birth record requested at the Local Health Departments.
How Long Does It Take to Get a Birth Certificate in Virginia?
Online Requests - Office of Vital Records
Birth requests ordered online from the Office of Vital Records are processed and delivered within eight weeks from the day such applications are received.
Walk-In Requests - Office of Vital Records
Requesters can obtain copies of Virginia birth certificates on the same day in person. The two-hour pick-up requests are fulfilled within two hours the same day, provided the Office receives such applications before 3:00 p.m. Application drop-off option delivers birth certificates to applicants on the next business day, provided such requests were submitted before 4:00 p.m. the previous working day.
Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
At the DMV, walk-in applicants receive requested birth records the same day.
Local Health Departments
Birth certificates are issued to requesters on the same day unless such records are not found.
How to Get a New Birth Certificate in Virginia
If a Virginia state resident’s certified birth certificate gets destroyed or goes missing, the registrant can order a new birth certificate from the Virginia Department of Health (VDOH). state residents can also order new copies of their birth certificates from the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and local health departments.
The state Department of Health provides several options for ordering a new certified birth certificate. A requester may use the VDOH application for certification of a vital record portal to order birth certificates online. Alternatively, requesters can complete an application for certification of birth record form and submit it by mail to the VDOH. For expedited service, record seekers can opt to use the walk-in services offered by the VDOH and submit the application form in person at the VDOH office.
To obtain a new birth record from the DMV, record seekers must book an appointment with any DMV office closest to them. After which, complete a Virginia birth certificate application form and submit it in person on the day of the pre-scheduled appointment.
Record seekers may also visit a local health department during regular business hours to order a new birth certificate in person. However, some local health departments currently do not issue birth certificates. Hence, registrants are advised to call beforehand to make inquiries.
Lastly, for expedited service, record seekers can use third-party online vendors to order a new copy of their birth certificate online. This is the most expensive option but the fastest way to order a new birth certificate.
It is important to note that regardless of the means used in ordering a new birth certificate, one would need to present or submit the accepted form of IDs. Requesters are also typically required to provide certain information about themselves and the requested birth certificate and pay the required fees.
How to Expunge Your Birth Records in Virginia
Expungement of records in the Commonwealth of Virginia is the removal of all or part of the records and placing them in a sealed and separate file. Upon the receipt of a court order to expunge a record, both paper and electronic form of such a record are removed and secured. Such records can only be re-opened on the order of the court. The public does not have access to expunged records. There are no provisions for expunging birth records in Virginia. However, birth certificates obtained by fraud may be canceled.
How to Seal Your Birth Records in Virginia
Birth records registered in less than a hundred years are sealed records in Virginia. Only the registrants who are 18 years old and above can access their birth records. Parents, guardians, and immediate relatives can also obtain birth records on behalf of registrants below 18 years old. Guardians must show proof of guardianship, while their relatives must duly identify themselves with their valid photo IDs.
Adoption records are sealed records in Virginia. After an adoption process, court documents and the adoptee’s original birth certificates are sealed. Adoptive parents are issued a new birth certificate, bearing their names as the adoptee’s parents. Due to the fact that Virginia adoption records are automatically sealed, record holders are not required to petition to seal adoption records.
How to Unseal Your Birth Records in Virginia
Adoptees in Virginia must first apply to the Virginia Department of Social Services (DSS) to obtain identifying information. If the Commissioner believes there is a compelling reason for such requests, identifying information about the birth parents may be released to adoptees. In most instances, identifying information is only disclosed on medical grounds. Adoptees can also petition the court in the district where the adoption was finalized if their requests to the DSS are denied.
Adoptees’ access to original birth certificates becomes more feasible upon the demise of their birth parents. This is because the privacy of the birth parents will no longer be considered. Their original birth certificates and entire adoption records become easier to obtain in such instances. Adoptees will only have to present their cases before a court judge to decide. If granted, a court order is issued to the Office of Vital Records to release the adoptees’ original birth certificates.
Who Signs Birth and Death Certificates in Virginia?
According to Virginia's Medical Certifier Guide, the physician who cared for a patient illness or condition prior to their death is primarily responsible for signing their death certificate. In the absence of the aforementioned physician or with their approval, other qualified professionals may sign the death certificate. These include and are not limited to another physician employed or engaged by the same professional practice, the physician assistant, and a patient care team nurse.
Per § 32.1-257 of Virginia code, the person in charge of an institution may sign a birth certificate if the birth occurs in or en route to the institution. Alternatively, the person in charge of the institution can authorize a designee is sign a birth certificate.
