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How to Obtain Copies of Vital Records
Getting Copies of Non-Genealogical Records
Birth, Death, Marriage, Civil Union and Domestic Partnership
Non-Genealogical Records (current events) are:
- Births occurring within the last 80 years
- Marriages occurring within the last 50 years
- Deaths occurring within the last 40 years
- All domestic partnerships and civil unions.
For all orders, the following must be sent with your application:
- all required copies of ID for proof of identity
- the correct fees
- copies of documents proving your relationship to the person named on the record, if requesting a certified copy
Your application will be returned if you do not send in all required documentation.
Step 1: Identify the non-genealogical record
You must be able to fully identify the record by providing all of the information listed below on the application form. Your request cannot be accepted unless you provide the information below.
Full name on the record
City where the event occurred
Exact date of the event (month, day and year)
Mother’s maiden name
Father’s name (if recorded on the record)
For Marriage, Civil Union or Domestic Partnership - Instead of parents’ names, you must provide the name of the spouse/partner.
Step 2: Provide Acceptable Identification
You must provide acceptable ID in order to get a copy of any vital record. Copies of vital records must be mailed to the address listed on your identification.
The following are acceptable forms of ID:
A current, valid photo driver's license or photo non-driver's license with current address
ORA current, valid driver’s license without photo and one alternate form of ID, both with current address
OR
Two alternate forms of ID, both of which must have current address.
Alternate forms of ID are:
Vehicle registration
Vehicle insurance card
Voter registration
US/Foreign Passport
Immigrant Visa
Permanent Resident Card (Green card)
Federal/State ID
County ID
School ID
Bank Statement (within previous 90 days)
Utility bill(within the previous 90 days)
W-2 for current/previous tax year
People who are homeless can have a social worker or the coordinator of the homeless shelter where they are temporarily residing submit a request on behalf of the homeless person, one copy of their birth certificate with the fee waived. The request must be on their agency letterhead and provide the identifying information on the homeless person's vital record. The request must be accompanied by proof of employment by the agency and valid identification. The resulting copy of the vital record will be mailed to the agency.
People who are incarcerated can provide legal imprisonment, conviction papers or release documents that include the name, social security number and all possible aliases used in the past AND photo work identification from a prison/probation official.
Please do not send in original ID documents. Only copies are required. If you want to have your order mailed to a different address than what is listed on your identification, your application must include a notarized letter that authorizes the order to be mailed to a different address.
Step 3: Payment of Fees
Fees for copies of vital records issued vary by municipality. Please contact the Local Vital Records office where the event occurred for information about their fees.
The City of Elizabeth Office of Vital Statistics charges:
$15 per certified copy of the record
Applications mailed to the State may be paid by check or money order made payable to: Treasurer, State of New Jersey. Applications made to the municipal office should be made payable to the municipality. We cannot accept credit card payment by mail. Credit card requests must be placed via our online request site.
Please do not send cash through the mail.
Step 4: Proof of Relationship
REQUIRED when ordering a certified copy of a vital record.
Proof of relationship is not required if you are asking for a certification, which is an uncertified informational copy of the vital record not valid for establishing identity or legal purposes. However, you must still provide proof of identity when requesting a certification.
To get a certified copy of a person’s vital record, you must provide proof of your relationship to the person listed on the record and the proof must establish you are one of the following:
The subject of the record
The subject’s parent, legal guardian or legal representative
The subject’s spouse/civil union partner; child, grandchild or sibling, if of legal age
A state or federal agency for official purposes
Pursuant to court order
See the How to Prove Relationship tips at the bottom of this page for information on how to prove your relationship. This is a key requirement to getting a certified copy of a vital record.
Failure to provide proof of relationship is the number one reason certified copy applications must be rejected.
Step 5: Submitting your completed application and supporting documents
Regardless of the where you place your order you will have to send with your application:
all required copies of ID establishing your identity
the correct fee, and
copies of documents proving your relationship to the person named on the record, if you are ordering a certified copy
Your application will be returned if you do not send in all required information.
Submit your request and supporting documentation via one of the following order methods:
Non-Genealogical Orders only Processed through Elizabeth Office of Vital Statistics. 50 Winfield Scott Plaza Room G12 Elizabeth, NJ 07201 Monday – Friday 8am – 4pm Processing time is approximately 15 minutes. Payment accepted: cash or money order | |
Mail Orders only Processed through Elizabeth Office of Vital Statistics. 50 Winfield Scott Plaza Room G12 Elizabeth, NJ 07201
Mail requests are typically processed within 1 - 2 weeks. Payment accepted: check or money order
Online Requests and Application Forms:
|
How to prove relationship for non-genealogical records
If you are requesting a certification (an informational copy of a vital record not valid for legal purposes), you do not need to provide proof of relationship.
If you are looking for a certified copy of
your own birth certificate and you have assumed your spouse’s/civil union partner’s surname
you must provide a copy of the certified copy of your marriage/civil union certificate to link the name on your current ID to the name on your birth certificate.
your child’s birth certificate
you don’t need any additional documents.
your spouse’s/civil union partner’s birth certificate
you must provide a copy of your marriage/civil union certificate.
your parent’s or sibling’s vital record
you must provide a copy of your birth certificate.
if you have assumed your spouse's/civil union partner's last name you must also provide a copy of your marriage/civil union certificate to link the name on your current ID to the name on your birth certificate.
your grandparent’s vital record
you must establish that you are the person’s grandchild by providing proof that links the name on your ID to the name of the grandparent.
For example, if you changed your last name after marriage/civil union and want a grandparent’s vital record, you must:
Provide your marriage/civil union certificate to show your name at birth,
provide your birth certificate to identify your parent, and
provide the parent’s birth certificate to identify the grandparent.
If you are not a person qualified to get a certified copy of a record
but you are helping a person receive a certified copy of a vital record they are eligible to receive
you must show your valid ID and a notarized, written release authorizing you to get the record on that person’s behalf including their proof of relationship to the subject of the record.
If you are an attorney
who is
executor of an estate
you must supply proof of appointment as the executor.
who is the legal representative of the executor of an estate
you must supply proof of legal retainer by the executor and proof of the appointment of the individual as the executor.
who is the legal representative of an individual that is eligible to receive a certified copy of a vital record
you must supply proof of legal retainer by the eligible individual and their proof of relationship.
who needs a certified copy of a vital record and you are not the legal representative of an eligible person
you must obtain a court order directing the State Registrar to issue a certified copy of the record. A subpoena is not sufficient to issue a copy of a vital record.