Where to Write for Vital Records

Provides information about individual vital records maintained only on file in State or local vital statistics offices. An official certificate of every birth, death, marriage, and divorce should be on file in the locality where the event occurred. The Federal Government does not maintain files or indexes of these records. These records are filed permanently either in a State vital statistics office or in a city, county, or other local office. This directory, updated to January 2009, lists each state in alphabetical order with the information for the appropriate offices that keep these records. It also provides instructions on how to write to an office to receive a copy of an official record.