Effective Dates: 07/08/2016 - Present Previous | Next

TN 27 (11-14)

GN 00308.062 New York Vital Records

A. Where to request birth, death, divorce, and marriage verifications and certifications from New York

The custodian for vital records of births, deaths, and marriages that occurred in New York State, not including New York City is New York State Department of Health Vital Records Services.

Obtain the most up-to date information on records of birth and deaths that occurred in New York City from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene .

You can find the most up-to-date information and request copies of marriage licenses issued in New York City at NYC Marriage Bureau.

The State office provides records of divorces that occurred in New York State, including New York City, on or after January 1, 1963. Contact the clerk of the county that granted the divorce for records of divorces that occurred before January 1, 1963. For divorces that occurred in New York City, go to the New York State page from New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

B. How to request vital records from New York State

The Albany Field Office (FO 102) cannot verify, certify, or obtain a free copy of birth or death records.

You can order records via:

  • •

    mail,

  • •

    internet, or

  • •

    telephone.

    For New York State requests, the telephone number is1-855-322-1022.

1. Address for New York State

New York State Dept. of Health Vital Records

Certification Unit

P.O. Box 2602

Albany, NY 12220-2602

2. Cost for copy of birth, death, divorce, or marriage records

a. Without priority handling

The costs are:

  • •

    Birth - $30.00

  • •

    Death  - $30.00

  • •

    Marriage - $30.00

  • •

    Divorce - $30.00

Requests receive regular handling when sent to the Vital Records Certification Unit by first class, registered mail, certified mail, or two-day priority mail. Requests submitted in this manner process within ten (10) to twelve (12) weeks from the day received.

b. With Priority handling

For priority handling, the charge is the regular fee amount of $30 plus an additional fee of $15 for expedited processing, for a total of $45. We recommend submission by overnight carrier. Use the following address:

New York State Department of Health

Certification Unit

Vital Records Section/2nd Floor

800 North Pearl Street

Menands, NY 12204

3. Type of Payment for birth, death, divorce, or marriage records

Make payments by:

  • •

    check,

  • •

    money order, or

  • •

    credit card.

4. What information you need to know or provide when requesting vital records

a. Identification requirements

The requirements are:

  • •

    requests must include either a copy of a signed, valid photo ID of the person named on the certificate, or copies of two proofs of name and address;

  • •

    the person named on the certificate, or the person’s parent, may obtain a copy of a birth certificate (BC). Other individuals may obtain a copy of a BC only by order of a New York State court; and

  • •

    a request to send the birth certificate to a third party (i.e., Social Security Administration) must include a notarized statement signed by the applicant.

NOTE: Field offices may pay for notary services using SSA’s Third Party Payment System (TPPS). The TPPS cashier should enter the following   when generating a third party draft to pay for notary services:

• Common account number (CAN): Office CAN

• Subobject Classification Code (SOC): 252K

• Draft memo line: NOTARY BC NY

b. Birth certificate mail-in application

To request a copy of New York State birth certificate via mail, fill out the following form DOH-4380 (Birth Certificate Mail-in Application).

c. Internet and telephone requests

Orders require a major credit card; receive priority handling; the fee is $30.00 plus $15.00 for a total of $45.00 per birth certificate copy, and there is an additional $8.00 vendor-processing fee charged per transaction (not per copy). For priority handling requests only, use the following address:

New York State Department of Health

Vital Records Section

Certification Unit

800 North Pearl Street

Menands, NY 12204

d. Mail order requests

Pay for copies by check or money order payable to the New York State Department of Health - Do not send cash.

Requests for copies from foreign countries must pay by a check drawn on a United States bank or by international money order - Do not send cash.

C. How to request vital records from New York City

The Downtown Field Office (FO 109) cannot verify, certify, or obtain a free copy of birth or death records.

You can order all records for New York City via:

  • •

    mail,

  • •

    internet, or

  • •

    telephone.

    (For New York City requests, the telephone number is 1-877-854-4481.)

1. Address for New York City

NYC Health Department

Office of Vital Records

125 Worth Street, CN4, Room 133

New York, NY 10013

Obtain the following:

  • •

    Copies of birth and death records of events that occurred in New York City from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

  • •

    Marriage records directly from the Offices of the City Clerk, listed in GN 00308.062C.5. in this section. For online service, go to Office of the City Clerk.

  • •

    Records of divorces that occurred in New York City, on or after January 1, 1963, from the State office at New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Contact the clerk of the county that granted the divorce for records of divorces that occurred before January 1, 1963.

2. Cost of copy for birth, death, divorce, or marriage records

The costs are:

  • •

    Birth and death - $15.00

  • •

    Marriage - $10.00

  • •

    Divorce - $30.00

3. Type of payment for birth, death, divorce, or marriage records

Send a check or money order payable to the New York City Department of Health.

4. What information you need to know or provide when requesting vital records

a. Identification requirements

Requests must include either a copy of a signed, valid photo ID of the person named on the certificate or copies of two proofs of name and address. The person named on the certificate or the person’s parent may obtain a copy of a birth certificate (BC). Other individuals may obtain a copy of a BC only by order of a New York State court.

b. Birth certificate mail-in application

All mail-in applications for a New York City birth certificate must be notarized. Click here for the New York City birth certificate application.

c. Payment methods

Internet and telephone orders require a major credit card. For additional information, go to New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

5. Addresses for New York City Boroughs marriage records

Mail all marriage record requests by the county where the marriage occurred to the following addresses:

a. Bronx Borough

City Clerk’s Office

1780 Grand Concourse

Bronx, New York 10457

b. Brooklyn Borough

City Clerk’s Office

Municipal Building

Brooklyn, New York 11201

c. Manhattan Borough

City Clerk’s Office

Municipal Building

1 Centre Street, Rm. 252

New York, New York 10007

d. Queens Borough

City Clerk’s Office

120-55 Queens Boulevard

Borough Hall Station

Kew Gardens, New York 11424

e. Staten Island Borough (no longer called Richmond)

City Clerk’s Office

Staten Island Borough Hall

Staten Island, New York 10301
To Link to this section - Use this URL:
http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0200308062
GN 00308.062 - New York Vital Records - 07/08/2016
Batch run: 09/13/2024
Rev:07/08/2016