New York City Birth Certificate Requirements
To get your New York City birth certificate you simply have to fill out an online application with your details or the details of the person you need the certificate for.
New York City has records of the people who have been born in the area, including its five boroughs: Kings, Queens, Manhattan, Bronx, and Staten Island.
All of the above have vital records offices, as well as the cities of Buffalo, Rochester, Yonkers, and Syracuse.
Once you have completed your application form, you can print it out to send to the vital records office along with a copy any of the following acceptable photo identification documents:
- Drivers License or non-drivers ID from any state or US territory
- Public benefit card
- Student ID and current transcript from accredited and verifiable institution
- Inmate photo ID with release papers
In the case that you do not have any of the documents listed above, you can, instead, provide proof of address.
Once the application has been processed, the NYC birth certificate will be mailed to the address listed on the documents provided.
The proof of address can be sent as follows:
- Two different documents dates within the past 60 days, showing your name and address
- Utility bills
- Letter from a government agency
Two: Authentication By The County Clerk
The County Clerk must authenticate new York City issued Birth Certificate to be submitted for apostille or certificate of authentication. A birth certificate must bear a letter of exemplification .
Due to the volume of matters received, the County Clerk of New York County generally requires three to four weeks to process applications for authentication submitted by mail. Documents presented in proper form in person are processed immediately.
Children Under The Age Of 16
If you are the parent/guardian of a child under the age of 16 you only need the childs birth certificate with parental information for most purposes, including a passport.
If you are applying for a passport make sure to check with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada for a list of acceptable documents.
If you already have a certified copy of birth registration, it may be accepted. Please check with the ministry, government agency or the person requesting the document before you order.
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Ny State Vital Records Agency Information
NEW YORK VITAL RECORDSThe New York State Division of Vital Records issues certified copies of New York birth certificates, New York death certificates, New York marriage records for events which occurred in the State of New York boroughs of New York City) and New Hyde Park. New York State Vital Records issues copies of New York divorce certificates for events that occurred anywhere in the State of New York, including New York City. You may order copies of New York Vital Records through VitalChek on an expedited basis.
NOTICE: Although VitalChek attempts to include accurate and up-to-date information on this site, state and agency information is subject to change without notice. VitalChek makes no representations or warranties as to the accuracy, completeness or timeliness of the information herein and assumes no liability with respect to such information.
NEW YORK BIRTH CERTIFICATESNew York State Vital Records does not file and cannot issue copies of New York City birth certificates. For births that occurred in one of the five boroughs of New York City , Queens, The Bronx and Staten Island), you will need to place your order with the New York City Department of Health.
Who Can Order?You may order copies of New York birth certificates for yourself or for a child, as long as your name appears on the certificate*. Your name must also appear on the credit or debit card that is being used for payment.
New York State Vital Records

An apostille or authentication for New York State is issued by the New York State Department of State. For further information and instructions on obtaining an apostille or authentication, visit the New York State Department of State web site.
If you are ordering a certificate from us and you need an apostille for it, we can help by forwarding yourcertificate to the Department of State which will return the certificate with apostille to you.
In order for us to forward your certificate to the Department of State, you must order by mail and pay for expedited processing by check or money order payable to the New York State Department of Health.
Enclose a check or money order for $10.00, per certificate to be apostilled, made payable to the New York State Department of State . You must also include a letter telling us for which country the apostille is needed .
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Mailing Certificate To A Po Box Or Third Party
If the applicants return address is a Post Office Box, with no street address, or the return address is to a third party, notarized signed consent of the person named on the birth certificate or other person eligible to obtain the copy is required.
Which Birth Certificate Version Do I Need
Both the long and short versions of the birth certificate are used to establish legal proof of identity and citizenship. Therefore, both version can be used by someone to obtain state-issued ID like a drivers license, as well as a Social Security card and a passport.
However, the short version may not always be accepted by every state or for all applications, since in some instances the requested copy of the birth certificate must include the full name, gender, precise time, date, and location of birth, and the parents full names , dates of birth, and places of birth. For example, if you are beginning the process of adopting a child, you are required to provide a long-form birth certificate.
Genealogy experts also recommend the use of the long-form certificate because it paints a much more detailed picture of the parents.
It can take a longer to obtain a copy of a long-form birth certificate, but both the long form and short form are officially certified and valid. If you are not sure which version best applies to your situation you can contact your local government branch, like city hall, for further information.
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Born In New York State But Not In Nyc
To change the name of someone born in New York State, but outside NYC) you will have to bring an original or certified copy of the birth certificate to Court. You can get a certified copy of the birth certificate over the internet, by phone or by mail from the New York State Department of Health Vital Records section. If no birth certificate exists, bring a certificate from the Commissioner of the local Board of Health saying that no birth certificate is available.
How Do I Get My Birth Certificate Apostille
There are 3 way to get an Apostille for your New York City Birth Certificate.
1. The OFFICIAL way requires to have an Long form Birth Certificate with a Letter of Exemplification . The Letter of Exemplification is only issued when you order a new the Long form Birth Certificate & request the Letter of Exemplification at the same time. Therefore, you need your Birth Certificate & a Letter of Exemplification to receive an Apostilla Stamp.
2. Another official way is to have an original New York City or New York State Certificate of Birth that is signed by the current City Registrar Steven Schwartz, Ph.D. or the Director of Vital Record
3. The Unofficial way is for you to create a letter stating that you have an original or a copy of a birth certificate issues by the state, city, or local county registrar of your locality. Then you get the letter you created & have it notarized. The only problem doing it this way the person who is receiving your birth certificate may not accept it. So, you need to check first to find out which procedure you wish to follow.
If need a new Birth Certificate and you now have to go to the website to order a new one.
If you have your NYC Birth Certificate
Special Note:
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Authentication By The County Clerk
Authentication of the Record: Documents to be submitted for apostille or certificate of authentication must be authenticated by the County Clerk or a state official. This is the second step in the process. A birth or death certificate must bear a letter of exemplification. A request for authentication must be presented to the County Clerks Notary Desk at 60 Centre Street, Room 141B. The request may also be submitted to the County Clerk by mail if the documents are in proper order, the County Clerk will authenticate them and return them to the applicant by mail. The submission by mail must be accompanied by a certified personal check or U.S. postal order, payable to the County Clerk of New York County, in the amount of $3.00. No other form of payment will be accepted through the mails. Payment of the $3.00 fee in person may be made in cash or by credit card . Mail applications must include a stamped, self-addressed envelope for return of the documents by the County Clerk. The County Clerk does not have facilities to return documents by delivery service or postal express mail so the applicant should plan accordingly and submit the proper postage to ensure trouble-free return.
Ordering A Copy Of A Death Certificate
To order a copy of a death certificate WITHOUT the confidential medical report:
You can order a copy of a death certificate without the confidential medical report online. The NYC Health Department uses VitalChek, a secure third-party vendor to process internet orders. You will need a personal credit/debit/checking account to order online. Online orders cost $15 for each certificate, plus an $8.30 processing fee for each order.
All Medical Examiner death certificates have the cause of death. If the cause is or manner is Undetermined or Pending further study, contact the Medical Examiners office directly at 447-2030.
You can also order a copy of a death certificate by completing the death certificate application and leaving box #20 blank.
Certificate in other languages:
To order a copy of a death certificate WITH the confidential medical report:
You can order a copy of a death certificate with a confidential medical report by completing the death certificate application and checking box #20.
What information is found on a death certificate?
The following information is found on a NYC death certificate:
How long will it take to process my order?
Below are the average processing times to complete your order.
Allow an additional two weeks for death certificates from years 1949 to 1970, or for any other record that requires searching.
If you have not received your order after the estimated processing times noted above, call:
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Difference Between Short Form Long Form Birth Certificate
Long-form birth certificate is a copy of the actual certificate of birth on file at the facility where the birth took place. While, the short-form birth certificate is a notarized document stating that the long form certificate exists and is on file.Oct 15, 2019
Short Form Birth Certificate Format

A short-form birth certificate contains almost all of the important information that is on a long-form birth certificate except it may not have signatures or detailed parents information on it depending on the state location.
With a birth certificate, you can use it for several purposes, for example, renew a drivers license registry at school, proves your American citizenship, proves your identity.
To see if your state accepts a short-form birth certificate as proof of identity or citizenship, you can contact your local governing body such as city hall.
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Who Can Apply For A New York Birth Certificate
The following people are able to apply for an authorized copy of a birth certificate from the state of New York:
- The certificate holder, a parent or legal guardian of the certificate holder.
- A child, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, spouse, or domestic partner of the certificate holder.
- A member of a law enforcement agency or a representative of another governmental agency, as provided by law, who is conducting official business.
- A party entitled to receive the record as a result of a court order, or an attorney or a licensed adoption agency seeking the birth record.
- An attorney representing the certificate holder or the certificate holders estate, or any person or agency empowered by statute or appointed by a court to act on behalf of the certificate holder or the certificate holder’s estate.
If you need to get your drivers license, apply for a passport, get married, register for school, you will need a certified copy of your birth certificate.
Remember that what differentiates this type of birth certificate copy is the official state registrars raised, embossed, impressed or multicolored Seal of New York, the registrars signature, and the date the certificate was filed with the registrars office.
All those born in the state of New York that need to request a certified copy of their birth certificate will need to include a clear photocopy of both sides of one of the forms of photo ID listed below along with a completed application form:
How Do I Get A Long Form Birth Certificate In Ontario
Fill out and sign the Request for Birth Certificate form, and mail it with the required fee to the Office of the Registrar General. You can also apply for a birth certificate online. Visit the Ontario government website for detailed information about who can apply, the cost to apply and how long it will take.
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How Do I Get A Long Form Birth Certificate In New York
You can order a birth certificate for yourself or your child online. If you need a birth certificate for any other person, you must request it by mail or in person at the Office of Vital Records. Order a birth certificate for yourself or your child. Vitalchek.com is the official website for ordering birth certificates.
Getting Your Birth Certificate Apostille
PLEASE NOTE: NOTARIZED DOCUMENTS ACCEPTABLE FOR APOSTILLE ARE DOCUMENTS NOTARIZED BY A NYS NOTARY PUBLIC WHICH MUST CONTAIN A PROPERLY EXECUTED NOTARIZATION WHICH INCLUDES THE JURAT IN ORDER TO BE ACCEPTABLE FOR AN APOSTILLE.
New York counties served: Albany,Allegany, Bronx, Broome, Cattaraugus, Cayuga, Chautauqua, Chemung,Chenango, Clinton, Columbia, Cortland, Delaware, Dutchess, Erie,Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Genesee, Greene, Hamilton, Herkimer,Jefferson, Kings , Lewis, Livingston, Madison, Monroe,Montgomery, Nassau, New York City, New York , Niagara, Oneida,Onondaga, Ontario, Orange, Orleans, Oswego, Otsego, Putnam, Queens,Rensselaer, Richmond , Rockland, Saratoga,Schenectady, Schoharie, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, St. Lawrence,Suffolk, Sullivan, Tioga, Tompkins, Ulster, Warren, Washington,Wayne, Westchester, Wyoming, Yates
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Ordering A New York State Birth Certificate By Mail
Certified Copy Of Birth Registration
When a child is born in Ontario, their parent or guardian must register their birth with the Government of Ontario. A certified copy of birth registration is a copy of the original registration and:
- includes all details of the registration
- is endorsed as authentic by the Office of the Registrar General
- is printed on legal sized paper
- contains a raised seal for security and verification purposes
- contains any changes that have been made to the birth registration including any name changes and corrections of information
You can use a certified copy of birth registration to apply for ID that requires more detailed information, such as:
- adopting a child abroad
Its important to protect your personal and sensitive information not
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