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How to order a New York birth certificate

Who holds it: Outside NYC: NYS Department of Health Vital Records (since 1881) and the local Registrar of Vital Statistics where the birth occurred. NYC (five boroughs): NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene; pre-1910 NYC births: NYC Municipal Archives1

Last checked against official sources on .

On this page
  1. How to search and order
  2. Who may order and what is restricted
  3. Older records and indexes
  4. Related records in New York
  5. How New York handles it
  6. Birth certificates in New York counties with a full guide
  7. Official warnings
  8. Official copies vs look-alike sites
  9. Sources

Fee

NYS DOH: $30 by mail; $45 plus vendor processing fee online/phone. NYC DOHMH: $15 per certificate plus processing fee ($9.30 online, $7.50 mail, $2.75 in person)1

Who may order

The person named (18+ per statute), a parent named on the certificate, or others only by NYS court order. NYC: registrant 18+ or a parent named on the certificate1

How to search and order

Online ordering
VitalChek is the authorized online vendor (NYS DOH links it; NYC DOHMH calls it its only authorized online vendor)2

Who may order and what is restricted

Restrictions
Valid photo ID (or two documents showing name and address) required; certified birth records are not open to the public1

Older records and indexes

Genealogy
DOH uncertified genealogy copies if on file 75+ years and the person is deceased (waived for direct-line descendants); $22 for a 1-3 year index search, rising to $202 for 81-90 years; processing may take 8 months or longer3
Death certificates: who holds it
Outside NYC: NYS DOH Vital Records (since 1881) and the local Registrar where the death occurred. NYC: NYC DOHMH (deaths after 1951 via DOHMH; older via Municipal Archives)4
Death certificates: fee
NYS DOH: $30 by mail; $45 plus vendor processing fee online/phone. NYC DOHMH: $15 per certificate plus processing fee4

How New York handles it

  • New York City vital records are separate from the state system: NYC DOHMH issues NYC birth/death certificates and the NYC City Clerk handles NYC marriage records; NYS DOH does not hold them3
  • Albany, Buffalo and Yonkers: records before January 1, 1914 are only at the city's local registrar (births/deaths) or city clerk (marriages)3

Birth certificates in New York counties with a full guide

The local office, its official online search and its own fee, for each county with a full guide. Local fees can differ from the statewide figures above.

CountyOfficeSearch onlineFee
Albany CountyLocal Registrar of the city/town where the birth occurred, or NYS DOH Vital Records (since 1881)5——
Bronx CountyNYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene6—$15 per certificate plus processing fee ($9.30 online, $7.50 mail, $2.75 in person)7
Broome CountyCity, town and village registrars/clerks8——
Chautauqua CountyTown or City Clerk where the birth took place9——
Clinton CountyTown or city clerk where the birth occurred10——
Dutchess CountyCity or town local registrar where the birth occurred, or NYS Department of Health (Bureau of Vital Records, Albany)11—State fee: NYS DOH: $30 by mail; $45 plus vendor fee online/phone12
Erie CountyRegistrar of Vital Statistics of the city or town of birth (Buffalo: City Hall, 65 Niagara Square, (716) 851-5432)13——
Kings CountyNYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene14—$15 per certificate plus processing fee ($9.30 online, $7.50 mail, $2.75 in person)15
Monroe CountyMonroe County Department of Public Health – Office of Vital Records16—$30 per certified copy17
New York CountyNYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Office of Vital Records18—$15 per certificate plus processing fee ($9.30 online, $7.50 mail, $2.75 in person)19
Oneida CountyCity/town clerk (local registrar) where the birth occurred; NYS DOH Vital Records20——
Onondaga CountyOnondaga County Office of Vital Statistics (all births and deaths in the county)21—$30.00 first certified copy; $15.00 each additional copy of the same certificate ordered at the same time21
Orange CountyCity, village and town Registrars of Vital Statistics / Town and City Clerks22——
Queens CountyNYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene23—$15 per certificate plus processing fee ($9.30 online, $7.50 mail, $2.75 in person)24
Rensselaer CountyNot at the County Clerk: NYS Department of Health or the town/city clerk (local registrar) where the birth occurred25——
Richmond CountyNYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene26—$15 per certificate plus processing fee27
Saratoga CountyTown or city clerk where the birth occurred; also NYS Department of Health28—State fee: NYS DOH: $30 by mail; $45 plus vendor processing fee online/phone29
Schenectady CountyLocal Registrar of Vital Statistics where the birth occurred (city/town), or NYS Department of Health30——
Suffolk CountyTown Clerks / Registrars of Vital Statistics31—NYS DOH: $30 by mail; $45 plus vendor processing fee online/phone32
Sullivan CountyLocal Registrar/Clerk of the town or village where the birth occurred33——
Ulster CountyCity, town and village clerks in Ulster County34——
Westchester CountyCity, town and village clerks35——

For any other county, see the county list on the New York guide.

Official warnings

  • NYC Department of Finance: only VitalChek is authorized for online NYC birth/death orders; unauthorized vendors charge high fees2

Official copies vs look-alike sites

A certified copy comes only from the office that holds the record; reports and "research copies" sold by commercial sites are not issued by any New York office. How to tell an official record source from a paid look-alike.

Rules in other states: birth certificates in every state. Everything else in New York: New York public records guide.

Sources

Every fact above links to the official page it comes from. Fees and rules change, so check the office's own page before you pay or travel.

  1. Birth CertificatesNew York State Department of Healthchecked November 4, 2026
  2. Birth and Death Records: Fees and Processing TimesNYC Department of Health and Mental Hygienechecked November 4, 2026
  3. Genealogy Records & ResourcesNew York State Department of Healthchecked November 4, 2026
  4. Death CertificatesNew York State Department of Healthchecked November 4, 2026
  5. Genealogy Records & ResourcesNew York State Department of Healthchecked November 7, 2026
  6. Birth and Death RecordsNYC Department of Health and Mental Hygienechecked November 4, 2026
  7. Birth and Death Records: Fees and Processing TimesNYC Department of Health and Mental Hygienechecked November 4, 2026
  8. County Clerk: Birth, Marriage, and Death CertificatesBroome County, New Yorkchecked November 4, 2026
  9. County ClerkChautauqua County, NYchecked November 8, 2026
  10. Birth, Death and Marriage CertificatesClinton County Clerkchecked November 4, 2026
  11. County Clerk: Vital RecordsDutchess County, New Yorkchecked November 4, 2026
  12. Birth CertificatesNew York State Department of Healthchecked November 4, 2026
  13. FAQsErie County Clerkchecked November 4, 2026
  14. Birth and Death RecordsNYC Department of Health and Mental Hygienechecked November 4, 2026
  15. Birth and Death Records: Fees and Processing TimesNYC Department of Health and Mental Hygienechecked November 4, 2026
  16. Monroe County, NY home pageMonroe Countychecked November 4, 2026
  17. Vital Records - Birth/Death CertificatesMonroe County Department of Public Healthchecked November 4, 2026
  18. Birth Certificates (NYC)NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygienechecked November 4, 2026
  19. Birth and Death Records: Fees and Processing TimesNYC Department of Health and Mental Hygienechecked November 4, 2026
  20. Vital Records - Birth, Death, MarriageOneida County Clerkchecked November 4, 2026
  21. Office of Vital Statistics (a Division of Health)Onondaga Countychecked November 4, 2026
  22. Birth, Death & Marriage RecordsOrange County Clerkchecked November 4, 2026
  23. Birth and Death RecordsNYC Department of Health and Mental Hygienechecked November 4, 2026
  24. Birth and Death Records: Fees and Processing TimesNYC Department of Health and Mental Hygienechecked November 4, 2026
  25. County Clerk FAQsRensselaer County, NYchecked November 4, 2026
  26. Birth and Death RecordsNYC Department of Health and Mental Hygienechecked November 4, 2026
  27. Birth and Death Records: Fees and Processing TimesNYC Department of Health and Mental Hygienechecked November 4, 2026
  28. County Clerk Frequently Asked QuestionsCounty of Saratoga, New Yorkchecked November 4, 2026
  29. Birth CertificatesNew York State Department of Healthchecked November 4, 2026
  30. Birth CertificatesNew York State Department of Healthchecked November 4, 2026
  31. Birth, Marriage and Death CertificatesSuffolk County Clerkchecked November 4, 2026
  32. Birth CertificatesNew York State Department of Healthchecked November 4, 2026
  33. Vital Records (Birth, Death, Marriage) | Sullivan County NYSullivan County, New Yorkchecked November 4, 2026
  34. Frequently Asked QuestionsUlster County Clerkchecked November 4, 2026
  35. City, Town and Village ClerksOffice of the Westchester County Clerkchecked November 4, 2026