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How to order a North Carolina birth certificate

Who holds it: NC Vital Records (1913 to present) and the county Register of Deeds where the birth occurred1

Last checked against official sources on .

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

State fee

$24 search (one copy included if found), per three-year period, nonrefundable2

Who may order

Certified: self, spouse, sibling, direct ancestor or descendant, stepparent, stepchild; a person seeking a legal determination of personal or property rights; authorized agent, attorney or legal representative of these3

Processing time

10 business days average (1971 to present; the same for 1913 to 1970)4

How to search and order

Uncertified copies
Anyone, for information only, stamped Uncertified, unless legal restrictions apply5
Additional copies
$15 each2
Authorized vendor
VitalChek is the only authorized vendor for remote orders of state-issued certified birth certificates2
Mailing address
North Carolina Vital Records, ATTN: VC Certificate Orders, 1903 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-19001

Fees

Expedite fee
$15, in-person by appointment only2
Vendor fee
VitalChek: $13.95 processing fee; total $37.95 regular or $57.95 overnight with one certificate1
County certified fee
$10.00 at the Register of Deeds6

Who may order and what is restricted

Restrictions
Names of children and parents, parents' addresses and parents' SSNs in birth data are not public records3
ID required
Legible photocopy of one listed photo ID, or two different listed alternatives5

Older records and indexes

Years held
1913 to present7
Pre
County Register of Deeds where the birth occurred7

More details

Adoptee records
Original birth certificates are sealed; court order required5
County same day
Usually same day at the Register of Deeds8
Free cases
Register of Deeds may issue a certified birth certificate free to anyone over 62 (voter photo ID case: see special)6
Phone
919-733-30009
Death certificates: who holds it
NC Vital Records (1930 to present) and Register of Deeds in the county where the death occurred, not county of residence1
Older records: vital records route
Start with county or Archives, not NC Vital Records7

How North Carolina handles it

  • Vital records price gap. County Register of Deeds certified copies of birth, death and marriage cost $10.00 by statute versus $24 at NC Vital Records6
  • Statewide birth certificates at county offices. Some Registers of Deeds issue birth certificates for births elsewhere in NC; Pender County states this for 1971 to present10
  • Official pages give different payment instructions. NC Vital Records fees page says mail payment payable to NC Vital Records2
  • Official pages give different payment instructions. NC Vital Records order page says mail payment goes to VitalChek1
  • Free certificates. Free certified birth certificate or marriage license for registered voters needing it for voter photo ID6
  • No online vital search. Vital records are not free public records; no online lookup5

Birth certificates in North Carolina 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
Alamance CountyAlamance County Register of Deeds11——
Brunswick CountyBrunswick County Register of Deeds12—$10.00 per certified copy; uncertified 25¢ per page (by mail plus $1.00 or SASE)13
Buncombe CountyBuncombe County Register of Deeds, Vital Records14—$10 certified; $0.25 non-certified; one free certified copy for people 62 or older15
Cabarrus CountyRegister of Deeds16—$10 certified, $1 uncertified by mail (births filed in Cabarrus)16
Catawba CountyCatawba County Register of Deeds - Vital Records17—Certified $10 each; uncertified $0.50; online orders add $3.50 convenience fee; other NC counties since 1971: $2417
Cleveland CountyCleveland County Register of Deeds18—$10.00 certified; out-of-county births after 1971 $24.0018
Craven CountyRegister of Deeds, Vital Records19—Certified copy fee: $10 each20
Cumberland CountyCumberland County Register of Deeds - Vital Records Section21—$10.00 certified copy (Cumberland County births); births in other NC counties $24.00 cash only21
Davidson CountyDavidson County Register of Deeds22—$10 per certified copy23
Durham CountyDurham County Register of Deeds, Vital Records Department24—$10 certified; $1.00 uncertified by mail; $.25 uncertified in person; NCDAVE statewide copy $24 cash only25
Forsyth CountyRegister of Deeds: certified $10, uncertified $.5026——
Gaston CountyGaston County Register of Deeds27—$10 certified in office; $0.25 uncertified; online adds a $3.50 vendor fee27
Guilford CountyGuilford County Register of Deeds – Vital Records Section28—$10 per certified copy; first copy free for registrants 62 or older; out-of-county NC births (1971 forward) $24 cash only29
Harnett CountyHarnett County Register of Deeds30—Certified copy fee: $10.00 if born in Harnett County31
Henderson CountyHenderson County Register of Deeds – Vital Records/Real Estate Division32—$10.00 certified copy; $.25 photocopy33
Iredell CountyRegister of Deeds: births in Iredell County 1913-present34——
Johnston CountyJohnston County Register of Deeds, Vital Records35—Certified $10.00; uncertified $0.10; $1.00 minimum for mail requests36
Mecklenburg CountyOffice of Vital Records37—$10 per certified copy at Register of Deeds38
Moore CountyMoore County Register of Deeds39——
New Hanover CountyNew Hanover County Register of Deeds40—$10.00 per certified copy; $.25 uncertified; by mail add $1 postage40
Orange CountyOrange County Register of Deeds - Vital Records41—$10 certified42
Pitt CountyPitt County Register of Deeds (births occurring in the county); NC Vital Records43—$10 per certified copy; photo ID required43
Randolph CountyRandolph County Register of Deeds44—$10 per certified copy (certified check or money order by mail)45
Robeson CountyRobeson County Register of Deeds46—$10.00 at the Register of Deeds47
Rowan CountyRowan County Register of Deeds48—$10 cash per certified copy (money order by mail)48
Wake CountyWake County Register of Deeds49—$10 per certified copy of a Wake County birth certificate; statewide (born in NC 1971-present) search and copy at the downtown office $24, additional copies $1549
Wayne CountyWayne County Register of Deeds50—$10 per certified copy; $24 for a birth in another NC county (1971 or later) via Statewide Issuance51

For any other county, see the county list on the North Carolina guide.

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 North Carolina 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 North Carolina: North Carolina 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. NCDHHS: DPH: NC Vital Records: Order a CertificateNC DHHS Vital Recordschecked November 4, 2026
  2. NCDHHS: DPH: NC Vital Records: Fees and PaymentNC DHHS Vital Recordschecked November 4, 2026
  3. G.S. 130A-93NC General Assemblychecked November 4, 2026
  4. NCDHHS: DPH: NC Vital Records: General Issuance Certificates Processing DatesNC DHHS Vital Recordschecked November 4, 2026
  5. NCDHHS: DPH: NC Vital Records: FAQsNC DHHS Vital Recordschecked November 4, 2026
  6. G.S. 161-10NC General Assemblychecked November 4, 2026
  7. NCDHHS: DPH: NC Vital Records: ResearchNC DHHS Vital Recordschecked November 4, 2026
  8. NCDHHS: DPH: NC Vital Records: Contact Us: County Offices That Have Vital RecordsNC DHHS Vital Recordschecked November 4, 2026
  9. NCDHHS: DPH: NC Vital Records: Contact UsNC DHHS Vital Recordschecked November 4, 2026
  10. Register of Deeds | Pender County, NCPender Countychecked November 4, 2026
  11. Obtain a Birth, Marriage, or Death CertificateAlamance County Register of Deedschecked November 4, 2026
  12. Birth, Death, and Marriage RecordsBrunswick Countychecked November 4, 2026
  13. Register of Deeds FeesBrunswick Countychecked November 4, 2026
  14. Register of DeedsBuncombe County, North Carolinachecked November 4, 2026
  15. Birth CertificatesBuncombe County, North Carolinachecked November 4, 2026
  16. Birth, Marriage and Death RecordsCabarrus Countychecked November 4, 2026
  17. Register of Deeds - Vitals General InformationCatawba County Governmentchecked November 4, 2026
  18. Birth, Death & Marriage CertificatesCleveland County, NCchecked November 8, 2026
  19. Register of DeedsCraven Countychecked November 8, 2026
  20. Order a Vital RecordCraven Countychecked November 8, 2026
  21. Vital Records – General InformationCumberland County Register of Deedschecked November 4, 2026
  22. Site MapDavidson Countychecked November 4, 2026
  23. Recording Fee ScheduleDavidson County Register of Deedschecked November 4, 2026
  24. Vital RecordsDurham County Register of Deedschecked November 4, 2026
  25. BirthDurham County Register of Deedschecked November 4, 2026
  26. Obtaining a Certified Copy (GS 130A-93)Forsyth County Register of Deedschecked November 4, 2026
  27. Register of Deeds: Birth & Death CertificatesGaston Countychecked November 5, 2026
  28. Vital RecordsGuilford County Register of Deedschecked November 4, 2026
  29. Birth CertificatesGuilford County Register of Deedschecked November 4, 2026
  30. Harnett County, NC home pageHarnett Countychecked November 7, 2026
  31. Harnett County Register of DeedsHarnett Countychecked November 7, 2026
  32. Vital Records RequestHenderson County, NCchecked November 4, 2026
  33. Register of DeedsHenderson County, NCchecked November 4, 2026
  34. Birth/Death Records | Iredell County, NCIredell County Register of Deedschecked November 4, 2026
  35. Vital Records (Register of Deeds)Johnston County, NCchecked November 7, 2026
  36. Birth RecordsJohnston County, NCchecked November 7, 2026
  37. Mecklenburg County Register of DeedsMecklenburg County, North Carolinachecked November 4, 2026
  38. Uniform Fee ScheduleMecklenburg County, North Carolinachecked November 4, 2026
  39. Site MapMoore Countychecked November 7, 2026
  40. Births, Deaths & Marriage License Certified CopiesNew Hanover Countychecked November 5, 2026
  41. Birth, Death and Marriage CertificatesOrange County, NCchecked November 4, 2026
  42. Register of Deeds FeesOrange County, NCchecked November 4, 2026
  43. Register of DeedsPitt County Register of Deedschecked November 5, 2026
  44. Site MapRandolph Countychecked November 4, 2026
  45. Vital RecordsRandolph Countychecked November 4, 2026
  46. Robeson County Administration home pageRobeson County, North Carolinachecked November 7, 2026
  47. G.S. 161-10NC General Assemblychecked November 7, 2026
  48. Birth CertificatesRowan County Register of Deedschecked November 7, 2026
  49. Birth, Death & Marriage CertificatesWake County Governmentchecked November 4, 2026
  50. Public RecordsWayne County, NCchecked November 7, 2026
  51. Birth RecordsWayne County, NCchecked November 7, 2026