A birth certificate is an official recording of a birth that occurred in the state of Georgia. A birth record may be used for a number of reasons including to establish one’s identity, enroll in school, and apply for a driver’s license. At the State Office, birth records are available from January 1919 to the present. Some counties may have older birth records in their files. Those county Vital Records offices may be contacted directly. Click on the link below to find your local Vital Records office.
Who may request a Birth Certificate?
Birth Certificates are only issued to applicants having a direct and tangible interest, primary immediate family members, or legal representatives of the family.
What general information is required when requesting a Birth Certificate?
Georgia law and the Department of Public Health regulations require that all requests for vital records include the signature and picture ID of the requestor and the proper fee.
Typically, the person requesting a certified copy of a birth record needs only to provide:
1. A completed and signed request form which can be downloaded by clicking here.
2. Provide the applicable fee(s) noted below
3. A photocopy of your valid photo ID such as one of the following:
- Georgia Driver’s license unexpired or expired for not more than one year
- State of Georgia Identification Card unexpired or expired for not more than one year
- State of Georgia Weapons Carry License - New
- Unexpired driver’s license issued by another U.S. State, jurisdiction or territory
- Unexpired official Identification Card issued by another U.S. State, jurisdiction or territory
- Unexpired U.S. Passport
- Unexpired Foreign Passport
- U.S. Military Identification, Military Dependent Identification, Veteran’s Identification
- Unexpired Consulate Card
- Transportation ID
- Debit Card with Picture
- Employer ID Card
- School, University, or College Identification Card
- DMV ID Card
- Department of Corrections Identification Card
However, as explained below, there are instances in which specific documentation is required based on who is requesting the record.
- The person named on the certificate- If the person named on the certificate (i.e. the registrant) is the requestor, that person must provide valid photo identification at the time of the request.
- The parent(s) named on the birth record- Must provide valid picture identification.
- An authorized legal guardian or agent- Any person who has legal custody or control of a minor child must provide a certified copy of the court order establishing guardianship and legal custody.
- Grandparents of the person named on the certificate- Must provide proof of relationship such as the birth certificate of the registrant’s parent.
- An adult child or adult sibling of the person named on the certificate- Must provide proof of relationship by providing a copy of his or her birth certificate listing one of the same parents, along with his or her valid government issued picture identification which includes signature.
- The spouse of the person named on the certificate- Must provide a copy of the marriage certificate, a photo copy of the spouse’s picture identification, which includes the spouse’s signature, with a notarized letter from the spouse giving permission.
- Attorney-Must represent an immediate family member and provide a notarized letter on letterhead signed by the attorney; provide bar number indicating reason for the request and whom they represent; provide supporting documentation with the fee; provide a notarized release from the biological mother, in the event of an adoption.
- State or Federal Government Officials-The State Registrar or the local custodian may disclose data from Vital Records to authorized representatives of Federal, State, or County agencies of government which request such data in the conduct of their official duties.
Where can I request a Birth Certificate?
Certified copies of birth certificates may be obtained from the State Office of Vital Records or any County Vital Records Office. The State Office and all county offices have public walk-in service; however, some county offices may be closed certain days of the week or sometime during the day. The State Office is open from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Monday-Friday, closed on weekends and holidays. The hours of operation for our lobby are 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday-Friday.
How can I request a Birth Certificate?
The following options are available for requesting a birth certificate:
Order online with your major credit card
GO Certificates (Third Party Vendor)
Response Time: 2-4 Weeks and up to 5 business days on all expedited orders.
A surcharge and expedite fee applies for credit card payments. Only birth and death certificates are available.
Order online with your major credit card
ROVER (Georgia Technology Authority)
Response Time: 2-4 Weeks and up to 5 business days on all expedited orders.
A surcharge and expedite fee applies for credit card payments. Only birth and death certificates are available.
Order online or by phone with your major credit card:
VitalChek (Third Party Vendor)
Response Time: 2-4 Weeks and up to 5 business days on all expedited orders.
A surcharge and expedite fee applies for credit card payments. Only birth and death certificates are available.
Mail-in Request
Mail a completed copy of the appropriate request form to:
State Office of Vital Records
1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100
Atlanta, GA 30349
Response Time: 8-10 Weeks
Please download and complete the following form:
Request for Search of Birth Record (Form 3918)
(A separate completed request form is needed for each record requested.)
Walk-in Service
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Monday-Friday, Except State Holidays
State Office of Vital Records or any County Vital Records Office.
1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100
Atlanta, GA 30349
Response Time: Same Day Service
Click here for a list of State Holidays.
Click here for a list of County Offices.
Note: It is not possible to request a birth certificate from the State Office by email or telephone. By law, all vital record search requests must be signed and submitted.
What do I do if the information on my vital record is incorrect?
To request instructions for correcting a vital record, call the Contact Center at (404-679-4702).
I am not sure if my birth certificate was ever filed. What should I do?
A person born in the state of Georgia who is not certain that their birth was filed, should request a certified birth certificate either in person or by mail. If the record is on file, we will issue a certified copy. If no record of the birth is on file, the requestor will receive a certified statement of “No Record on File” and further instructions. We cannot look up a record over the phone to determine if it is on file or its content.
Are birth records for other states filed or issued by this office?
Only Georgia birth records are filed and issued by this office. To obtain a birth record for an applicant not born in Georgia, contact the vital records office in the state of the applicant's birth. You may contact http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w/georgia.htm for addresses, telephone numbers, and fees applicable to other states.
How can I get an apostille copy or an exemplified copy of a birth certificate?
There are two separate steps required to obtain an apostille copy or an exemplified copy of a Georgia vital record:
First, obtain a certified copy of the record using any of the usual procedures, but state that you need a copy with an "original pen-in-hand signature." You will be charged the usual fee for the certified copy. There is no additional charge for a copy with an original signature. We must know at the time you request the certified copy that you need to obtain an apostille copy or an exemplified copy. It is helpful to include the name of the foreign government that will be using the document.
Then, after you have received a certified copy with an original signature, deliver that copy to the appropriate agency along with the current fee.
For current information about the fee and location to obtain apostille copies, you may call the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Authority at 404-327-6023 or visit www.gsccca.org/notary. This agency is not affiliated with the State Office of Vital Records.
What is the cost of a Birth Certificate?
Fees are non-refundable after a service has been provided; Georgia Code authorizes us to maintain the fee for the search itself.
- Search Fee $25.00
- Additional certifications of same record ordered at the same time (full size copies only) $5.00
- Multi-year search (every three years or portion thereof) $25.00
Georgia law requires pre-payment before a record or a service can be provided. Records are sent first class mail. No special filing fee is required during the first year of birth to amend a birth record. There is a surcharge for online vendors.
What forms of payment are accepted?
Fees may be paid by one of the following methods:
- Certified Check
- Money Order
- Visa or Master Card (walk-in and online only)
- Cash or Debit Card (walk-in only)
Note: Do NOT send cash in the mail. Make certified checks and money orders payable to State Office of Vital Records.
Page last updated 01/30/2018