Office of Vital Records

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Notice of Fee Adjustment

Effective July 1, 2026, the Virginia Department of Health and Department of Motor Vehicles will implement a fee rate adjustment increasing the Vital Record Certificate Fee to $15.00. In accordance with Chapter 616 of the 2026 Acts of Assembly, the $15.00 fee rate will apply to each certified copy of a vital record that is issued, or for each search of the system of vital records where a certified copy of a vital record is not made.

Ways to obtain a vital record:

Office of Vital Records

The Office of Vital Records customer service lobby located at 8701 Park Central Drive, Suite 100, Richmond, VA 23227, is open for walk-in customers from Monday - Friday 7:00am to 4:00pm. The Office of Vital Records has a new, fully online system that will allow you to apply for a vital record, pay for it, and receive updates. Click here to open the new system. For questions or general information, contact our Customer Care Center at (804) 662-6200. It is open Monday - Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm.

Drop-Off Option

Customers may drop off a completed application for a vital record at the front desk. This can be mailed by Post Office mail to a given address or the applicant can be informed by phone when the certificate is ready for pick-up. The pick-up requests must be received no later than 2:00pm and will only be released to the requester. Acceptable applications must include the following:

  • Requester’s signature.
  • Legible photocopy of the requester’s ID.
  • Fee of $15 for each requested copy by check, money order, payment card, mobile pay, or cash. Checks and Money Orders should be completed, signed, and made payable to: State Health Department.
  • This option is not available for amendments, name changes, or corrections.

Requests dropped off after 2:00pm will be considered received the next business day.

Birth records become public information 100 years after the date of the event. Death, marriage, and divorce records become public information 25 years after the event. Vital records are available to immediate family members only: mother, father, spouse, child, brother, sister, and grandparents with valid identification. Birth records can be issued to a legal guardian with proof of custody. Aunts, uncles, cousins, in-laws, and any other person cannot obtain a person’s vital record.

Virginia birth and death records from 1912 to the present, divorce records since 1918, and marriage records since 1936 are now available in a publicly available database. Click here to access information on open records from Ancestry.com. Any person requesting a Vital Record must provide a legible copy of their identification (see ID Requirements).

Mailing Address

VDH, Office of Vital Records
P.O. Box 1000
Richmond, Virginia
23218-1000

Vital Records Customer Care Center: 804-662-6200 (8:00am - 4:30pm M - F)

Walk-in hours are 7:00am - 4:00pm M - F

Any person requesting a Vital Record must provide a legible copy of their identification (see ID Requirements).

VDH Vital Records