How to Get a Birth Certificate if It Was Not Registered

When a baby is born, their parents or the hospital staff are required to fill out a Certificate of Live Birth. Then, they must submit this document to the vital records office, which uses it to create a new birth certificate. Birthing centers and midwives can also give new parents the correct forms to fill out to register the birth. 

However, sometimes babies are born at home and their birth is never registered with the state. This happens more often with older individuals who were born at a time when home births were more common. But, some births go unregistered still today. 

If your parents did not register your birth with the state you were born in, then you will not have a birth certificate on file. However, you can still apply for a delayed birth certificate. The process is a bit more complicated and requires more paperwork, but we will show you how to do it.

Make Sure Your Birth Was Not Registered

First, you should make sure that your birth was not registered with the state. Since medical staff may have submitted the forms for your parents without them realizing it. The easiest way to do this is to simply apply for a copy of your birth certificate.

You can do this in person, by going to a vital records office in your birth state. However, this is inconvenient for many people, and the wait times are often quite long. So, you also have the option to apply online, using an application assistance service like Birth Certificate Copy. 

If your birth was registered, the vital records office will mail you a copy of your birth certificate. However, if your birth was not registered, they will notify you and let you know that no birth record exists for you. 

Applying for a Delayed Birth Certificate if Your Birth Was Not Registered

If the vital records office is unable to locate a birth record, you can go ahead and apply for a delayed birth certificate. A delayed birth certificate is simply a birth certificate that was issued more than a year after the individual was born. As long as you provide the correct documentation, it will be just as valid and official as a regular birth certificate. 

You can apply for a delayed birth certificate through your birth state’s vital records office, if your birth was not registered. However, you must provide at least two different documents that show both your and your mother’s full names, dates of birth, and places of birth. If your parents were married when you were born, the documents should also show your father’s information.

You can use things like medical records, school records, census records, or baptismal records as evidence. In addition, you will need a signed statement from the doctor or midwife that assisted with your birth. Or, you can provide a signed affidavit from your parents, as long as they are U.S. citizens. Some states require you to get your application notarized, as well.

How Long Does it Take to Get a Delayed Birth Certificate?

It depends on the state. Different states have different processing times. To ensure that you get your delayed birth certificate as fast as possible, make sure that all of your paperwork is accurate and that you provide the correct documents and information.

When the vital records office has processed your application, they will send you a certified copy of your new birth certificate. You will also be able to order more copies in-person or online.