Maryland Vital Records

The Maryland State Government, through the Division of Vital Records (DVR) attached to the Maryland Department of Health (MDH), issues certified copies of birth, death, fetal death, and marriage certificates for events that occur in Maryland. It also provides divorce verifications and information on procedures for registering an adoption, foreign adoptions, and probate.

Contact information

Maryland Department of Health
Division of Vital Records
https://health.maryland.gov/vsa/pages/dvr.aspx
201 W. Preston Street, Baltimore, MD 21201-2399
(410)767-6500 or 1-877-463 -3464

Certificate request

The request for certificates can be made through postal mail or online.

• To order by postal mail it is necessary to download and fill out the application; each request has a different format and requires the delivery of specific documents according to the type of request. Once the application has been completed, it must be sent along with photocopies of the required documentation, proof of payment of the stipulated fee and a stamped, self-addressed envelope to Division of Vital Records, PO Box 68760, Baltimore, MD 21215 -0036. When the request is made by postal mail, the expedited shipping option is not available, so you must wait the business days indicated on the website, which you will know when you enter the request number to track your order.

• To order online you must go to VitalChek , a portal where you can quickly and conveniently request government-issued certificates of vital records. The process by this means takes less than 10 minutes. Through VitalChek you can access vital records not only in Maryland, taking into account that this portal has agreements with more than 300 state and local governments throughout the United States.

Important information for the request of any certificate

General requirements. To request any vital record the event (birth, death, marriage or divorce) must have occurred in Maryland. Applicant must present a valid, unexpired, government-issued photo ID showing issue and expiration dates. Applicants who are unable to provide valid photo identification must provide two different pieces of alternate documentation, listed in the Identity Verification Documents below.

To certify membership in the state of Maryland, at least one of these documents must contain the applicant’s current mailing address:

• Current car registration
• bank statement
• Letter from a government agency requesting a vital record
• Lease/Rental Agreement
• Utility bill with current address
• Copy of income tax return

Validity. A birth, death, marriage or divorce certificate processed through the Division of Vital Records (DVR) is a certified document, that is, issued by the registrar and recognized by the government. This, unless what is requested is an informative copy or has the objective of becoming a memory or family heirloom.

The certified document includes an embossed, printed, or multi-colored seal of the registrar, the registrar’s signature, and the date the certificate was presented to the registry office. In any case, it is a certified copy and is generally accepted as proof of citizenship or a requirement to obtain a passport, renew a driver’s license, among others.

People who can do the process. Depending on the type of certificate, it is processed directly or through third parties. Thus, the request for marriage and divorce certificates is generally made in a personal capacity, while birth or death certificates are only provided to members of the holder’s immediate family. When the request is made through the website, on the screen “Important information from the agency” there is information about who can order the document of interest; these data are specific to the certificate being requested.

Therefore, before ordering a certificate it is important to have all the documentation and information required by the DVR. If the process is carried out online, specific requirements are presented during the process, which are displayed after entering some initial information such as the date of the event, the city where it took place and the name of the person on the certificate. These requirements are marked as “required”. If you do not have all the “required” information, it is advisable to go to the DVR office responsible for the certificate and discuss the situation in person.

Identity Verification Documents. To help guarantee the security in the issuance of certified records and to verify the identity of the person requesting said documents, in some cases certain additional information is required, which is requested through Identity Verification Documents. Such information can be:

• A current US government or state issued photo ID (such as a valid driver’s license, passport, military ID, etc.). If alternate forms of identification are permitted, they will be noted on the Identity Verification Document form.
• Documentation showing the applicant’s relationship to the person named on the certificate (ie, if a spouse’s birth certificate is requested, a certified copy of the marriage record may be required).
• A notarized declaration of identity and/or recognition.

The Identity Verification Document includes full details on the exact documentation required for the application, including how to submit the files to complete the order.

Vital Records Certificates

Vital records issued by DVR are: Divorce Verification, Marriage Certificate, Birth Certificate, and Death Certificate.

Divorce Verification

This document is an act certifying a divorce or the annulment of a marital partnership, but it does not constitute a divorce decree. DVR verifies divorces and annulments that occurred on or after January 1, 1992. The Divorce Verification form accepted by certain agencies seeking proof of divorce or annulment includes the names of the divorced persons, the county where the divorce occurred, the date of the judgment and the type of divorce action.

As of June 2022, if the request is made through the VitalChek system , the processing time for expedited delivery via UPS is 5-7 business days; by regular mail through the United States Postal Service is 10-12 business days. The value of the first copy is $12.00; additional copies are free.

Marriage certificate

This document is a certified copy of the marriage certificate and does not constitute a license. However, it is generally accepted as proof of marriage and for other legal purposes.

Before applying, it is important to note that DVR issues certified copies of marriage records that occurred on or after January 1, 2007. For marriages that occurred before this date, you must contact the Circuit Court of the Maryland county where the marriage took place or with the Maryland State Archives office. However, if you applied regardless of this information and DVR cannot locate a record, the certificate fee will not be charged. reimbursed, and a Records Search Certification is provided in its place.  

People who can apply for a marriage certificate are:

• Either spouse named on the record
• A representative of either spouse named in the registry. (The representative must show a letter stating that he has permission to obtain a copy of the marriage certificate. The letter must be signed by one of the spouses and certified by a notary public.)
• An attorney representing either spouse named on the record. (The attorney must provide proof that he represents the spouse.)

As of June 2022, processing time using the VitalChek system for expedited delivery is 5-7 business days; by regular mail is 10 to 12 business days. The value of the first copy is $12.00; additional copies are free.

Birth certificate

This document is a certified copy of a birth record that can be used for travel, retirement, passport and social service applications, school registration, and other legal purposes. The certificate is printed on security paper and contains the state seal.

When the procedure is done on the website, the applicant is always asked if they are ordering their own certificate. This is because many agencies only allow the people listed on the certificate (registrant or their parents) to order it.

People who can request a birth certificate are:

• The one who requests her own birth certificate.
• One of the parents named in the certificate.
• A court-appointed guardian of the person named in the certificate.
• Who can present proof of guardianship over the person named in the certificate.
• A surviving spouse of the person named on the certificate.
• A representative of: (1) the person or parent named on the certificate; or (2) the court-appointed guardian of the person named in the certificate. The representative must have a letter signed by the individual, parent or guardian and certified by a notary public, stating that the representative has permission to obtain a copy of the certificate.

As of June 2022, if the request is made through the VitalChek system , the processing time for expedited delivery via UPS is 10-15 business days; by regular mail through the United States Postal Service is 15 to 20 business days. The value of the first copy is $10.00; additional copies are free.

Death certificate

This document is a certified copy of the death certificate. This certificate can generally be used for relatives to collect benefits from the deceased, claim insurance proceeds, notify social security, and other legal purposes.

DVR issues certified copies of death certificates for people who died in Maryland in 2012 or later. To obtain copies of the records of deaths that occurred prior to that year, it is necessary to contact the Maryland State Archives. If the record cannot be located, the certificate fee is not refunded and a Records Search Certification is provided.​

People who can request a death certificate are:

• A surviving relative of the deceased, who must prove relationship to the deceased through documents such as a birth certificate, marriage certificate, or obituary.
• Authorized representative of the decedent, who may present a Letter of Administration signed by the Clerk of Court or validated by the Register of Wills, or an Authorization of Release signed by a surviving relative (which must include a copy of the surviving relative’s valid identification, the name of the deceased and a document certifying the relationship of the surviving relative to the deceased).
• Director of the funeral home who was in charge of the final disposition of the body of the deceased. 

Additionally, if the death certificate is to claim an insurance or other type of business necessity, documentation must be provided such as a letter from the insurance company and the deed or title to the property insured.

As of June 2022, processing time using the VitalChek system for expedited delivery is 10-15 business days; by regular mail is 15 to 20 business days. The value of the first copy is $10.00; additional copies are free.

A special record: Commemorative Birth Certificate

This is a legal document whose purpose is to celebrate a birth or honor a life. The certificate is prepared on heirloom-quality paper and includes handwriting, an embossed official seal, the Governor’s signature, a quote from Sister Maura Eichner, and a colorful border that includes 2 symbols of Maryland: the tunbergia flower and the Maryland Butterfly. the baltimore chess stain. The value of the first copy is $50.00; additional copies are free.

Sources

Maryland Department of Health. Divorce verification , nd

Maryland Department of Health. Request Birth Certificates , nd

Maryland Department of Health. Request Marriage Certificates , nd

Maryland Department of Health. Request Death and Fetal Death Certificate s , sf