United States Vital Records Information

Types

• According to the National Vital Statistics System, vital events in the United States include birth, death and fetal death, divorce and marriage. These events should be recorded and permanently filed with the vital statistics office in the state where the event took place.
  
  

Geography

• Each state and U.S. territory has a vital records department that is charged with maintaining all vital records. Depending on the state, vital records are stored at the city or county level and the federal government does not maintain any vital records certificates, though the National Vital Statistics System oversees the collection and distribution of vital records statistics in the U.S. through contracts with local and state agencies.
  
  

Considerations

• People looking to obtain a certified copy of a vital records certificate must contact the state, city or county where the event took place. Information regarding the event must be provided and, in most cases, a fee must be paid before a copy is issued. The National Center for Health Statistics offers a list of who to contact in each state and territory regarding vital records information.