How to Get a New York Birth Certificate

Start with the official New York resource

The New York State Department of Health controls the application, eligibility, and identification rules for state records. New York City controls records for births in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island. Those details can change without notice on the issuing agency's page, which this guide doesn't control.

Confirm the birth location before you gather documents. A request sent to the wrong office will not produce the certificate you need.

• Open the official New York State birth-certificate page

New York State or New York City?

The state Department of Health has birth records for New York State since 1881, but it does not have records for New York City. New York City means the boroughs of Manhattan, Kings (Brooklyn), Queens, the Bronx, and Richmond (Staten Island).

If the birth occurred in one of those boroughs, use the New York City process. If the birth occurred elsewhere in New York, the state or the local registrar for the place of birth can help. If the birth occurred outside New York, request the record from that state or country.

• Review New York City birth certificates
• Check New York State vital-records options

Who may request a New York State birth certificate

New York State limits who may receive a birth certificate. The person named on the certificate and a parent whose name appears on the certificate may request a copy. A spouse, child, or other person may request one only by order of a New York State court.

This is stricter than the rules in many other states. If you are not the person named on the record or a parent listed on it, confirm the court-order requirement before you apply.

• Read New York State eligibility requirements

Prepare the required identification

New York State requires a copy of either one valid photo ID or two documents that show the applicant's name and address. Acceptable photo IDs include a driver's license, a state-issued nondriver photo-ID card, a passport, and a U.S. military-issued photo ID.

The two-document option includes items such as a utility or telephone bill, or a letter from a government agency dated within the last six months. If you are applying from a foreign country that requires a passport for travel, the state also asks for a copy of your U.S. passport.

• Review New York State ID requirements

How a New York State request usually works

The state offers online and phone ordering through its vendor and a mail application. The state says a Social Security number will be asked when you order online or on paper. A local registrar can also issue a record for a birth that occurred in its area.

• Confirm whether the birth occurred in New York City or elsewhere in New York.
• Check that you are eligible to receive the record.
• Prepare the required photo ID or the two-document alternative.
• Choose online, phone, mail, or the local registrar for the birth location.
• Complete the current application and provide the requested identification.
• Keep your confirmation and track the request until the certificate arrives.
• Check the certificate for accuracy and contact the issuing office if a correction is needed.

If you need the record for an apostille or dual citizenship, confirm the required form before ordering. The state advises online and phone applicants who need an apostille to request a long form, also called a full or vault copy.

What to have ready before you start

Use the details exactly as they appear on the birth record. A mismatch between the application and the record can delay the request or produce a certificate the receiving organization will not accept.

• The subject's full name at birth, including any suffix.
• Date of birth and the city or borough of birth.
• Parents' names as shown on the record.
• Your relationship to the person named on the certificate.
• Your contact details and a deliverable mailing address.
• The required photo ID or two-document alternative.
• A Social Security number if you order online or by paper, as the state requests.
• Any court order or other document required for your eligibility category.

Common New York situations

Some records need a different application or an additional step. Review the official guidance for your situation before filing.

• Name, date, or gender corrections: the state publishes a correction guide and separate forms for different changes.
• Adult adoptees: the state has a separate process for an original pre-adoption birth certificate.
• International use: an apostille or authentication is issued by the New York State Department of State.
• New York City births: use the city process, not the state application.
• Births outside New York: request the record from the state or country where the birth occurred.

• Read New York birth-correction instructions
• Review the pre-adoption birth-certificate process
• Review New York apostille guidance

How USVC can help

USVC is an independent document assistance service, not a government agency. We provide a guided online request flow in plain language, review submitted information for completeness and inconsistencies, file the request with the agency, and help you track the request process.

The order form shows the current USVC processing fee before you pay. Agency fees and any shipping charges are separate and are charged upon review and acceptance by the issuing agency.

• We check your submitted information for missing details and inconsistencies before filing.
• We file the request with the issuing agency and give you an online way to track it.
• We do not control agency eligibility, fees, processing times, or the final decision to issue a record.
• You can always request the record directly from the official agency, potentially at a lower cost.