In Person

• We offer same-day expedited service at our walk-in window at our Raleigh location.
• Office Hours for Walk-In Service are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM-3:00 PM.
• Main Switchboard Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM-5:00 PM.

By Mail or Drop off form

• Send the completed form with $24 money order, certified check, or business check (not a personal check) for the first copy of the certificate and $15 for each additional to:

North Carolina Vital Records

1903 Mail Service Center

Raleigh, NC 27699-1903

• You can also drop off the form at the Vital Records Office in Raleigh between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., MondayFriday, except on state government holidays. Payments accepted in person include money order, certified check, business check, or cash. No personal checks please.
• If no record is found, you will be sent a letter. The search fee is nonrefundable even if a record is not located.

Faster Service through the Mail

Fill in the form as in step one. Write "Expedite" on the outside front of the envelope.

• Send via U.S. mail to:

North Carolina Vital Records

1903 Mail Service Center

Raleigh, NC 27699-1903

• Send via UPS or FedEx to:

N.C. Vital Records

225 North McDowell Street

Raleigh, N.C. 27603-1382

• Driver's License
• State Identification Card
• Passport or Military Identification Card
• Valid Photo ID Card

• Mailing Address

North Carolina Vital Records

1903 Mail Service Center

Raleigh, NC 27699-1903

• Physical Location

North Carolina Vital Records (Cooper Memorial Health Building)

225 N. McDowell St.

Raleigh, NC 27603-1382

• N.C. Vital Records Telephone: 919-733-3000

Fax: 919-733-1511

• Parking for the Cooper Building

One handicap space is available on McDowell Street in front of the Cooper Building. Public parking is available in Visitors Lots (see areas in pink on the map below). The parking fee is $2 per hour, payable on exit. The entrance to the Cooper Building faces McDowell Street (east).

• Hours of Operation

Office Hours for Walk-In Service: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM-3:00 PM.

Main Switchboard Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM-5:00 PM.

Certificates may also be obtained from your local county. Use the contact information below to inquire.

Alamance County : 124 West Elm Street Graham, North Carolina 27253-2802
Phone: 336-570-6565

Alexander County : 201 1ST SW Ste 1 Taylorsville, NC 28681-2592
Phone: 828-632-9332

Alleghany County : Main Street PO Box 186 Sparta, NC 28

Certified copies of North Carolina birth certificates are issued to the following:

• A person requesting a copy of his or her own birth certificate or that of the person's spouse, sibling, mother, father, stepparent, stepchild, direct and ancestor descendant;
• A person seeking information for a legal determination of personal or property rights; or
• An authorized agent, attorney, or legal representative of a person described in (1) or (2) above. If you are not qualified to receive a certified copy, you will receive a non-certified copy (with the exception of birth certificates for adopted persons).

North Carolina law requires payment before a certificate or a service can be provided. Fees are not refundable after a service has been provided. Certificates are sent first class mail unless otherwise requested and additional fees are applied. When ordering through N.C. Vital Records, our fee schedule is:

• Search fee (includes one copy, if the record is found on file): $24.00
• Additional copies of same certificate: $15 each
• Additional searches (each three year period or portion thereof): $24
• Amending birth certificates: $15
• Expedited processing fee: $15
• Overnight delivery within NC: $15
• Overnight delivery outside of NC within U.S.: $20
• Overnight delivery outside of U.S.: Varies
• Online
• Certified Birth Certificate: $39
• Additional copy: $15 each
• In Person
• Search Fee (includes one copy): $24
• Additional copy: $15 each
• Expedite fee (same-day service): $15

If using a credit/debit card as your payment method, an additional $2.50 processing fee will be charged by VitalChek (independent third-party processor not affiliated with the State of North Carolina).

• Methods of Payment

Fees may be paid by one of the following methods:

• Money order.
• Certified check.
• Business check.
• Credit or debit card through VitalChek or in-person.
• Cash is accepted only for in-person services. Please do not send cash in the mail.

(Make certified checks, business checks and money orders payable to N.C. Vital Records. No personal checks please.)

Explain the time until which the certificate/document is valid.
e.g. Birth Certificate Valid Forever

Please attach documents which can be used by people who would like to follow this procedure.    

Please attach sample completed documents which would help other people who would like to follow this procedure.    

• Due to request volume, processing time for standard orders for birth certificates from 1971 to present may take up to 3 weeks.
• Requests that are accompanied by an expedite fee are usually processed within 3 business days from the time N.C. Vital Records receives the request.

Videos explaining the procedure or to fill the applications. 
Attach videos using the following tag <&video type='website'>video ID|width|height<&/video&> from external websites.
Please remove the '&' inside the tags during implementation.
Website = allocine, blip, dailymotion, facebook, gametrailers, googlevideo, html5, metacafe, myspace, revver, 
sevenload, viddler, vimeo, youku, youtube
width = 560, height = 340, Video ID = Can be obtained from the URL of webpage where the video is displayed.
e.g In the following url 'http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0US7oR_t3M' Video ID is 'Y0US7oR_t3M'.

• North Carolina Vital Records issues certified copies of North Carolina birth certificates for events that occurred within the State of North Carolina.
• Birth Certificates are available for events that occurred within the State of North Carolina from October 1, 1913 to present.
• You may request the certified copies by mail, in person, and Online (VitalChek).
• Make your certified check or money order payable to NC Vital Records.
• Please do not send cash in the mail.
• Personal checks are not accepted.
• A Birth Certificate search costs $24 and includes one copy if a certificate is located. The search covers a three-year period. This search fee is nonrefundable.
• There is a $15 fee for each additional certificate copy requested from the same search. Delivery time is up to 12 weeks plus mail time.
• If you want same-day walk-in service, an additional $15 expedited processing fee is required.
• Mail-in applicants may also receive expedited service.
• Include the $15 expedite fee and write Expedite on the envelope. Expedited mail requests will be processed within two weeks of receipt

Choose Faster Service

There are three ways to get faster service.

• Faster Processing and/or Delivery through the Mail: You can go through the steps for mail-in service but choose to pay more for faster processing and/or faster delivery.
• In-Person: You can go through the steps for drop-off service but choose to pay more for same-day, walk-in service.
• Online or phone: You can order the certificate with your credit or debit card through VitalChek. This is the only way to get service online or by phone.

• Name of child
• Father's full maiden name
• Mother's full maiden name
• Child's birth place
• Child's birth date
• Applicant's name and address
• Applicant's phone number
• Reason for certificate request
• Your relationship as applicant to the Registrant
• Applicant signature
• Photocopy of Gov Issued ID

You may need a birth certificate when enrolling in school, applying for a social security card or for certain legal proceedings. This can prove frustrating when you do not have a copy immediately on hand. If you want to obtain your birth certificate or if you would like to have an additional copy of your birth certificate you can obtain one with following the procedure given below.

Enter other informations which might help.

Please explain what are other uses of obtaining this document/certificate.
e.g. Birth Certificate can be used as proof of identity.

Place some external links which might help.

More information which might help people.