# How do I get a valid copy of my birth certificate? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 9, 2003, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-valid-copy-of-my-birth-certificate/217972 "2003-12-09T18:03:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Muad\_Dib](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/35a633/32.png) [@Muad\_Dib](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muad_Dib)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-valid-copy-of-my-birth-certificate/217972/1 "2003-12-09T18:03:46Z")
My birth certificate was lost some time ago and I need a copy of it for a new job. How and where do I get one? ---
**Author:** ![myles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@myles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/myles)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-valid-copy-of-my-birth-certificate/217972/2 "2003-12-09T18:08:23Z")
Go see your town clerk. They might have one on file. ---
**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-valid-copy-of-my-birth-certificate/217972/3 "2003-12-09T18:11:19Z")
Were you born at a regular (not military) hopsital in the U.S.? If so, you can probably contact them and they should be able to tell you where to go. I think the town clerk’s office in the town you were born in might keep them also. Or at least be able to tell you how to replace it. ---
**Author:** ![Papermache\_Prince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f05b48/32.png) [@Papermache\_Prince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Papermache_Prince)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-valid-copy-of-my-birth-certificate/217972/4 "2003-12-09T18:23:34Z")
I think you’ll find that policies and procedures vary among the states. Here’s a company that has information about all the states - [VitalChek Network, Inc.](http://www.vitalchek.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Gamaliel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b487fb/32.png) [@Gamaliel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gamaliel)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-valid-copy-of-my-birth-certificate/217972/5 "2003-12-09T18:26:48Z")
[http://www.vitalrec.com/](http://www.vitalrec.com/) ---
**Author:** ![NajaNivea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@NajaNivea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NajaNivea)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-valid-copy-of-my-birth-certificate/217972/6 "2003-12-09T18:32:47Z")
I just went down to the County Vital Records office, paid eight(?) bucks, and they printed it out right then and there. Of course, I only lived about fifteen miles from the hospital where I was born, so you might have to write a letter or FAX or something to your birth county. ---
**Author:** ![Muad\_Dib](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/35a633/32.png) [@Muad\_Dib](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muad_Dib)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-valid-copy-of-my-birth-certificate/217972/7 "2003-12-09T20:23:47Z")
Just got back from downtown. Cost me $15. Thanks a lot for your help. ---
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-valid-copy-of-my-birth-certificate/217972/8 "2003-12-09T20:55:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by missbunny \* > \*\*Were you born at a regular (not military) hopsital in the U.S.? If so, you can probably contact them and they should be able to tell you where to go. I think the town clerk’s office in the town you were born in might keep them also. Or at least be able to tell you how to replace it. \*\* How about one that was born in a Military hospital in the USA? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-valid-copy-of-my-birth-certificate/217972/9 "2003-12-09T21:23:31Z")
Probably the same thing: go to the town or city clerk of the town or city where you were born. ---
**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-valid-copy-of-my-birth-certificate/217972/10 "2003-12-09T21:56:18Z")
I just meant that if someone were born at a military hospital, he could probably get it from the base’s records center in addition to the town clerk’s office.