Office of Vital Records

Ways to obtain a vital record:
Express Delivery

Next day processing with express delivery options
Standard Processing

Current processing time: 8 weeks

COVID-19 Funeral Assistant Program

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is offering a COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Program to eligible applicants to help pay funeral expenses associated with COVID-19 related deaths.

Office of Vital Records

The Office of Vital Records customer service lobby located at 2001 Maywill Street, Suite # 101 Richmond, Virginia  23230, is open for walk-in customers from Monday - Friday 7:00 AM to 4:30 PM.

COVID-19 Public Health Guidelines

Due to COVID-19, the following precautions will be in place for our patrons:

  • HEPA filtration
  • Hand sanitizer stations
  • Masks encouraged and available to customers

New Convenient Options

To avoid long wait times, two options are available. Entitlement requirements still apply.

Two-hour Pick-up
Customers may drop off completed applications for a vital record at the front desk and return to pick-up requested copies two (2) hours from the time the request was received. Two-hour pick-up requests must be received no later than 2:00 PM and will be released to the requester only.

Acceptable applications must include the following:

  • Requester’s signature
  • Legible photocopy of the requester’s ID
  • Fee of $ 12 for each requested copy in the form of either a check or money order. Checks and Money Orders should be completed, signed and made payable to: State Health Department
  • This option is not available for amendments, name changes, or corrections.

Application drop-off
Customers may drop off completed applications for a vital record at the front desk. These requests will be processed and mailed the next business day. Requests dropped off after 4:00 PM will be considered received the next business day.

All acceptable applications must include the following:

  • Requester’s signature
  • Legible photocopy of the requester’s ID
  • Fee of $12 for each requested copy in the form of check or money order only. Checks and Money Orders should be completed, signed and made payable to: State Health Department
  • This option is not available for amendments, name changes, or corrections.

The Office of Vital Records has a new, fully online system that will allow you to apply for a vital record, pay for it, and receive updates. Click here to open the new system.

For questions or general information, contact our Call Center at (804) 662-6200. It is open Monday - Friday 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.

**NOTICE REGARDING REAL ID**

Effective May 3, 2023, there will be a new federal law (REAL ID Act) regarding driver licenses that may affect many individuals. Vital Records encourages customers to review the requirements to obtain a Real ID driver's license. The requirements may include obtaining a copy of a birth and/or marriage certificate and possibly amending a record for accuracy. Checking the requirements with your local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) may help you plan and minimize potential delays to obtaining required documentation.

For more information regarding the requirements for Virginia's REAL ID, please visit the DMV Website.

Birth records are public information 100 years after the date of the event; death, marriage, and divorce records, 25 years after the event. Vital Records are available to immediate family members only- mother, father, husband, wife, child, brother, sister and grandparents with valid ID. Birth records can be issued to the legal guardian with proof of custody papers. Aunts, uncles, cousins, in-laws, etc. cannot obtain a Vital Record.

Virginia birth and death records from 1912 to the present, divorce records since 1918 and marriage records since 1936 are now available in an index form. Click here to access indexed information on open records.  In Virginia, death, marriage and divorce data become “public” information 25 years after the event; birth data are “public” after 100 years.

Mailing Address

VDH, Office of Vital Records
P.O. Box 1000
Richmond, Virginia
23218-1000

General Information Number: 804-662-6200 (8:00am - 4:30pm M - F)

 

Any person requesting a Vital Record MUST PROVIDE A LEGIBLE PHOTOCOPY OF THEIR IDENTIFICATION (see ID Requirements).

VDH Vital Records