Arizona
Arizona Adoption Records: Original Birth Certificates Since 2021 and How to Request One
Since December 31, 2021, an adult adoptee born in Arizona can request their original birth certificate directly from the state, without a court order. Arizona Revised Statutes § 36-340 requires the state registrar to provide a copy of the original birth certificate to an individual at least 18 years old who was born in the state and submits a written request.
The reform is recent enough that some older search results still describe Arizona as a restricted, court-order state, or even list it as a compromise state. Neither label fits anymore: with no birth-parent veto, no redaction step, and only a non-blocking optional preference form standing between the adoptee and the certificate, Arizona now follows the same unrestricted-access model as Alabama and Alaska. This page covers the current direct-request process, the optional forms that come with it, the separate sealed court file, and Arizona's confidential-intermediary program.
Information last verified on 2026-08-11. This article has not yet been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.
Can an Adult Adoptee Get an Original Birth Certificate in Arizona?
Yes, since the end of 2021. ARS § 36-340 states that from and after December 31, 2021, the state registrar shall provide to an individual a copy of the individual's original birth certificate if the individual is at least eighteen years of age, was born in this state, and submits a written request.
That is a direct-request model with no court order and no birth-parent veto standing between the adoptee and the certificate, the unrestricted-access model rather than a compromise one. Subsection D of the same statute offers a birth parent the option to file a contact preference form and an updated medical history form. Neither form conditions or delays release; they exist to pass along information alongside the certificate, the same non-blocking pattern used in Alabama and Alaska, both unrestricted-access states.
How to Request Your Original Birth Certificate
Requests go to the Arizona Department of Health Services, Bureau of Vital Records, 150 North 18th Avenue, Suite 120, Phoenix, AZ 85007, reachable at (602) 364-1300 or (888) 816-5907. Adoption-related requests are handled by appointment.
ARS § 36-340 states that the fees and procedures that apply to obtaining a copy of a registered certificate also apply to obtaining a copy of an original birth certificate. The exact current dollar figure was not independently confirmed for this article; AZDHS directs applicants to its website or phone line for the current fee schedule. As of August 2026, confirm the specific amount directly with the Bureau before submitting a request.
The Sealed Adoption Court File
Separately from the birth certificate, Arizona's adoption court file stays under an unusually long seal. ARS § 8-121 makes it unlawful for any person to disclose information involved in an adoption proceeding until one hundred years after the date of the order, after which the file transfers to the state archives and becomes public. A companion provision, ARS § 8-120, sets out a good-cause or legitimate-interest exception that can permit earlier inspection in limited circumstances.
In practice, the 100-year seal on the court file has little bearing on an adult adoptee's ability to get their own birth certificate, since that comes through the separate, direct-request process under § 36-340 rather than through unsealing the court record.
Confidential Intermediary Program
Arizona runs a court-listed Confidential Intermediary program under ARS § 8-134. A confidential intermediary is authorized to inspect the otherwise-sealed § 8-120 and § 8-121 documents to search for and, with consent, facilitate contact with a specific person. Eligible requesters include the adoptee, birth parents, biological grandparents, and biological siblings, among others.
This is Arizona's closest equivalent to a reunion registry. It is not a mutual-consent database that automatically matches two registered parties; it is a search service performed by a court-approved intermediary on a specific requester's behalf. As with any search process, contact is not guaranteed, and some searches end without a response.
Non-Identifying Information
A standalone non-identifying-information statute or request channel was not independently located for Arizona this pass. Given the 100-year seal on the full court file, this information, if available, would likely flow through the Confidential Intermediary program or a direct inquiry to the court that handled the adoption rather than through AZDHS.
Related Arizona Records
See Arizona death records for locating a deceased birth parent's record, Arizona court records for how the sealed adoption file fits into the state's broader court-records rules, and Arizona marriage and divorce records for tracing a name change. For the general difference between a standard and an original birth certificate, see are birth certificates public records. For the national landscape and search strategy, see how to get your original birth certificate and how to find birth parents.
Disclaimer
This article provides general information about Arizona adoption-records law. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Fees, forms, and office contact information change; verify current details with the Arizona Department of Health Services or a licensed Arizona attorney before relying on anything here for a specific situation. Locating a birth relative, whether through the Confidential Intermediary program or otherwise, is not guaranteed to succeed or to lead to contact.
Last updated: 2026-08-11. Fees and forms reflect their published status as of August 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get my original birth certificate in Arizona without a court order?
Yes, since December 31, 2021. An adult adoptee (18+) born in Arizona can request it directly from the Department of Health Services under ARS § 36-340.
Can a birth parent block release of my Arizona birth certificate?
No. A birth parent may file an optional contact preference and medical history form, but neither gates or blocks release of the certificate to the adoptee.
How much does it cost to get an original birth certificate in Arizona?
Arizona ties the fee to the standard registered-certificate fee. Contact the Bureau of Vital Records for the current amount before submitting a request.
How long does Arizona seal the adoption court file?
100 years under ARS § 8-121, one of the longest seals among the states covered in this cluster. This is separate from the birth-certificate process, which uses a direct-request path instead.
Does Arizona have a way to search for a birth relative?
Yes, a court-listed Confidential Intermediary program under ARS § 8-134, open to the adoptee, birth parents, and certain biological relatives. It performs a search on the requester's behalf; it is not a mutual-consent matching database.
Updates
Governing law re-checked for recent changes
Independently fact-checked against the cited primary sources
The Law Behind This Article
This article rests on 3 statutory provisions held in our own legal record, each retrieved from the official source. Tap a section to read the operative text.
Arizona Revised Statutes, Title 36 (Public Health and Safety), Chapter 3 (VITAL RECORDS AND PUBLIC HEALTH STATISTICS), Article 3 (Death Registration and Birth Registration Certificate Requirements)
§ 36-340Adopted individual; sealed original birth certificate; contact preference and medical history forms; confidentialityIn force
A. From and after December 31, 2021 and except as provided in subsection I of this section, the state registrar shall provide to an individual a copy of the individual's original birth certificate that has been sealed due to an adoption and any evidence of the adoption that is held with the original birth certificate, if all of the following are true: 1. The individual is at least eighteen years of age. 2. The individual was born in this state. 3. The individual submits to the state registrar a written request to receive a copy of the original birth certificate. B. The copy of the original birth certificate shall clearly indicate that it is not a certified copy and that it may not be used for legal purposes. C. The fees and procedures that apply to obtaining a copy of a registered certificate apply to obtaining a copy of an original birth certificate pursuant to this section. D. The state registrar shall develop a contact preference form to be filled out by a birth parent, at the birth parent's option, and kept with the original birth certificate as provided in this section. The preference form shall do all of the following: 1.
Official text (excerpt) · as of 2026-08-04 · Read the full section at azleg.gov
Arizona Revised Statutes, Title 8 (Child Safety), Chapter 1 (ADOPTION), Article 1 (General Provisions)
§ 8-121Confidentiality of information; exceptionsIn force
A. It is unlawful, except for purposes for which files and records or social records or parts thereof or information therefrom have been released pursuant to subsection C of this section or section 8-120, 8-129, 8-134 or 36-340, or except for purposes allowed by order of the court, for any person to disclose, receive or make use of, or authorize, knowingly allow, participate in or acquiesce in the use of, any information involved in any proceeding under this article directly or indirectly derived from the files, records, reports or other papers compiled pursuant to this article, or acquired in the course of the performance of official duties until one hundred years after the date of the order issued pursuant to section 8-116. After one hundred years has elapsed from the date of the order issued pursuant to section 8-116 the court shall transfer all files, records, reports and other documents in possession of the court relating to the adoption to the Arizona state library, archives and public records. The items transferred pursuant to this subsection shall be available for public inspection during business hours and may be made available in an alternative format. B.
Official text (excerpt) · as of 2026-08-04 · Read the full section at azleg.gov
§ 8-134Confidential intermediaryIn force
A. Any of the following persons may use the services of a confidential intermediary who is listed with the court: 1. The adoptive parents of an adoptee who is at least eighteen years of age or, if the adoptive parents are deceased, the adoptee's guardian. 2. An adoptee if the adoptee is at least eighteen years of age. 3. If an adoptee is deceased, the adoptee's spouse if the spouse is the legal parent or guardian of any child of the adoptee. 4. If an adoptee is deceased, any progeny of the adoptee who is at least eighteen years of age. 5. Either of the birth parents of an adoptee. 6. The biological grandparent of the adoptee or other members of the adoptee's extended biological family. 7. A biological sibling of the adoptee if the sibling is at least eighteen years of age. B. An adoption agency licensed by this state, the division or an individual who meets the requirements adopted pursuant to subsections I and J of this section may serve as a confidential intermediary. C. Notwithstanding sections 8-120 and 8-121, a confidential intermediary may inspect documents compiled pursuant to this article.
Official text (excerpt) · as of 2026-08-04 · Read the full section at azleg.gov
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Sources and References
- Arizona Revised Statutes § 36-340, Adopted Individual; Sealed Original Birth Certificate; Contact Preference and Medical History Forms; Confidentiality(azleg.gov).gov
- Arizona Revised Statutes § 8-121, Confidentiality of Information; Exceptions(azleg.gov).gov
- Arizona Revised Statutes § 8-134, Confidential Intermediary(azleg.gov).gov
- Arizona Department of Health Services, Bureau of Vital Records(azdhs.gov).gov