Maryland
Maryland Adoption Records: Original Birth Certificates at Age 21
Maryland adoptees can apply for the original birth certificate once they turn 21, but the state also gives a biological parent a real, blocking veto over that release, not just a redaction option. Whether a given adoptee gets the birth certificate depends on whether a parent has filed one.
This page covers the age-21 application process under Family Law 5-3A-42, how the disclosure veto works, the court-file sealing rule that cross-references it, and Maryland's separate confidential-intermediary search-and-reunion program.
Information last verified on 2026-08-11. This article has not yet been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.
How to Get Your Original Birth Certificate in Maryland
Under Family Law 5-3A-42, 'an adoptee who is at least 21 years old may apply to the Secretary for a copy of ... the adoptee's original certificate of birth.' The age threshold is 21, not the more common 18. The application goes to the Secretary of Health's Division of Vital Records.
The same statute gives a biological parent a real say in the outcome. It provides that 'a biological parent may ... file with the Director a disclosure veto, to bar disclosure of information about that parent in a record accessible under this section.' That is a materially different mechanism from states where a birth parent can only request that their name be redacted while the rest of the document still issues, or file a contact preference that doesn't affect release at all. In Maryland, a filed disclosure veto can actually block the adoptee from getting the certificate, or at least the vetoing parent's information within it.
This application process governs adoptions decreed on or after January 1, 2000. Maryland adoptees whose adoption was finalized before that date are likely on a different, more restrictive track; this statute does not fully map that older process, so anyone in that position should raise the question directly with the Division of Vital Records rather than assume 5-3A-42 applies to them.
Fees and Where to Apply
A certificate copy reportedly costs $10, non-refundable. That figure comes from Maryland's general vital-records fee guidance rather than a page written specifically for adoptee original-birth-certificate requests, so confirm the current fee directly with the Division before applying. Requests go to the Division of Vital Records, P.O. Box 68760, Baltimore, MD 21215-0036; the office can be reached at (410) 764-3038 locally or (800) 832-3277 toll-free. An online request option exists through VitalChek, an independent third-party partner, which charges an additional fee on top of the state's own fee.
Why the Certificate Is Sealed in the First Place
Maryland's Health - General Article 4-211 is the mechanism that seals the original certificate once a new, post-adoption birth certificate is issued. The statute directs the Secretary to 'place the original certificate of birth and all records that relate to the new certificate of birth under seal,' and that seal 'may be broken only' by a court order, a written order from a designee of the Secretary, or 'in accordance with Title 5, Subtitle 3A or Subtitle 4B of the Family Law Article,' the two provisions covered on this page. Maryland's three legal pieces, the seal itself, the adoptee's own application right, and the confidential-intermediary program, are tightly cross-referenced with each other rather than operating as independent statutes.
Maryland's Confidential Intermediary Program
Separately from the direct 5-3A-42 application, Maryland Family Law Subtitle 4B establishes a confidential-intermediary system. A 'confidential intermediary' is defined as 'an individual or child placement agency qualified by the Director for the purpose of providing search, contact, and reunion services under this subtitle.' The program is administered through the Maryland Department of Human Services' Search, Contact and Reunion Services. This program operates independently of the direct 5-3A-42 application described above. A confidential intermediary can search for and attempt respectful contact with a biological parent, subject to the program's own application, agreement, and fee structure, and a statutory 90-day reporting deadline once engaged.
Non-Identifying Information
A dedicated Maryland statute or agency page specifically addressing non-identifying background information, separate from the identifying-record process above, was not independently confirmed for this article. Adoptees with a specific question about non-identifying background details should raise it directly with the Division of Vital Records or the Department of Human Services' Search, Contact and Reunion Services program.
Related Maryland Records
See Maryland court records for how the state's broader sealed and public court-file rules work, and Maryland death records and Maryland marriage and divorce records for related vital records. For the general question of who can get an ordinary Maryland birth certificate versus the original, sealed version described here, see are birth certificates public records? For the nationwide picture, start at Adoption Records by State, or go directly to how to get your original birth certificate, how to find birth parents, and adoption reunion registries.
Disclaimer
This article is general legal information about Maryland's adoption-records statutes and is not legal advice. Statutes, forms, and agency procedures can change. Confirm current requirements with the Division of Vital Records, the Department of Human Services, or a licensed Maryland attorney for advice on a specific situation.
Last updated: 2026-08-11. Fees and forms reflect their published status as of August 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
What age do you have to be to request Maryland adoption records?
21. Maryland's threshold under Family Law 5-3A-42 is higher than the age-18 rule common in other states.
Can a Maryland birth parent stop an adoptee from getting the original birth certificate?
Yes, in part. A biological parent can file a disclosure veto with the Director that bars release of information about that parent. This is a real blocking mechanism, not just a redaction request.
How much does a Maryland original birth certificate cost?
Reportedly $10, non-refundable, through the Division of Vital Records, with an online request through VitalChek carrying an additional third-party fee. Confirm the current fee directly with the Division before applying.
Does Maryland's adoptee-application law cover older adoptions?
It applies to adoptions decreed on or after January 1, 2000. Adoptions finalized earlier likely follow a different, more restrictive process not fully covered by this statute.
What is Maryland's confidential intermediary program?
A search-and-reunion service under Family Law Subtitle 4B, administered by the Department of Human Services, where a qualified individual or agency can search for and help arrange contact with a biological parent, separate from the direct 5-3A-42 application.
Where do I send a Maryland original birth certificate request?
The Division of Vital Records, P.O. Box 68760, Baltimore, MD 21215-0036, or by phone at (410) 764-3038 locally or (800) 832-3277 toll-free.
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.
Maryland Code, Family Law Article
§ 5-3A-42In force
§5–3A–42. (a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. (2) “Director” means the State Director of Social Services. (3) “Secretary” means the Secretary of Health. (b) This section applies only to an adoption in which a court enters an order for adoption on or after January 1, 2000. (c) This section does not bar: (1) an adoptee or biological parent from applying for search, contact, and reunion services under Subtitle 4B of this title; or (2) the Director or a confidential intermediary from obtaining a copy of a record under § 5–4B–04(c) or § 5–4B–06(b) or (c) of this title. (d) (1) An adoptee who is at least 21 years old may apply to the Secretary for a copy of: (i) the adoptee’s original certificate of birth; (ii) all records that relate to the adoptee’s new certificate of birth, if any; and (iii) the report of the adoptee’s order of adoption filed by the clerk of court under § 4–211 of the Health – General Article.
Official text (excerpt) · as of 2026-07-29 · Read the full section at mgaleg.maryland.gov
§ 5-4B-01In force
§5–4B–01. (a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. (b) “Administration” means the Social Services Administration of the Department. (c) “Confidential intermediary” means an individual or child placement agency qualified by the Director for the purpose of providing search, contact, and reunion services under this subtitle. (d) “Director” means the Director of the Administration. (e) “Member of the adoptive family” means an adoptive parent, grandparent, brother, or sister of an adopted individual. (f) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, “relative” means a parent, brother, sister, child, aunt, or uncle of a biological parent. (2) In the case of a minor in out–of–home placement who was adopted through a local department, “relative” means an individual at least 21 years old who is related to the minor by blood or marriage within five degrees of consanguinity or affinity under the civil law rule.
Official text (excerpt) · as of 2026-07-29 · Read the full section at mgaleg.maryland.gov
Maryland Code, Health - General Article
§ 4-211In force
§4–211. (a) Except as provided in subsection (d) of this section, the Secretary shall make a new certificate of birth for an individual if the Department receives satisfactory proof that: (1) The individual was born in this State; and (2) Regardless of the location, one of the following has occurred: (i) The previously unwed parents of the individual have married each other after the birth of the individual; (ii) A court of competent jurisdiction has entered an order as to the parentage, legitimation, or adoption of the individual; or (iii) If a parent who did not give birth to the individual is not named on an earlier certificate of birth: 1. The parent who did not give birth to the individual has acknowledged himself or herself by affidavit to be a parent of the individual; and 2. The mother of the individual has consented by affidavit to the acknowledgment. (b) Except as provided in subsection (d) of this section, the Secretary shall make a new certificate of birth for an individual if the Department receives satisfactory proof that: (1) The individual was born in this State; and (2) Regardless of the location, one of the following has occurred: (i) 1.
Official text (excerpt) · as of 2026-07-29 · Read the full section at mgaleg.maryland.gov
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Sources and References
- Maryland Code, Family Law Article, Section 5-3A-42, Disclosure of Adoption Records(mgaleg.maryland.gov).gov
- Maryland Code, Health - General Article, Section 4-211, New Certificate of Birth(mgaleg.maryland.gov).gov
- Maryland Code, Family Law Article, Section 5-4B-01, Confidential Intermediary Definitions(mgaleg.maryland.gov).gov
- Maryland Department of Health, Division of Vital Records, Birth Certificates(health.maryland.gov).gov