District of Columbia Birth Certificate: How to Order, Fees and Rules

DC Health's Vital Records Division (DCVRD) issues District of Columbia birth certificates. A certified copy carries a $23 DC certificate fee when ordered remotely, plus a VitalChek processing fee, and you can also order in person at DCVRD's walk-up counter in Southeast Washington.

Online, phone and mail orders all go through VitalChek, the service DC Health names on its vital records page. For other states, see our guide to birth certificates by state.

Information last verified on October 7, 2026. This article has not been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.

This page covers birth certificates for births that occurred in the District of Columbia, under Chapter 2A of Title 7 of the D.C. Code. It is general information, not legal advice.

Where DC birth certificates come from

DC has no local or county registrars. Under D.C. Code 7-231.24(j)(3), "The Registrar shall be the only individual authorized to issue certified copies of live birth and death records in the District."

DCVRD keeps birth certificates dating back to August 1874. It does not issue certificates for births that happened in another state, so a person born elsewhere must order from that state's vital records office.

How to order a DC birth certificate

Online, by phone or by mail

DC Health's vital records page says "DCVRD does not directly provide remote ordering and application processing." Online, phone and mail orders are placed through VitalChek, which sends approved orders to DCVRD for fulfillment and shipping from Washington, DC. The phone ordering number DC Health lists is 1-877-572-6332.

Start from the DC Health page so you reach the service DC Health names. Other websites that offer to order a DC birth certificate for you are not the issuing office.

In person

DCVRD's walk-up office is at 2201 Shannon Place SE, Washington, DC 20020, and its Vital Records phone number is (202) 442-9303. You place your order at self-service kiosks, which ask identity-verification questions (see the ID section below).

DC Health's current walk-up notice lists these hours: Monday and Tuesday 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, Wednesday 9:00 am to 3:30 pm, and Thursday and Friday 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. Hours change, so check DC Health's vital records page before you go.

What a DC birth certificate costs

DC Health describes the $23 DC certificate fee as standard to all remote ordering services. The pages we reviewed do not list a separate price for additional copies in the same order, so ask DCVRD if you need more than one.

Under D.C. Code 7-231.27, the fee for a certificate of birth is waived for a person released from the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, for one year after release, and for a person in Bureau of Prisons custody at a halfway house in the District.

How long it takes

DC Health says that with walk-up service, "residents can often retrieve a vital record (such as a birth or death certificate) the same day." That is the agency's description, not a promise.

DC Health does not publish a processing or shipping time for VitalChek online, phone or mail orders on the pages we reviewed. If you have a deadline, the walk-up counter is the route DC Health describes as often same-day.

Who can get a certified copy

DC birth records are closed. DC Health says birth records become public after 125 years, and "All other birth records are closed and certified copies may only be obtained if you are legally entitled." For how other states handle this, see are birth certificates public records.

Under D.C. Code 7-231.25, an applicant must be at least 18 or an emancipated minor and must provide a signed application, proof of identity and evidence of entitlement. DC Health lists who is entitled and what each must show:

DC Health is direct about who cannot order: "By law, cousins, nephews/nieces, aunts/uncles, friends, neighbors, and even spouses and domestic partners are NOT allowed to order an individual's birth certificate."

For relatives born in DC, DC Health says it can verify the relationship through its Electronic Birth Registration System, so you do not need to bring the actual certificate as proof.

ID you need in person

At the walk-up office you complete an identity-verification questionnaire at a kiosk. What you show next depends on the result:

• The kiosk authenticates you: one primary photo ID that is original, valid, unexpired and undamaged. The primary list includes a state driver's license or non-driver ID, a passport or passport card, a permanent resident card, an employment authorization card, a Department of State card, a military ID, and certain law-enforcement or government-employee IDs.
• The kiosk authenticates you but you have no primary photo ID: two forms of alternate identification from DC Health's list.
• The kiosk cannot authenticate you: three forms of identification, at least one from the primary list.

If the name on your ID does not match the name on the certificate, bring proof of the legal name change, such as an original marriage certificate or an original sealed name change order.

Certificate types and passports

Under D.C. Code 7-231.25, the Registrar issues a certified copy "in the form of a physical image or abstract." The DC Health pages we reviewed do not say whether a long form or short form is issued or which version federal agencies accept.

For reference, federal rules at 22 C.F.R. § 51.42(a) require a passport applicant's birth certificate to show the full name, place and date of birth, and the parents' full names. It must be signed by the official custodian of birth records, carry the issuing office's seal, and show a filing date within one year of birth.

Correcting or amending a DC birth certificate

DC Health's amending records page says the following people may request an amendment to a birth record: the registrant (18 or older, or an emancipated minor), a parent, a legal guardian, the physician who certified the birth, or a person holding an original DC Superior Court order naming them as entitled to request the amendment. The amendment rules are in D.C. Code 7-231.20.

DC Health says amendments go through its remote process:

• A notarized amendment application
• Copies of three forms of identification, at least one from the primary list
• Documents supporting the change
• The fee, payable to the DC Treasurer
• Everything mailed to DCVRD at 2201 Shannon Place SE

Amendable items include the child's name, the weight, date, time and place of birth, the sex or gender designation, and the parents' names, dates and places of birth. A field can be amended only if it exists on the current DC certificate format; an older-format certificate can be converted. If your request cannot be approved, DCVRD issues a rejection letter you can use to petition the court. For questions, DC Health lists (877) 572-6332, option 5.

The amendment fee

DC Health's current fee schedule lists "Amendment to a birth record processing" at $23.00, and its amendment checklist, revised July 2021, says DCVRD charges a non-refundable $23 processing fee for most amendments and that "the application is only $23 even if more than one item is amended." Each copy of the amended certificate costs another $23.

The gender designation application revised February 19, 2021 asks for $51.00, which it breaks down as $28.00 to amend the birth record plus $23.00 for one certified copy.

Confirm the gender designation fee with DCVRD before you send payment. For any amendment, you must pay both the amendment fee and the certificate fee if you want a copy of the amended record.

Name changes

To put a legal name change on a DC birth certificate, submit a certified court order through the amendment process; the record is marked "amended." An amendment to a parent's name is allowed only to correct a minor misspelling or to apply a legal name change. For the court process itself, see District of Columbia name change laws.

Adding or changing a parent

DC Health says changing or substituting a parent on the record requires a petition to DC Superior Court. To add a father when none was recorded:

• Parents not married: both parents sign an Acknowledgement of Paternity form in person, at DCVRD (by appointment) or at a DC Child Support Services Division office. DC Health's amending page also says that, until further notice, all amendments including acknowledgments of paternity go through its remote process, so call (877) 572-6332, option 5, before you go.
• Parents married: present the marriage license or domestic partnership certificate and complete a Presumption of Parentage form, under D.C. Code 16-909.

Sex or gender designation

Under D.C. Code 7-231.22, the Registrar establishes a new birth record reflecting a new gender designation (and a new name, if a court order is supplied) on two sworn documents:

• A sworn written request from the individual, or from a parent, guardian or legal representative of a minor
• A sworn statement from a licensed healthcare provider who treated or evaluated the person, stating that the person has undergone treatment appropriate for gender transition under contemporary medical standards, or has an intersex condition

The new record is not marked amended and shows no sign of the change, and the original is sealed. DC Health's application form, revised February 19, 2021, says surgery is not a prerequisite, processing takes up to three business days, and a second change requires a court order. That form also shows an older office address and fees that do not match DC Health's current pages, so use the Shannon Place address and confirm the fee.

Registering a birth that was never recorded

DC Health's registering records page says "All births that are registered more than 364 days after date of birth are considered to be delayed birth registrations." A delayed registration requires an appointment and probative evidence that the birth occurred in DC, and same-day processing is not available. A live birth must normally be reported within five days.

Under D.C. Code 7-231.11, the applicant signs a notarized oath, and the certificate is marked "delayed" with the date of registration. The Registrar may reject the application if deficiencies are not corrected within 30 days of filing, no delayed report may be filed for a person who has died, and a denial letter advises the applicant of the right to go to court.

DC Health sends its specific document list by email on request. DC Health's fee schedule lists $23.00 for a delayed record filing; confirm the fee with DCVRD.

Adoption

Under D.C. Code 7-231.21, the Registrar establishes a new record of live birth on receipt of an adoption form, including adoptions decreed outside DC or abroad. Access to the original record depends on DC adoption law; see District of Columbia adoption records.

Older records and genealogy

Under D.C. Code 7-231.24(i)(1), a birth record becomes open when 125 years have passed since the date of birth. DC Health says unofficial copies of open birth records from 1874 to 1898 are requested from the District of Columbia Archives, which provides non-certified copies. Sealed records stay closed unless a court unseals them.

Using a DC birth certificate abroad

A foreign government may ask for an apostille. DC Health's vital records page directs apostille requests to the DC Office of Notary Commissions and Authentications at (202) 727-3117.

This article provides general legal information about District of Columbia birth certificates, not legal advice. Fees and procedures change, so confirm with DC Health's Vital Records Division before you order or amend a record. Information verified October 7, 2026. For advice about your situation, consult a lawyer licensed in the District of Columbia.

Related

• Birth certificates by state
• Are birth certificates public records?
• District of Columbia adoption records
• District of Columbia name change laws

Last updated: October 7, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is a birth certificate in DC?

DC Health lists a $23 DC certificate fee for a birth certificate ordered online, by phone or by mail. VitalChek adds a processing fee of $15.95 for online or phone orders and $6.00 for mail orders.

Can I get my DC birth certificate the same day?

DC Health says that with walk-up service at 2201 Shannon Place SE, residents can often retrieve a vital record the same day. Same-day service is not available for delayed birth registrations.

Can a spouse order a DC birth certificate?

No. DC Health says cousins, nieces and nephews, aunts and uncles, friends, neighbors, and even spouses and domestic partners are not allowed to order another person's birth certificate.

How do I order a DC birth certificate online?

DCVRD does not take remote orders itself. Online, phone and mail orders go through VitalChek, which sends approved orders to DCVRD for fulfillment. Start from the DC Health vital records page.

How do I correct a birth certificate in DC?

Most amendments go through DC Health's remote process: a notarized application, copies of three forms of ID, supporting documents and the fee, mailed to DCVRD. For unmarried parents, adding a father uses an Acknowledgement of Paternity signed by both parents; call DCVRD first, because DC Health's page gives conflicting instructions on in-person versus remote filing.

When do DC birth records become public?

Under D.C. Code 7-231.24(i)(1), a birth record becomes open when 125 years have passed since the date of birth. DC Health says unofficial copies of open records from 1874 to 1898 are requested from the DC Archives.