Indiana Birth Certificate: How to Order, Fees and Who Can Get One

The Indiana Department of Health (IDOH), Division of Vital Records, issues Indiana birth certificates. IDOH charges $10.00 for the first certified copy and $4.00 for each additional copy in the same order.

You can order from the state online through VitalChek, by mail with State Form 49607, or by phone. For faster service or a walk-in visit, IDOH sends you to the local health department where the birth occurred, because the state office has no walk-in counter. For other states, see our guide to birth certificates by state.

Information last verified on October 8, 2026. This article has not been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.

This page covers how to order, who can order, fees, processing times and corrections for birth records held by the Indiana Department of Health. It is general information about Indiana vital records procedures, not legal advice. Indiana does not issue birth certificates for people born in another state; those come from the vital records office of the birth state.

Where to order an Indiana birth certificate

Indiana has two places to order: the local health department in the county where the birth happened, and the state Division of Vital Records. The state takes orders online, by mail and by phone, but not in person.

Local health departments (faster, and the only walk-in option)

IDOH's own advice is to order through the local health department where the birth occurred. Its FAQ says you will receive an order quicker that way, and some local health departments offer walk-in vital records service.

To buy a birth certificate in person, IDOH says to visit the local health department where the birth occurred. IDOH keeps a local health department map with contact details for each county. Local health departments set their own fees and forms, so check the price with the office before you order.

One limit matters: if you need a long-form birth certificate, IDOH says it must be ordered through the state, not the county.

Online through VitalChek

The state's order certificates page routes online orders to VitalChek Network, Inc. IDOH describes VitalChek as an independent company it has partnered with and the only IDOH-authorized and approved vendor for online ordering.

VitalChek charges its own processing and service fees on top of the state fee. IDOH does not list the amount, and UPS shipping costs extra.

By mail

Print State Form 49607, Application for Search and Certified Copy of Birth Record, from the IDOH order page. IDOH says the form lists the fees, the identification requirements and the mailing address, so use the address printed on the current form.

Pay by check or money order made out to the Indiana Department of Health. IDOH does not accept cash.

By phone

IDOH lists a toll-free number, (866) 601-0891, for credit card orders placed through a third-party company. That company's processing and service fees are added to the state fee.

Watch out: IDOH names VitalChek as its only authorized and approved online vendor. A website that is not the IDOH order page or VitalChek is not an IDOH-approved route, and only the state office or a local health department issues a certified Indiana birth certificate.

How much is a birth certificate in Indiana?

These are the state fees IDOH publishes on its fee schedule.

These are IDOH's fees. Local health departments set their own fees and forms; for example, the Marion County Public Health Department's 2026 mail application charges $15 per certified copy. Check the fee with the local health department before you order.

The $10.00 is a search fee. IDOH explains that a record cannot be confirmed as available before you pay, because the fee covers the office's search to determine whether a record is on file. The fee includes one certified copy if the record is found, and it is non-refundable if it is not.

The listed fees do not include third-party charges for online or phone orders, and UPS shipments cost extra.

How long does an Indiana birth certificate take?

IDOH publishes these processing times for birth certificates ordered from the state:

• Standard form: 2-3 weeks
• Long form: 6-8 weeks

IDOH notes that processing times may vary on a case-by-case basis. Paying for faster shipping helps only with delivery: IDOH says shipping can be expedited for an additional cost, but the processing of your application cannot be expedited.

If you need a certificate soon, the local health department where you were born is the route IDOH itself recommends for faster service.

Standard vs. long-form birth certificates

Indiana issues two kinds of certified birth certificate, and IDOH's birth information page explains what each is for.

Both are certified copies. For a first U.S. passport, federal rules (22 CFR 51.42) require a birth certificate showing your full name, place and date of birth, and your parents' full names, signed by the official custodian, bearing the issuing office's seal, and showing a filing date within one year of birth.

For REAL ID, the federal rule (6 CFR 37.11) lists a certified copy of a birth certificate filed with the vital records office of your birth state as an acceptable identity document.

If a foreign authority asks for an apostille, USAGov says a vital record issued by a U.S. state needs an apostille from that state's secretary of state. IDOH lists apostilles among the uses of the long form.

Who can get a certified copy in Indiana?

IDOH requires the purchaser to have a direct interest, which its eligibility sheet defines as a documented and verifiable financial and legal interest, or immediate direct kinship (such as a parent, adult sibling or grandparent) to the person named on the record.

IDOH's identification and relationship requirements list these eligible purchasers:

• The person named on the certificate, 18 or older
• Parents listed on the record
• Grandparents
• Adult siblings
• An adult child or grandchild
• The current spouse
• An aunt or uncle
• A court-appointed legal guardian
• An attorney representing the person named
• State and federal agencies and social agencies
• A step-parent, with proof of marriage

Most relatives must also send documents that prove the relationship, such as birth certificates linking them to the person named.

Indiana's state vital records are not public information, and IDOH says they cannot be searched. For how Indiana compares with other states, see are birth certificates public records.

Records of non-relatives and genealogy requests

IDOH's own pages give two different age thresholds here, so confirm with the Division of Vital Records before you apply:

• IDOH's issuances FAQ says you can request the birth certificate of a non-family member if you have a legal interest or the event is more than 99 years old.
• IDOH's identification and relationship requirements sheet lists genealogy as an eligible purpose when the person named on the certificate is over 75 years old and deceased, with proof of death.

ID requirements

IDOH asks for one primary photo ID or two secondary documents, and all documents must be current and valid.

• Primary photo ID: driver's license or state ID (front and back), military ID, U.S. or foreign passport, veterans ID, or Mexican consular ID.
• Secondary documents: for example, a signed Social Security card, Department of Correction ID, a college ID with proof of current enrollment, a work ID with proof of current employment, a voter or vehicle registration showing your name and current address, a DD214, or a lease or deed showing your name, current address and signature.

IDOH returns requests sent without proper identification or relationship documents without processing them. For Amish or religious exceptions, IDOH accepts a letter from a bishop or clergy member along with other listed documents.

IDOH mails certificates only to the current, valid address on your ID, with an exception for P.O. boxes.

Correcting or amending an Indiana birth certificate

IDOH's amendments FAQ says parents can request a correction until the child is an adult, the child can request one if emancipated, and the person named can request one once an adult. IDOH's amendment or correction fee is $8.00.

How a mistake gets fixed depends on the error. IDOH says some errors can be corrected with documents that are ten years old or more (for example, an application for a marriage license, a hospital birth record, or a military DD 214), and others need a court order.

Adding a father with a paternity affidavit

A paternity affidavit adds the father to the birth record and can give the child an agreed surname. IDOH says paternity can be established at the birthing facility within 72 hours of the birth, at the local health department before the child becomes an adult, or by court order. A copy of a signed paternity affidavit costs $8.00.

Legal name change

IDOH says a court order is needed for a legal name change on a birth record. The court process is covered in our guide to Indiana name change laws; once you have the order, the amendment goes through Vital Records.

Sex designation

IDOH's amendments FAQ states that a court order is needed for a legal sex change on a birth record. The FAQ page is undated; this is the rule as published when we checked it on October 8, 2026. Contact the Division of Vital Records for the current documentation requirements.

Registering a birth that was never recorded

Most Indiana births are registered by the facility where they happen. For a birth outside a facility, IDOH says registration depends on the child's age:

• Under 12 months: register at the local health department where the birth occurred.
• Older than 12 months: a delayed registration of birth must be filed with IDOH Vital Records. The required documentation varies with the person's age, and the fee is $10.00.

Keep the passport rule in mind: 22 CFR 51.42 asks for a birth certificate filed within one year of birth, and an applicant whose certificate does not meet that standard must submit secondary evidence such as hospital, baptismal, medical or school records.

Adoption and the birth certificate

After an Indiana court finalizes an adoption, IDOH's Division of Vital Records amends the birth certificate. IDOH says it may unseal an original birth certificate on receipt of a court order that sets aside the adoption. Access by adult adoptees and birth parents follows separate rules, covered in our guide to Indiana adoption records.

This article provides general legal information about Indiana birth certificates, not legal advice. Fees and procedures change, so confirm with the Indiana Department of Health, Division of Vital Records, or your local health department before you order. Information verified October 8, 2026. For advice about your situation, consult a lawyer licensed in Indiana.

Related

• Birth certificates by state
• Are birth certificates public records?
• Indiana adoption records
• Indiana name change laws

Last updated: October 8, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is a birth certificate in Indiana?

IDOH charges $10.00 for the first certified copy and $4.00 for each additional copy in the same order. Online and phone orders add the vendor's own processing fee, and UPS shipping costs extra. Local health departments set their own fees; Marion County's 2026 mail application charges $15 per copy.

Can I get an Indiana birth certificate the same day?

Not at the state office, which has no walk-in service. Some local health departments offer walk-in vital records service, so call the health department in the county of birth to ask.

How long does it take to get a birth certificate from the Indiana Department of Health?

IDOH lists 2-3 weeks for a standard certificate and 6-8 weeks for a long form, and says times may vary case by case. Expedited shipping does not speed up processing.

What is a long-form birth certificate in Indiana?

A full-page (8.5 x 11) certified copy that adds details such as time of birth, hospital and parents' dates of birth. IDOH lists it for apostilles, dual citizenship, immigration and genealogy, and it is ordered only from the state.

Who can order an Indiana birth certificate?

Someone with a direct interest: the person named (18 or older), listed parents, grandparents, adult siblings, adult children or grandchildren, the current spouse, an aunt or uncle, a guardian, an attorney, an agency, or a step-parent with proof of marriage.

How do I correct a birth certificate in Indiana?

IDOH says some errors can be fixed with documents ten years old or more, such as a marriage license application or hospital birth record, while others need a court order. IDOH's amendment or correction fee is $8.00.

Can I get a birth certificate in Indiana if I was born in another state?

No. IDOH does not issue birth certificates for people born in another state; you need to order from the vital records office of your birth state.