Michigan Birth Certificate: Fees, Wait Times and Who Can Order One

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), Division for Vital Records and Health Statistics, issues certified Michigan birth certificates, and its $34 search fee includes the first certified copy. You can order from the state online through VitalChek, by mail, or in person by appointment in Lansing. County clerks also sell certified copies, often for less and sometimes the same day, which matters because the state currently lists processing times measured in weeks.

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

This guide covers births that took place in Michigan: who can order a certified copy, what it costs, the routes and how long each takes, and how to correct or amend the record. If you were born in another state, start with our guide to birth certificates by state, because each state's vital records office keeps its own births.

Where to get a Michigan birth certificate

Michigan has two kinds of issuing office: the state vital records office in Lansing and the county clerks, who act as local registrars. Michigan law authorizes both the state registrar and a local registrar to issue certified copies.

The state office is the MDHHS Division for Vital Records and Health Statistics, at 333 South Grand Avenue, Lansing, MI 48933. It holds birth records for events that occurred and were registered in Michigan dating back to 1867. For ordering and eligibility questions the state lists 517-335-8666 (VRCustomerService@michigan.gov); for corrections and changes, 517-335-8660 (MDHHS-VR-Changes@michigan.gov).

County clerks set their own fees, which are often lower than the state's. One example:

• Oakland County Clerk: $15 for the first copy and $5 for each additional copy of the same record, same-day service in person, and mail requests processed within 3 business days.

Check your county clerk's own page for its fee, hours and ID rules. Oakland County issues copies only for births that occurred in Oakland County, and only to the person named or a parent, so use the clerk in your county of birth and check its own eligibility rules.

How to order from the state

The state's instructions are on the MDHHS Order a Copy of a Vital Record page.

Online through VitalChek. MDHHS says "VitalChek is the ONLY authorized online service provider for Michigan Vital Records." Orders are taken 24 hours a day, and the phone number for VitalChek orders is 866-443-9897. Rush delivery is available online for additional fees.

Will Call pickup. When you order through VitalChek, you can choose Will Call and pick the certificate up in person on Tuesdays or Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The state lists 2 to 5 business days of processing for Will Call orders.

By mail. Print the birth record application and sign it by hand (the state needs the original signature). Enclose a copy of your ID and a check or money order payable to the State of Michigan, and mail it to Vital Records Requests, P.O. Box 30721, Lansing, MI 48909. For a rush mail request, the state uses the same P.O. box marked "RUSH." The state does not accept prepaid return envelopes.

In person, by appointment only. The Lansing office takes in-person orders by appointment on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Genealogy requests and corrections are not available same-day. A drop box in the main lobby is open Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Only MDHHS, its authorized online provider VitalChek, and the county clerks issue certified Michigan birth certificates. Be cautious of other websites that offer to order one for you at a higher price.

Michigan birth certificate fees

These are the state fees as published on the MDHHS ordering page and the state's mail application.

The state says all search fees are non-refundable, and a search does not guarantee that a record will be found. If you are unsure of the birth year, the $12-per-year charge for extra years searched can add up, so narrow the year before ordering if you can.

How long a Michigan birth certificate takes

Michigan's published processing times disagree depending on where you look, so here are both, with their sources.

The MDHHS ordering page showed these current processing times on October 7, 2026:

The state's downloadable birth record application still says a regular mail search takes approximately 4 to 6 weeks of in-office processing, and a rush search approximately 2 to 3 weeks. The pages reviewed for this guide do not reconcile the two. Either way, these are the agency's estimates, not guarantees, and mail time comes on top.

If you need a certificate soon, a county clerk can be the faster route. Oakland County, for example, issues same-day in person. The state's Will Call pickup (2 to 5 business days of processing) is another option.

Who can order a certified copy

Michigan is a closed-record state for birth records less than 100 years old. Under MCL 333.2882, a certified copy of a birth record goes only to:

• the individual named in the record;
• a parent named in the record;
• an heir, legal representative or legal guardian of the individual; or
• a court of competent jurisdiction.

Once a birth record is 100 or more years old, the statute allows a certified copy "to any applicant." The state's mail application reflects this with a checkbox for a birth record at least 100 years old, marked "no ID required."

The state application adds two practical rules. A licensed attorney may order for a client by sending a request on letterhead with ID for both the attorney and the client; MDHHS does not accept delegations of authority or information releases. And for an adopted child's record, the parent must be an adoptive parent.

ID you need to send

Mail and online requests for records less than 100 years old need a copy of valid photo ID. The state application sorts acceptable ID into tiers:

• Tier 1: an unexpired U.S. or territory driver's license or ID card, passport, military ID, or another unexpired document showing a photo, name, date of birth, expiration date, signature and address.
• Tier 2 (one category): an expired Tier 1 document, expired within the last 5 years, plus a Tier 3 document issued within the past year; an employment photo ID with a pay stub or W-2; a student photo ID with a current report card; or a Department of Corrections photo ID with probation or discharge papers.
• Tier 3: at least three documents from different sources, one issued within the past year, such as a utility bill, bank statement, health insurance card or voter registration.

If you lack a photo ID, MDHHS publishes a Photo ID Alternative Documents list. MDHHS also warns that false statements on a vital records application are a crime, citing MCL 333.2894 and 333.2898, which it describes as a misdemeanor punishable by up to 1 year in jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both.

Is a Michigan birth record public?

Not until it turns 100. Records less than 100 years old are restricted to the people listed above, and older records are open to any applicant. For how this compares with other states, see are birth certificates public records.

The state's pages do not say whether Michigan issues separate long and short forms, so if an agency asks for a particular version, check with MDHHS before ordering. For a U.S. passport, federal rules require a birth certificate showing the applicant's full name, place and date of birth and the parents' full names, signed by the official custodian of birth records, bearing the issuing office's seal, and showing a filing date within one year of birth (22 CFR 51.42). For REAL ID, the federal rule accepts a certified copy of a birth certificate filed with the vital records office in your state of birth (6 CFR 37.11).

Correcting or amending a Michigan birth certificate

Corrections go by mail on the Application to Correct a Michigan Birth Record (form DCH-0847), described on the MDHHS correct or change a vital record page. Send:

• the application with your original signature;
• notarized affidavits where the form requires them;
• a copy of your ID;
• certified copies of any court orders; and
• the $50 non-refundable application fee, which includes one copy (additional copies $16; rush processing $25).

Original documents you send are not returned. As a general rule, the state asks for at least two dated documents from two different sources that show the correct information. To correct the spelling of a first or middle name for a child under 6, the application and ID of all parents on the certificate are enough.

MDHHS listed correction processing at 8 to 10 weeks regular and 6 to 8 weeks expedited on October 7, 2026, and says these times are not guaranteed. The correction application itself (revised April 30, 2025) still states 5 to 6 weeks normal and 2 to 3 weeks rush once all documents are received. The state cites MCL 333.2871 for corrections.

Adding a parent

Adding a parent uses a separate form, the Application to Add a Parent (DCH-0848), with an affidavit of parentage or a court order establishing parentage; the fee is $50, including one copy.

Legal name change

MDHHS says "a court ordered legal name change does not automatically change a birth certificate." To update the record, send a certified copy of the court order with the application; the state cites MCL 333.2872 for name changes. If you are an adult and the order directs a new birth certificate, the new certificate will not show your birth name and will have no addendum. Otherwise, the birth name stays on the record and an addendum is added. For getting the court order itself, see our guide to Michigan name change laws.

Sex designation

Since April 2, 2025, MCL 333.2831(c) directs the state registrar to issue a new birth certificate showing a different sex designation when the person submits a signed form approved by the state; with a court-ordered name change, the new certificate also shows the new name, and the registrar may not require any other document. According to the state's Correct a Birth Record FAQ (an undated PDF, read October 7, 2026), changing the sex designation on a Michigan birth record to reflect identity requires the change application, a copy of photo ID, the fee, and either a signed Michigan Vital Records Sex Designation Form or a court order determining sex designation. A name change on the record still needs a court-ordered legal name change. The correct-or-change page links a Sex Designation Authorization form. Because the FAQ is undated, confirm the current requirements with MDHHS before you apply.

If your birth was never registered

Michigan asks you to order your birth certificate from the state first. If MDHHS cannot verify an existing record, it sends you a form to create a delayed birth certificate. Under MCL 333.2828, the state registrar will not register a delayed certificate without the minimum documentation (or if the evidence is questionable), and the applicant can appeal to the probate court in the county of residence or birth. A home birth not attended by a physician or licensed midwife can be registered at the local clerk's office before the child's first birthday under the state's Register a Home Birth process.

Adoption

When a child born in Michigan is adopted, the state registrar establishes a new birth certificate on receiving a report of adoption (MCL 333.2831), and the original is sealed. Michigan law gives adult adoptees a route to the original through the Central Adoption Registry; the details are in our guide to Michigan adoption records.

Older records and genealogy

The state's birth records go back to 1867. Because records 100 or more years old are open to any applicant, genealogists can order those without proving a family relationship. Genealogy requests have their own, slower processing track at the state (12 to 16 weeks regular on October 7, 2026), and they are not available same-day at an in-person appointment. For related records, see our guide to Michigan death records.

Using a Michigan birth certificate abroad

For use outside the USA, MDHHS takes orders for an apostilled or exemplified birth record ($42 search fee, plus $14 if ordered online). The apostille itself is applied by the Michigan Secretary of State's Office of the Great Seal, which the state says adds 2 to 3 weeks after Vital Records finishes (MDHHS apostille request form), and MDHHS listed 12 to 16 weeks (regular) for these requests on October 8, 2026. You can also order a certified copy and request the apostille from the Office of the Great Seal yourself.

This article is general legal information about Michigan birth certificates, not legal advice. Fees, processing times and procedures change, so confirm with the MDHHS Division for Vital Records and Health Statistics or your county clerk before ordering. Information verified October 7, 2026.

Related

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

Last updated: October 7, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is a birth certificate in Michigan?

MDHHS charges a $34 search fee that includes the first certified copy, plus $14 if you order online through VitalChek. County clerks set their own prices; Oakland County charges $15 for the first copy.

How long does it take to get a Michigan birth certificate?

On October 7, 2026, the MDHHS ordering page listed 10 to 12 weeks for regular birth orders and 8 to 10 weeks for expedited orders. The state's mail application still says about 4 to 6 weeks of in-office processing for a regular search, so the two sources disagree.

Can I get my Michigan birth certificate the same day?

Some county clerks issue same-day in person; Oakland County is one. The state office in Lansing takes in-person orders only by appointment on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Who can get a copy of a Michigan birth certificate?

Under MCL 333.2882, the person named, a parent named on the record, an heir, legal representative or legal guardian, or a court. Records 100 or more years old are available to any applicant.

How do I correct a birth certificate in Michigan?

Mail form DCH-0847 with your signature, ID, supporting documents and the $50 non-refundable fee, which includes one copy. MDHHS listed 8 to 10 weeks for regular correction processing on October 7, 2026, while the correction form itself still states 5 to 6 weeks once all documents are received.

Does a name change update my Michigan birth certificate?

Not automatically. MDHHS says you must send a certified copy of the court order with an application before the birth record changes.

Is there a discount for seniors ordering a Michigan birth certificate?

Yes. The state mail application lists $14 for a person 65 or older requesting their own birth record. It does not apply to heir or guardian requests.