New York Birth Certificate: NYC vs State Office, Fees and How to Order

New York has two separate birth certificate offices, and the first step is ordering from the right one. If you were born in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens or Staten Island, the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene issues your certificate for $15 per copy plus a processing fee. If you were born anywhere else in New York State, the New York State Department of Health in Albany issues it for $30 per copy by mail or $45 per copy online or by phone.

Information last verified on October 6, 2026. This article has not been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.

This guide covers ordering, fees, eligibility and amendments for births in New York, under New York Public Health Law 4174 and the rules of the two offices that hold the records. For other states, see our guide to birth certificates by state.

NYC or New York State: which office has your birth certificate

The office depends only on where you were born, not where you live now.

The NYC Health Department says it "issues birth certificates for all people who are born in New York City" and does "not issue certificates for Nassau, Suffolk or other counties in New York State." The state Department of Health says it has birth records since 1881 "for all of New York State except New York City."

Ordering from the wrong office is an easy mistake, because the state's page can look like the default. The state's mail-order page itself sends New York City births to the city.

There are two old-record exceptions. The state holds 1881 to 1897 births for Queens and Richmond (Staten Island), and it does not hold births from the cities of Albany, Buffalo and Yonkers before January 1, 1914; those come from the city's local registrar. For New York City births before 1910, the NYC Health Department sends requests to the NYC Municipal Archives instead of issuing them itself.

New York City birth certificates

Who can order an NYC birth certificate

The NYC Health Department says you may apply if you were born in New York City, you are listed on the birth certificate (as the parent or as the registrant), and you are 18 or older. Online orders work only if your name appears on the certificate or you are otherwise entitled to it.

Attorneys and nonprofit organizations have their own request routes on the NYC birth certificates page. The birth certificate of someone who has died is ordered on a separate application, and the city sends it as a long form with a Letter of Exemplification.

How to order in NYC

• Online: VitalChek is the only vendor the NYC Health Department authorizes, and the city calls it the fastest way to get a certificate. Start from the city's ordering page so you reach the right site.
• By mail: Send the Premium Birth Certificate Application, the fee and a current photo ID to NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Attention: Premium Birth Certificate Request, 125 Worth Street, Room CN-4, Room 119, New York, NY 10013. A cheaper non-premium mail application exists but is processed manually and takes much longer.
• In person: By appointment only at the Office of Vital Records, 45 Lafayette Street, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. In-person orders cover birth records from 1920 to the present, if you are named on the record. The city says pre-adoption records, non-electronic records and older records are not issued the same day.

The city warns that "there are unauthorized vendors charging customers high fees for help getting a birth certificate." Only the NYC Health Department issues NYC birth certificates, and VitalChek is the only vendor it authorizes to process orders.

If you cannot get an appointment and have an emergency tied to travel, health coverage, government services, military service, housing or employment, the city says to call 311 or email nycdohvr@health.nyc.gov with your photo ID and proof of the emergency, such as a paid plane ticket.

For ID, the city accepts a photocopy of one Category 1 photo ID (such as a driver's license, IDNYC card or passport) or, if you have none, originals of two Category 2 documents dated within the last 60 days that show your name and address.

NYC fees and processing times

From the city's fees and processing times page:

The city's own pages give different mail estimates, so order online if you are on a deadline.

So one certificate costs $24.30 online, $22.50 by premium mail or $17.75 in person. Delivery by regular mail can take up to two more weeks. These times are the city's estimates.

Short form vs long form

NYC issues two types of birth certificate:

• Short form: the most commonly requested certificate, usable "for most domestic purposes." It shows the name, place and date of birth, sex at birth and the parents' names.
• Long form: includes additional information and is generally used for international purposes, such as dual citizenship, international adoption, international marriage, time of birth and apostilles.

New parents of a baby born in NYC receive a free birth certificate about four weeks after the birth, mailed automatically.

New York State birth certificates (outside NYC)

Who can get a certified copy

The state Department of Health issues a certified copy only to:

• The person named on the birth certificate
• A parent of that person, if the requesting parent's name is on the certificate
• A spouse, child or anyone else, "but only by order of a New York State court"

The governing statute is Public Health Law 4174(1)(b), which also lets certain government agencies and local social services districts get copies.

ID you need

Send copies of either one valid photo ID (driver's license, state non-driver photo ID, passport or U.S. military photo ID) or two documents showing your name and address (a utility or telephone bill, or a letter from a government agency dated within the last six months). If you apply from a foreign country that requires a passport for travel, also send a copy of your U.S. passport. The state asks for a Social Security number on online and paper orders.

How to order and what it costs

By mail: send the Birth Certificate Mail-in Application from the state's mail-order page, your ID copies and a check or money order payable to NYS Department of Health to New York State Department of Health, Vital Records Certification Unit, P.O. Box 2602, Albany, NY 12220-2602. Do not send cash.

Online or by phone: the Department of Health does not take online orders itself; VitalChek is its partner vendor (877-854-4481), reached from the state's online ordering page. The state's birth certificate page tells you to check the vendor's site for the current processing fee.

The $30 fee is set by statute (Public Health Law 4174). The same statute says no fee is charged for a copy used for school entrance, an employment certificate or public relief, or when the Veterans Administration requires it to determine benefit eligibility. The state's birth certificate page currently carries a notice: "We are currently experiencing significant delays in order processing." Treat the published times as estimates. For questions, the Vital Records Call Center is at (855) 322-1022.

Local registrars

The state also says birth records "are also available from the local Registrar of Vital Statistics where the event occurred." Local offices and their fees were not listed on the state pages we reviewed, so call the city, town or village registrar before you go.

Certificate types outside NYC

The state Department of Health's ordering pages do not describe separate long and short forms. If you need the certificate for a passport, the federal rule asks for a birth certificate that shows your full name, place and date of birth and your parents' full names, is signed by the official custodian of birth records, bears the issuing office's seal, and shows a filing date within one year of birth (22 CFR 51.42(a)).

Using a New York birth certificate for REAL ID or abroad

For a REAL ID, federal rules accept a "certified copy of a birth certificate filed with a State Office of Vital Statistics or equivalent agency in the individual's State of birth" (6 CFR 37.11(c)(1)(ii)). For use abroad, vital records issued by a U.S. state need an apostille from that state's secretary of state, according to USA.gov. For an NYC certificate, the city says to order the long form with a Letter of Exemplification, have it authenticated by the County Clerk at 60 Centre Street ($3), and then get the apostille from the New York Department of State.

New York birth certificates are not open public records for recent births. Our guide on whether birth certificates are public records explains how states differ.

Correcting or amending a New York birth certificate

The rules, forms and fees differ between the two offices.

Corrections outside NYC (state Department of Health)

The state lists a form for each type of change:

• DOH-297: spelling of a parent's or child's name, a parent's last name, the child's date of birth, or the child's gender at birth
• DOH-51: adding a child's given name
• DOH-4092: adding the father's name when the parents were married at the birth and his name was omitted
• DOH-1862: changing a child's surname under a Family Court order
• DOH-1927: changing a child's surname after the biological parents marry following an Acknowledgment of Paternity
• DOH-5721 and DOH-5722: correcting a parent's name or gender on the certificate

If your child is under 12 months old and the hospital made the mistake, the state says to contact the hospital. Documents created under the Child Parent Security Act (surrogacy agreements, acknowledgments of parentage and orders of parentage) can also be used to amend a birth certificate. The state's birth page does not list a correction fee; check the state's correction instructions before you send payment.

Corrections in NYC

The NYC Health Department lets only the registrant (18 or older), a parent or legal guardian of a minor registrant, or the parents of a deceased registrant correct a certificate. Corrections go by mail or in person; you cannot request one online.

Most corrections cost a nonrefundable $40 processing fee plus $15 per certificate, and the city estimates about 12 weeks. There is no fee for acknowledgments or orders of parentage, adding a parent who was married before the birth, adding a given name within 60 days of birth (submitted by a parent to the Health Department) or within 12 months (through the hospital), or hospital errors corrected by the hospital within the first 12 months.

Name changes

A court-ordered name change is a separate process, covered in our guide to New York name change laws. Outside NYC, the state's amendment forms for children's surnames are listed above, and its sex-designation process requires a court order for any name change made at the same time. For an adult name change on a birth certificate, ask the office that holds your record which form applies.

Changing the sex on a birth certificate

Outside NYC, the state Department of Health lets individuals 17 or older change the gender designation on their birth certificate, including to X (non-binary), with form DOH-5305 and a notarized affidavit, DOH-5303. A parent or guardian named on the certificate can do the same for a minor 16 or under with DOH-5306 and DOH-5304. A name change at the same time needs a court order. The original certificate is sealed, and one certified copy of the amended certificate is free; extra copies are $30 each.

In NYC, the Health Department uses a separate Application for Gender Marker Change on a NYC Birth Certificate; it has allowed an X marker since 2019 and does not require a provider letter.

A birth certificate change does not control federal documents. As of November 6, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court had stayed a lower-court order, allowing the federal policy that new passports display "biological sex at birth" to be enforced while litigation continues (Supreme Court order in No. 25A319). The NYC Health Department's page notes the same passport policy.

Birth never registered

Neither office's pages we reviewed describe how to register a birth that was never recorded, or what it costs. If your birth was never filed, contact the NYC Office of Vital Records (for a birth in the five boroughs) or the state Vital Records Call Center at (855) 322-1022 (for a birth elsewhere in New York) before gathering documents.

Adoption

After an adoption, a new birth certificate is issued and the original is held separately. The state Department of Health has its own route for an Original (Pre-Adoption) Birth Certificate, and NYC handles pre-adoption long-form certificates by mail or online, which the city says take about six weeks. Who can get them is covered on our New York adoption records page and in our guide on how to get your original birth certificate.

Older records and genealogy

Outside NYC, birth registration started in 1881. For genealogy, the state Department of Health provides uncertified copies of birth certificates that have been on file for at least 75 years when the person named is known to be deceased. Direct-line descendants (a child, grandchild or great-grandchild) can skip the waiting period with proof of relationship and proof of death.

A genealogy copy costs $22.00, which covers a three-year index search; wider searches cost more. The state says a genealogy request may take eight months or longer, and that sending it directly to the local registrar, if you know the municipality, may save time.

For New York City births before 1910, the NYC Health Department sends requests to the NYC Municipal Archives (Department of Records and Information Services); the state also points genealogists there.

This article is general legal information about New York birth certificates, not legal advice. Fees, forms and procedures change; confirm with the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (for births in the five boroughs) or the New York State Department of Health, Vital Records (for births elsewhere in New York) before ordering. Information verified October 6, 2026.

Related

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

Last updated: October 6, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I get my birth certificate if I was born in New York City?

From the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Office of Vital Records, not the New York State Department of Health. The state does not hold births from the five boroughs, except some 1881 to 1897 Queens and Staten Island records.

How much is a birth certificate in New York?

In NYC, $15 per certificate plus a processing fee of $9.30 online, $7.50 by premium mail or $2.75 in person. Elsewhere in New York State, $30 per copy by mail or $45 per copy online or by phone, plus a VitalChek fee.

How long does it take to get a New York birth certificate?

NYC estimates 2 to 3 weeks for online orders and 8 to 12 weeks for non-premium mail. The state estimates 5 to 10 business days for online or phone orders and 10 to 12 weeks for regular mail, and currently warns of significant delays.

Can I get a New York City birth certificate the same day?

In-person service is by appointment only, and the city says pre-adoption, non-electronic and older records are not issued the same day. For an emergency tied to travel, health coverage, housing or a job, call 311 or email nycdohvr@health.nyc.gov to request an emergency appointment.

Can I order my spouse's or parent's New York State birth certificate?

Only with a New York State court order. Outside NYC, the state issues certified copies to the person named on the certificate and to a parent named on it; a spouse, child or anyone else needs a court order.

Do I need the long form or short form NYC birth certificate?

NYC says the short form works for most domestic purposes. The long form is generally used for international purposes such as dual citizenship, international marriage and apostilles.

How do I correct a birth certificate in New York?

For an NYC birth, file a correction application by mail or in person; most corrections cost $40 plus $15 per certificate and take about 12 weeks. For a birth elsewhere in New York, use the state form for that change, such as DOH-297 for name spellings or the child's date of birth.

Can I get a birth certificate for genealogy in New York?

Outside NYC, the state provides uncertified genealogy copies once a birth record has been on file 75 years and the person is known to be deceased; direct-line descendants can skip the wait with proof. The fee starts at $22.00.