North Dakota
North Dakota Birth Certificate: How to Order, Fees and Who Can Get One
Independently fact-checked against primary sources (last audited October 8, 2026). · 11 primary sources cited on this page. How we verify our legal content
The North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Vital Records office in Bismarck issues North Dakota birth certificates, and each certified copy costs $15.00. You can order through the state's own online portal, by mail, or in person by appointment. 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 a certified copy of a North Dakota birth certificate, the fees and processing times DHHS publishes, who may order one, and how to correct or amend a North Dakota birth record. It applies to births that occurred in North Dakota.
How to order a North Dakota birth certificate
DHHS says you can order records online, by mail, or, if needed, by appointment. The pages we reviewed name no county or local office that issues birth certificates; county offices handle marriage and divorce records, not births. Everything goes through the state office in Bismarck.
Online through the state portal
DHHS runs its own secure online ordering application at vrcerts.hhs.nd.gov, which requires a login. DHHS describes ordering online as the fastest method. Any online processing or convenience fee was not visible without logging in, so check the total at checkout.
If you choose Web Order Pickup as the shipping method, DHHS says your order is usually ready in less than two hours, and it emails you directions to the office so you can pick it up.
By mail
Complete the application form (SFN 8140), include a photocopy of your identification, and pay by check or money order made out to "ND DHHS". Mail it to:
Vital Records, 600 E. Boulevard Ave. Dept 325, Bismarck, ND 58505-0250
DHHS does not accept faxed requests. The application offers these return shipping options:
| Return shipping | Cost |
|---|---|
| First Class Mail (default) | No cost |
| FedEx | $25 (add $5 for Alaska or Hawaii) |
| UPS | $30 |
| FedEx or UPS international | $100 |
The application says FedEx, UPS or USPS Priority Mail requests received by 10:00 a.m. Central are processed the same day and others the next business day. FedEx and UPS cannot deliver to U.S. PO boxes.
In person by appointment
In-person service is by appointment only. Call Vital Records at (701) 328-2360. The office email is vitalrec@nd.gov.
Processing times
DHHS publishes two figures, on two different pages:
| Route | Published DHHS estimate |
|---|---|
| Online with Web Order Pickup | Usually less than two hours |
| FedEx, UPS or USPS Priority Mail return shipping (application form) | Processed the same day if received by 10:00 a.m. Central, otherwise the next business day |
| Mail (birth record page) | Usually mailed 3 to 5 business days after receipt, plus return mail time |
| General processing (main Vital Records page) | Allow 5 to 7 business days, plus return mail time |
These are the agency's estimates, not guarantees. If you have a deadline, plan around the longer figure or use Web Order Pickup. Only DHHS Vital Records issues certified North Dakota birth certificates, so be cautious of other websites that offer to order one for you.
How much a North Dakota birth certificate costs
DHHS charges $15.00 for each certified copy of a birth record, including additional copies in the same order.
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Certified birth certificate, each copy | $15.00 |
| Amendment after a court-ordered name change (no copy included) | $15 |
| Correction within one year of birth | No fee |
| Filing a new birth record after adoption | $15 |
| Filing an acknowledgment of paternity | No fee |
Under N.D.C.C. 23-02.1-29, DHHS sets the fees for certified copies, delayed filings, amendments, new records after adoption and searches, and none may exceed $15.
Who can order a certified copy
North Dakota birth records are confidential. Under N.D.C.C. 23-02.1-27, a certified copy may be issued only to:
- The person named on the record, if at least 16 years old
- The mother or father named on the record
- An authorized representative
- A homeless youth agency
- A person with a court order (DHHS says a subpoena is not enough)
The DHHS application says a legal guardian must include guardianship papers.
Other relatives of a living person, such as a spouse, sibling, grandparent or adult child, are not on the list. DHHS says a notarized authorization form signed by the person named on the record, or by a parent named on it, can grant someone else access.
If the person named on the record has died, a relative may also request it; the statute defines a relative as a current or surviving spouse, a parent or legal guardian, a child, a grandparent or a grandchild, and the DHHS application lists spouse among the eligible relationships. An authorized representative may also request it. DHHS says siblings, uncles, aunts and cousins are not eligible. If the death occurred outside North Dakota, include a certified death record.
ID requirements
On mail requests, DHHS asks for a legible photocopy of one unexpired primary photo ID: a driver's license, state photo ID, tribal ID, military ID, U.S. passport, visa or permanent resident card. A driver's license that expired within the last 30 days is accepted.
If you lack a primary photo ID, send copies of two secondary documents, such as a bank statement, vehicle registration, Social Security card, social services card, tribal enrollment record, utility bill, paycheck stub or W-2, or DD 214. The application form (SFN 8140) also offers the option of a notarized application in place of ID; the by-mail web page lists only the ID options, so confirm with DHHS if you plan to rely on notarization.
Certified and genealogy copies
The application offers two kinds of copy. A certified copy is for all official purposes, including a U.S. passport and a driver's license. A genealogy copy is for family-history research and is not available for births after 2005. The genealogy option appears under the form's $15.00 per copy requested line; confirm the price with DHHS before ordering one. DHHS does not issue uncertified copies.
For a first U.S. passport, federal rules call 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). For REAL ID, federal rules accept a certified copy of a birth certificate filed with the vital statistics office in your state of birth (6 CFR 37.11).
Correcting or amending a North Dakota birth record
N.D.C.C. 23-02.1-25 governs amendments. DHHS lists the items that can be corrected: names, date of birth, sex (subject to the rule below), place of birth, parents' names and the mother's maiden name.
Within one year of birth
A parent or legal guardian may correct any listed item within one year of the birth by contacting DHHS and making the request in writing. All parents listed on the record must agree, and there is no fee. Each item can be corrected once this way; a second correction of the same item needs a court order. Any certified copies already issued must be returned first.
After one year
After the first year, a change is an amendment that needs additional documentation. DHHS asks you to start by ordering a certified copy of the record with the $15 fee (unless you ordered one in the last 90 days), and says the amendment takes about 3 to 5 business days. A registrant must be 18 or older to request it; a parent must be named on the record, and a guardian or legal representative needs a certified U.S. court order. DHHS says amendments cannot be made to the record of a person who has died.
Legal name change
For a court-ordered name change, send a certified copy of the court order, the notarized form SFN 60183, and the $15 amendment fee payable to ND DHHS. The amendment fee does not include a certified copy of the updated record, so add $15 for each copy you want. The court process itself is covered in our guide to North Dakota name change laws.
DHHS says a name change from marriage should not be made on your birth record.
Adding a father
A father can be added through an acknowledgment of paternity. DHHS says the form is a three-part paper form that cannot be downloaded, both parents sign it before a witness, and there is no fee to file it with Vital Records. The form is available from county child support offices, hospital birth centers or Vital Records. If the mother is married to someone else, her spouse must also complete the form's Denial of Paternity section. A legal parent can also be added by a certified court order of adjudication.
Sex designation
N.D.C.C. 23-02.1-25.1, read on the Legislative Assembly's site on October 8, 2026, provides that the sex designation on the birth record of a person born in North Dakota may not be amended under 23-02.1-25 due to a gender identity change. It may be amended or corrected only for a scrivener or data entry error, a misidentification shown by chromosomal or genetic testing and supported by affidavit, or a change with anatomically correct genitalia as certified by a medical provider. The statute defines sex as biological male or female, and the DHHS page points to this section.
If a birth was never registered
N.D.C.C. 23-02.1-15 covers delayed registration. A birth record registered one year or more after the birth must be marked "delayed" and show the date of delayed registration on its face, with a summary of the supporting evidence. Registration follows DHHS regulations and evidentiary requirements.
If the minimum documentation is lacking, the state registrar may refuse to register the birth and advise the applicant of the right to ask a court for a judicial determination of the facts of birth. The statute also bars registering a delayed birth record for a person who has died.
We did not find a DHHS page or rule that lists the documents or the fee for delayed registration. Call Vital Records at (701) 328-2360 for the current procedure before you gather documents.
Adoption and original birth records
After an adoption is completed, DHHS seals the original birth record and associated information, and the only way to open it again is by court order. To file a new birth record, DHHS needs a Report of Adoption (SFN 6739) certified by the Clerk of District Court and the $15 filing fee, plus $15 for each certified copy you want.
Access to original records is covered in our guide to North Dakota adoption records.
Older records and genealogy
Under N.D.C.C. 23-02.1-27, a birth record whose date of birth is more than 125 years old is an open record, and a certified copy may be issued to anyone, except that adoption records remain confidential. DHHS holds records from 1870. Whether birth records are public in other states is covered in are birth certificates public records.
A genealogy copy (births in 2005 or earlier) is a copy type on the application, not a separate eligibility category; the form's only public-requester option is for records over 125 years old, so for a newer record you still need to be an eligible requester listed above. Confirm with DHHS before ordering.
This article is general legal information about North Dakota birth certificates, not legal advice. Fees and procedures change; confirm with the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services, Vital Records, before ordering. Information last verified on October 8, 2026.
Related
- Birth certificates by state
- Are birth certificates public records?
- North Dakota adoption records
- North Dakota name change laws
Last updated: October 8, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is a birth certificate in North Dakota?
North Dakota DHHS Vital Records charges $15.00 for each certified copy of a birth record. First Class Mail return is free on mail orders; FedEx is $25 and UPS is $30.
Can I get a North Dakota birth certificate the same day?
DHHS says you can order online and choose Web Order Pickup; the order is usually ready in less than two hours, and DHHS emails directions to the Bismarck office. In-person service is by appointment only at (701) 328-2360.
How long does it take to get a birth certificate by mail in North Dakota?
DHHS's birth page says copies are usually mailed 3 to 5 business days after the office receives the request, not counting return mail time. Its main Vital Records page says to allow 5 to 7 business days.
Can my spouse order my North Dakota birth certificate?
Not on their own. For a living person, North Dakota law limits certified copies to the person named (if at least 16), a parent named on the record, an authorized representative, a homeless youth agency, or a court order; you can sign DHHS's notarized authorization form to let someone else request it.
How do I correct a birth certificate in North Dakota?
Within one year of the birth, a parent or legal guardian can correct the record by writing to DHHS, at no fee. After one year, a correction is an amendment that needs additional documentation and starts with ordering a certified copy for $15 (unless you ordered one in the last 90 days). A registrant must be 18 or older to request it; a parent must be named on the record, and a guardian or legal representative needs a certified court order.
Do I change my North Dakota birth certificate after marriage?
No. DHHS says that if your name changes as a result of marriage, you should not update your birth record.
Updates
Independently fact-checked against the cited primary sources
The Law Behind This Article
This article rests on the statutory provisions below, held in our own legal record and retrieved from the official source. Tap a section to read the operative text.
North Dakota Century Code
§ 23-02.1-27Disclosure of recordsIn forcecited in 4 of our articles
Birth, death, and fetal death records, filings, data, or other information related to birth, death, and fetal death records are confidential and may not be disclosed except as authorized under this chapter. The state registrar shall restrict access to all vital records to protect vital records from loss, mutilation, or destruction and to prevent disclosure of the information contained in these records except as authorized under this chapter. A certified copy of a birth record may be issued to the individual named on the record if that individual is at least sixteen years old, to a parent named on the record, to an authorized representative, to a homeless youth agency, or by the order of a court of competent jurisdiction. If the individual named on a birth record is deceased, a certified copy of that record may also be issued to a relative. If the date of birth on any birth record is more than one hundred and twenty-five years old, that record is an open record and a certified copy may be issued to anyone, except that adoption records remain confidential.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-04 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at ndlegis.gov
Also relied on in: How to Find a Cause of Death in North Dakota (2026), North Dakota Death Records: Are They Public + How to Get One, How to Get a North Dakota Death Certificate (2026)
§ 23-02.1-25Correction and amendment of vital recordsIn force
A record registered under this chapter may be amended only in accordance with this chapter and regulations under this chapter adopted by the department of health and human services to protect the integrity and accuracy of vital records. A record that is amended under this section must be marked "amended" except as provided in subsection 4. The date of amendment and a summary description of the evidence submitted in support of the amendment must be endorsed on or made a part of the record. The department of health and human services shall prescribe by regulation the conditions under which additions or minor corrections may be made to birth records within one year after the date of birth without the record being considered as amended.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at ndlegis.gov
§ 23-02.1-25.1Birth records - Amendments and corrections - Sex changeIn force
The sex designation on a birth record of an individual born in this state may not be amended under section 23-02.1-25 due to a gender identity change. The sex designation on a birth record of an individual born in this state may not be amended or corrected under section 23-02.1-25 unless: The sex of the individual was listed incorrectly on the original birth record as a result of a scrivener's error or data entry error; The sex of the individual was misidentified on the original birth record and the request for correction is accompanied by a copy of the results of chromosomal, molecular, karyotypic, DNA, or genetic testing that identifies the sex of the individual, together with an affidavit from the health care facility, health care professional, or laboratory testing facility that conducted the test or analyzed the test results, attesting to the test results and the accuracy of the test results; or The sex of the individual was changed with anatomically correct genitalia for the identified sex as certified by a medical provider.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at ndlegis.gov
§ 23-02.1-15Delayed registration of birthIn force
If the birth of an individual born in this state has not been registered, a birth record may be filed in accordance with the regulations of the department of health and human services. The birth record must be registered subject to such evidentiary requirements as the department of health and human services shall prescribe to substantiate the alleged facts of birth. A birth record registered one year or more after the date of occurrence must be marked "delayed" and show on the face of the birth record the date of delayed registration. A summary statement of the evidence submitted in support of the delayed registration must be endorsed on the birth record. If an applicant does not submit the minimum documentation required in the regulations for delayed registration or when the state registrar finds reason to question the validity or adequacy of the birth record or documentary evidence, the state registrar may not register the delayed birth record and shall advise the applicant of the reasons for this action.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at ndlegis.gov
§ 23-02.1-29FeesIn force
The department of health and human services shall prescribe the fees, if any, not to exceed fifteen dollars, to be paid for the following: Each certified copy of a record. Each certified statement of the facts of birth other than a copy of the original birth record. Each filing of a new record of birth or fetal death following adoption. Each filing of a delayed record of birth or death except as provided for in subsection 4 of section 23-02.1-18. Each filing of an amendment to a birth or death record. A search of the files or records when no copy is made. A noncertified informational copy of a death or marriage record. The fee for each additional copy of a death or fetal death record, requested at the same time, may not exceed ten dollars. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 3, fees collected under this section by the state registrar must be deposited in the operating fund of the department of health and human services, according to procedures established by the state treasurer.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at ndlegis.gov
§ 23-02.1-01DefinitionsIn forcecited in 3 of our articles
As used in this chapter: "Authorized representative" means a person that has the legal authority to act on behalf of the person named on a record, including a personal representative or guardian. "Birth record" means a record reporting a live birth. "Certified" means a copy of the original record on file with the department of health and human services which is signed and sealed by the state registrar or deputy state registrar. "Dead body" means a lifeless human body or parts of such body or bones thereof from the state of which it may reasonably be concluded that death recently occurred. "Electronic birth registration system" means the electronic birth registration system maintained by the department of health and human services. "Electronic death registration system" means the electronic death registration system maintained by the department of health and human services. "Facts of death" means the demographic and personal information pertaining to an individual's death. "Fetal death" or "birth resulting in stillbirth" means death occurring before the complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of human conception.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at ndlegis.gov
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Sources and References
- North Dakota DHHS, Vital Records: Birth Records(www.hhs.nd.gov).gov
- North Dakota DHHS, Vital Records(www.hhs.nd.gov).gov
- North Dakota DHHS, Birth Records by Mail(www.hhs.nd.gov).gov
- North Dakota DHHS, Request for Certified Copy of Birth Record (SFN 8140)(www.hhs.nd.gov).gov
- North Dakota DHHS, Court-Ordered Name Change(www.hhs.nd.gov).gov
- North Dakota DHHS, Changing a Birth Record(www.hhs.nd.gov).gov
- North Dakota DHHS, Adoption(www.hhs.nd.gov).gov
- North Dakota DHHS, Establishing Paternity(www.hhs.nd.gov).gov
- North Dakota Century Code chapter 23-02.1, Vital Statistics(ndlegis.gov).gov
- 22 CFR 51.42, Persons born in the United States applying for a passport(www.ecfr.gov).gov
- 6 CFR 37.11, Application and documents the applicant must provide (REAL ID)(www.ecfr.gov).gov