Washington Birth Certificate: Fees, Ordering and Who Is Eligible

The Washington State Department of Health (DOH), Center for Health Statistics, issues Washington birth certificates. Fees start at $25 for a certified copy ordered by mail, and you can also order online or by phone through VitalChek, DOH's only contracted vendor, or in person at a participating local health department. 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 Washington birth certificate, what it costs, who may get a certified copy, and how to correct, amend or late-register a Washington birth record. It applies to births that occurred in Washington State.

Where to order a Washington birth certificate

The state office is the Center for Health Statistics at the Washington State Department of Health, PO Box 47814, Olympia, WA 98504-7814, phone 360-236-4300. DOH says it holds birth records from July 1, 1907 to the present for births in Washington.

Start from DOH's ordering a vital record page and its birth record page. DOH states that VitalChek is its only contracted and approved third-party vendor, so any other website offering to get a Washington birth certificate for you is not one DOH has approved.

Ordering for a new baby

The paperwork parents fill out at the hospital is not an order. DOH says the first birth certificate issued for a birth is not free, and hospitals and birth centers cannot order a birth certificate on your behalf, so parents need to place their own order.

How to order

Online or by phone

Order through VitalChek online or by phone at 1-866-687-1464. VitalChek orders cost more than mail orders because of the vendor and DOH processing fees (see the fee table), and you can choose a shipping option at checkout.

By mail

Send the birth order form (DOH 422-182) with your signature, a photocopy of valid ID, any proof documents, and a check or money order. Mail it to the Center for Health Statistics at the Olympia address above.

In person

DOH partners with local Washington health departments for in-person service on most birth and death certificate purchases. Check with the local health department before you go to make sure it has your record type and year. An additional fee may apply, and DOH says customers receive most in-person orders within the same day.

How much a Washington birth certificate costs

These amounts are DOH's published starting fees; DOH notes that other fees may apply depending on how you order and ship.

DOH's pages we reviewed do not list a separate price for additional copies in the same order or for VitalChek's shipping options, so check the order form or checkout screen.

Free birth certificates in limited cases

DOH lists specific circumstances in which a birth certificate is issued at no fee, including a birth certificate for homeless persons living in Washington (available only from DOH), a certificate for a child on food benefits who is enrolling in school or early learning, and a certificate needed for a veterans' benefits claim. Read the conditions on DOH's no-fee circumstances page before you apply.

How long it takes

DOH says its times start after it receives full payment and all required documentation, and missing information will delay an order. Its published estimates are:

• Local health department, in person: most orders within the same day.
• VitalChek, online or by phone: shipped within 3-7 business days of DOH receiving the order from VitalChek, depending on the shipping option.
• Mail: DOH states two different times. The route table on its ordering page says mail orders are "shipped within 6-8 weeks of the department receiving the order and processing payment," while the FAQ on the same page says the customer will receive a mail order "within 8-10 weeks after receiving and processing of payment." On the birth record page, the birth certificate section says 8-10 weeks by mail and the noncertified informational copy section says 6-8 weeks.

Because DOH's own pages disagree, allow for the longer figure if timing matters, or call DOH at 360-236-4300 before you choose a route. An Heirloom certificate takes longer: DOH says it can take up to 8-10 weeks because the Governor signs each one individually.

Who can get a certified copy

Certified copies go only to applicants with a qualifying relationship to the person named, and DOH requires proof of identity and proof of that relationship. Under RCW 70.58A.530(4), the registrar may release a certification of birth only to:

• the subject of the record, or the subject's spouse or domestic partner, child, parent, stepparent, stepchild, sibling, grandparent, great grandparent, grandchild, great grandchild, legal guardian, legal representative or authorized representative; or
• a government agency or court using it for official duties, subject to limits in the statute.

ID requirements

DOH's acceptable proofs of identity form (DOH 422-177) asks for one government-issued photo ID showing your full name and date of birth that is current or expired less than 60 days. Without one, you can send at least two alternative documents with matching names and addresses. You also need documents proving your relationship to the person named.

Types of Washington birth records

DOH offers three birth record products, per its birth record page:

• Birth certificate: the certified copy most people need, for qualifying applicants only.
• Heirloom birth certificate: an 8.5 by 11 inch certificate signed by the Governor, sold by mail to qualifying applicants. Under RCW 70.58A.530(5), it carries the state seal.
• Noncertified informational copy: anyone can request one without proof of identity or relationship, but DOH says it cannot be used for legal purposes.

DOH says its certified birth certificate is used for legal purposes, including proving identity, citizenship and relationship to others to get a passport or driver license. The DOH pages we reviewed do not say whether it is a long or short form, so ask DOH if you need a specific format. 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). State-issued vital records used abroad need an apostille from that state's secretary of state, according to USA.gov.

Correcting or amending a Washington birth record

To correct a birth certificate, file an Affidavit for Correction (DOH 422-034) with your ID and any proof documents, as explained on DOH's correcting birth certificates page. DOH says this affidavit process does not include adoptions, parentage, gender change, court-ordered legal name change or surrogacy, which have their own procedures. DOH lists the current turnaround as four months. If your certificate was issued less than one year ago, DOH will exchange it free when you request a correction.

A child's last name can be corrected only once, must be requested before the child turns one, and must be a combination of the parents' names, with every listed parent signing. Corrections fall under chapter 70.58A RCW and chapter 246-490 WAC.

Adding or changing a parent

DOH adds or changes a parent on a birth certificate only through an Acknowledgment of Parentage or a court order.

Legal name change

To put a court-ordered name change on a Washington birth record, DOH asks for a certified copy of the court order (it will not be returned) plus either the Court Order Legal Name Change Request Form (DOH 422-126) or a letter giving the details listed on the current certificate, as described on its court-ordered name change page. DOH lists a two-month processing turnaround. The court process itself is covered in our guide to Washington name change laws.

Sex designation

DOH's sex designation change page, read on October 8, 2026, says a Washington birth certificate has three sex designation options: M, F and X. Adults use DOH form 422-143, which must be notarized. Minors use form 422-144, signed by a parent or guardian and a licensed provider.

DOH says it does not accept a court order or a physician's letter for this change. There is no fee to amend the record, and each certified copy of the new certificate is $25.

DOH also says that, at this time, it is "unsure if other agencies and applications" will accept these amended certificates, naming the U.S. Department of State's passport application as an example, and that "in some cases, a court order might be needed for full use of the new name and sex designation."

If a birth was never registered

A birth not registered within one year is filed as a delayed report of live birth under RCW 70.58A.120. It requires a signed, sworn report with documentary evidence. For a person 12 or older, the statute says evidence other than affidavits "must have been established at least five years prior to the date of application."

If the registrar denies the delayed report, the applicant can go to court under RCW 70.58A.130. DOH's pages we reviewed do not list a fee for delayed registration, so ask DOH before you apply.

Adoption and new birth records

After an adoption, the state registrar retains and seals the original birth record along with the adoption report, under RCW 70.58A.400, and DOH has an adoptee request form, the Adoptee's Request for Original Birth Certificate from a Sealed File (DOH 422-102), on its original birth certificate page. Who can get the original and how is covered in our guide to Washington adoption records.

Older records and genealogy

Certified copies are limited to qualifying applicants, but anyone can buy a noncertified informational copy of a birth record. Under RCW 70.58A.510, the state registrar transfers birth records to the state archives 100 years after the birth, and the archives may provide noncertified copies to the public. Whether birth certificates are public in other states is covered in are birth certificates public records.

This article is general legal information about Washington birth certificates, not legal advice. Fees and procedures change; confirm with the Washington State Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics, before ordering. Information last verified on October 8, 2026.

Related

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

Last updated: October 8, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is a birth certificate in Washington State?

A certified copy starts at $25 by mail from the Department of Health. Online or phone orders through VitalChek start at $40.50, which includes an $8.50 VitalChek fee and a $7 DOH processing fee.

Can I get a Washington birth certificate the same day?

Participating local health departments handle most in-person orders within the same day, though an extra fee may apply. Check first that the office has your record type and year.

How long does a Washington birth certificate take by mail?

DOH publishes two estimates: 6-8 weeks in its ordering-page route table and 8-10 weeks in its FAQ. VitalChek orders ship within 3-7 business days of DOH receiving them.

Who can order a certified Washington birth certificate?

Only qualifying applicants under RCW 70.58A.530(4), such as the subject, a spouse or domestic partner, child, parent, stepparent, sibling, grandparent, legal guardian or legal representative, with proof of identity and relationship. Anyone can buy a noncertified informational copy.

How do I correct a birth certificate in Washington?

File an Affidavit for Correction (DOH 422-034) with ID and proof. DOH lists the current turnaround as four months, and adding or changing a parent requires an Acknowledgment of Parentage or a court order.

Does the hospital order my baby's Washington birth certificate?

No. DOH says hospitals and birth centers cannot order a birth certificate for you, and the first certificate is not free.