Wyoming Birth Certificate: How to Order, Fees and Eligibility

The Wyoming Department of Health's Vital Statistics Services in Cheyenne issues Wyoming birth certificates, and under state law only the state registrar issues certified copies. The application form the department currently links lists $25 per certified copy. You can order online through the state's own Wyoming VSS Portal, by mail, or in person. 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 Wyoming birth certificate, who may get one, and how Wyoming birth records are corrected, amended or registered late. It applies to births that occurred in Wyoming.

Where to order a Wyoming birth certificate

The office is Vital Statistics Services, Hathaway Building, 2300 Capitol Avenue, Cheyenne, WY 82002, phone (307) 777-7591, email wdh.vss@wyo.gov. Its main page lists public hours of Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with Friday by appointment only.

There are no county issuing offices. Under Wyoming Statutes §35-1-427 (Title 35), "Only the state registrar of vital records shall upon request issue a certified copy of any certificate or record in his custody or of a part thereof."

How to order

In person

Visit the Hathaway Building in Cheyenne during public hours (Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Friday by appointment only).

By mail

Mail the completed birth certificate application form, linked from the department's orders page, with a photocopy of your ID, payment, and a self-addressed stamped envelope to Vital Statistics Services, 2300 Capitol Ave, Cheyenne, WY 82002.

The form says checks or money orders "should be made payable to Vital Statistics Services," and a check "must be bank-personalized and on the account of the person making the request." Cash is accepted but not recommended.

Online

Online orders go through the state's own Wyoming VSS Portal, linked from the department's certificates page. You create an account, upload an image of a government-issued ID, and pay by credit card; the portal adds a convenience fee of 2.4% with a $1.00 minimum.

Certificates are mailed by USPS First Class unless you upload a prepaid shipping label. If the office asks for more information, you must answer within 15 days or the order is cancelled without a refund. Start from the state's own pages rather than a search result.

How much a Wyoming birth certificate costs

The figures below are the ones printed on the application form the department currently links. Call (307) 777-7591 to confirm the fee before you pay.

The form does not list a discount for additional copies of a birth certificate. The department's published materials we reviewed list no delayed-registration fee and no processing time for any route.

Who can get a certified copy

The application form says "Wyoming is a closed record state, meaning vital records are considered confidential information and closed to the general public until one hundred (100) years after the date of birth" (the form gives shorter periods for marriage, divorce and death records). Wyoming Statutes §35-1-426(a) allows disclosure only as authorized by the department's regulations.

The form lists these people as able to get a birth certificate:

• the person named, if 18 or older;
• either parent named on the certificate;
• a lawyer representing the person named or the parents;
• a legal guardian, with a certified copy of the guardianship papers; and
• an unemancipated minor, with a signed affidavit.

The form says that, generally, only those listed on the record are entitled but that there are exceptions, so call the office if you are not on the list. It also says the person signing the request must be 18 or older; a minor should call the office about the affidavit route.

Excessive copies rule

The current form says that once 4 or more certificates have been requested in a person's lifetime, you must include an Excessive Copies Form with the request; ask the office for it.

ID requirements

Include a photocopy of a valid government-issued photo ID with a permanent signature. The form lists examples including a driver's license, state ID, passport, passport card, tribal ID, consular card, retired or dependent military ID, concealed weapons permit and prison corrections ID. IDs less than 60 days expired are accepted.

The form says "A notarized signature on the front of this form may take the place of an ID."

What kind of certificate you get

The form says Wyoming's "Standard certified copies of vital records are computer generated (abstracts) and are acceptable for all legal purposes including but not limited to: Government Agencies (Department of Motor Vehicles, Passport, etc.)" The form does not offer a separate long form.

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). A state-issued vital record used abroad needs an apostille from that state's secretary of state, according to USA.gov.

Correcting or amending a Wyoming birth certificate

Under Wyoming Statutes §35-1-424, a certificate may be amended only as the vital statistics act and its rules allow, and an amended certificate is marked "Amended." Minor corrections and additions within one year of the birth are handled under the rules without being treated as amendments. The statute adds: "After one (1) year no correction shall be made on the face of the certificate."

The department's published materials we reviewed do not describe the forms or evidence needed for a correction or amendment. The current application form lists the correction and court-order fees in the table above; call the office before you send anything.

Legal name change

Under §35-1-424, when a court orders a name change, the state registrar amends the birth certificate by attaching an abstract of the court order. The court process itself is covered in our guide to Wyoming name change laws.

Adding a father

A father can be added through a court order of paternity ($55 to file, per the current form) or through an Affidavit Acknowledging Paternity signed by both parents. The department's establishing paternity page says the affidavit is used when the birth mother and biological father are not married to each other, and that a correctly completed affidavit has the same effect as a court order establishing paternity.

Under W.S. 35-1-417, a new birth certificate is then established on request. The same department page says an adult child with no father listed can use Part II of the affidavit together with the affidavit signed by both parents; if both forms cannot be completed, a court order is required.

Sex designation

The department's published materials we reviewed do not describe the steps for changing a sex designation; contact Vital Statistics Services for the current procedure.

If a birth was never registered

Under Wyoming Statutes §35-1-413, a birth that was not registered may be filed under the vital records rules, which set the evidence requirements; the department's published materials we reviewed do not list them. A birth certificate registered one year or more after the birth is marked "Delayed" and shows the date of the delayed registration.

The state registrar may refuse a delayed registration if the documents are inadequate, and an incomplete application may be dismissed after one year. Section 35-1-415 provides a court route. The department's materials we reviewed list no delayed-registration fee.

Adoption and new birth records

After an adoption, a new birth certificate is established when the court, the adoptive parents or the adopted person requests it, and it replaces the original (W.S. 35-1-417). Under Title 35, "the original certificate of birth and evidence of adoption shall not be subject to inspection except upon order of a court of competent jurisdiction." More on access is in our guide to Wyoming adoption records.

Older records and genealogy

Wyoming birth records are closed to the public until 100 years after the date of birth. Whether birth certificates are public records in other states is covered in are birth certificates public records.

For a closed record, the form says "Written verifications of a record may be issued for genealogical research." The requester must document that the people listed are deceased and show their relationship to them.

This article is general legal information about Wyoming birth certificates, not legal advice. Fees and procedures change; confirm with Wyoming Vital Statistics Services before ordering. Information last verified on October 8, 2026.

Related

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

Last updated: October 8, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is a birth certificate in Wyoming?

The application form the department currently links lists $25 per certified copy. Online orders through the state's VSS Portal add a 2.4% convenience fee ($1.00 minimum); call Vital Statistics Services at (307) 777-7591 to confirm the fee before you pay.

Can I get a Wyoming birth certificate in person?

Yes. Vital Statistics Services in the Hathaway Building, 2300 Capitol Avenue, Cheyenne, is open Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Friday by appointment only. The state does not publish a same-day turnaround.

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

The department's published materials we reviewed give no processing time for mail, online or in-person orders. Call the office before you rely on a date.

Who can get a Wyoming birth certificate?

Wyoming birth records are closed for 100 years. The application form lists the person named if 18 or older, either parent on the certificate, a lawyer for either, a legal guardian with certified guardianship papers, and an unemancipated minor with a signed affidavit. The form says there are exceptions; call the office if you are not on the list.

How do I correct a birth certificate in Wyoming?

Corrections and amendments follow Wyoming Statutes 35-1-424 and the department's rules, and after one year no correction is made on the face of the certificate. The current application form lists $20 for a correction not involving a court order; call the office for the steps.

Is a Wyoming abstract birth certificate valid for a passport?

The state's application form says its standard certified copies are computer-generated abstracts acceptable for all legal purposes, naming the DMV and passports as examples.