NC Vital Records: Contact Us
Walk-in (in-person) certificate service is available by appointment only. Scheduling details are provided below.
Hours
Monday - Friday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM, except for state holidays.
Online Contact
- General Contact Form: Contact us at NC Vital Records Inquiry. Please allow 7-10 business day response time for certificate order status inquiries. Please allow 3-5 business day response time for all other inquiry types.
- Certificate Status Inquiries: General Issuance Certificate Status Inquiry Request Form - This form is specifically for status inquiries for existing certificate orders and some related certificate services.
Phone and Fax
- General Inquiries: 919-733-3000
- Regular Certificate Inquiries: 919-733-3000, Option 1
- Amendment Inquiries: 919-733-3000, Option 2
- Adoption Inquiries: 919-733-3000, Option 2, plus Option 2 again
- Appointments: 919-733-3000, Option 3
- Fax: (919) 733-1511
Please note that we are experiencing higher than normal call volumes. You may experience longer than normal wait times or be given an option to leave a voicemail.
Schedule a Walk-In Appointment
Walk-in (in-person) certificate service is available by appointment only.
Make an appointment for expedited certificate purchase walk-in services or call 919-733-3000, Option 3. Expedited processing fees ($15) apply in addition to the fees assessed for the service you are requesting. Expedited service is available only by visiting us at the state office.
- The appointments calendar provides scheduling for a rolling 30-day period. Appointments become available beginning at midnight, if/when the following day of the next month is a business day. If no appointments are currently available, please check back, as more appointments should become available later in the month.
- Note: At this time, the NCOVR is not accepting appointments for:
- adoptions,
- paternities (including affidavits of parentage / AOPs),
- legitimations,
- court-ordered name changes, or
- delayed registration of birth.
- Before scheduling an appointment or placing a certificate order, we strongly recommend you check the processing dates page for estimated processing and shipping dates (for regular certificates that don't involve changes/amendments) to determine if estimated timeframes would meet your needs. If not, you may want to consider ordering a birth, death or marriage certificate from the Register of Deeds in the county where the event occurred. Divorce certificates may also be obtained from the clerk of court in the county where the divorce is filed.
Did You Know? Alternatively, you may order a birth, death or marriage certificate from your Register of Deeds.
Mailing Address
North Carolina Vital Records
1903 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1900
Location/Physical Address
Cooper Memorial Health Building
225 N. McDowell St.
Raleigh, NC 27603-1382
Parking and Directions to the Cooper Building
Parking
One handicap space is available on McDowell Street in front of the Cooper Building (area in red on the map below). Public parking is available in Visitors' Lots (see areas in pink on the map below); the closest to the Cooper Building is Visitors' Lot #2. The parking fee is $2 per hour, payable on exit. The entrance to the Cooper Building faces McDowell Street (east; the top of the map is north).
Directions
FROM West/Northwest I-40 and US 70
I-40: Take exit 289 onto Wade Avenue. As Wade Avenue ends, exit right onto Capital Boulevard South towards downtown. (Capital Boulevard becomes Dawson Street.) Merge into the left lane and go to the second light (Dawson and Jones Streets). Turn left on Jones Street. Go one block and turn left on McDowell Street.
US 70: US 70 becomes Glenwood Avenue. Stay on Glenwood to Wade Avenue. Cross the overpass and exit on Wade Avenue East. As Wade Avenue ends, exit right onto Capital Boulevard South towards downtown. (Capital Boulevard becomes Dawson Street.) Go to the second light (Dawson and Jones Streets) and turn left on Jones Street. Go one block and turn left on McDowell Street.
FROM Northeast US 64 US 1 and US 401
US 64: Continue on New Bern Avenue (inbound New Bern Avenue becomes Edenton Street) to the intersection of Edenton and McDowell Streets. Turn right on McDowell Street. Go two blocks.
US 1 and US 401: Continue on Capital Boulevard to Lane Street, but merge into the left lane as you get closer to downtown. (Capital Boulevard becomes Dawson Street.) Go to the second light (Dawson and Jones Streets) and turn left on Jones Street. Go one block and turn left on McDowell Street.
FROM East/ Southeast I-40 and US 70
US 70: US 70 merges into US 401. Continue north. US 401 connects with South Saunders Street and later becomes McDowell Street. Get in the left lane and continue on McDowell Street.
I-40: Exit I-440 West. Proceed to the South Saunders Street exit and exit right. Travel north on South Saunders Street, which becomes McDowell Street. Get in the left lane and continue on McDowell Street.
FROM South/ Southwest US 1 and US 64/US 401
US 1 and US 64: Exit onto I-440 East and proceed to South Saunders Street. Exit at South Saunders Street and go north on South Saunders Street, which later becomes McDowell Street. Get in the left lane and continue on McDowell Street.
US 401: Proceed north onto South Saunders Street, which becomes McDowell Street. Get in the left lane and continue on McDowell Street.
Google Map to NC Vital Records
Other Contacts
Last Modified: March 21, 2023