NC Vital Records: Order a Certificate

Online Orders through VitalChek

The current processing time for online or phone orders placed through VitalChek is 4-5 months.

Use the button link below to order online through VitalChek, the only authorized vendor for a state-issued, certified birth certificate.

Or Call Toll-Free

1-800-669-8310 (Outside the U.S., call 1-615-372-6800)

• VitalChek is an independent service. VitalChek charges a processing fee, and all major credit cards are accepted, including American Express, Discover, MasterCard or VISA. VitalChek also accepts personal checks.
• You will be asked to provide your credit card number and its expiration date.
• Provide all the necessary certificate information along with a street address (no APO, FPO, or PO Boxes) where the certificate can be delivered.
• If you choose the UPS overnight option, someone must be available at the address provided to sign for receipt of the document(s).

Online and Phone Order Processing Fees

* Includes one certificate if the record is located. Search fees and expedite fees are non-refundable even if a record is not located when searching based on the information provided by the applicant.

** Documents will be shipped after the state search process is complete. Processing times may be found on the processing dates page.

Birth, death and marriage certificates may be obtained at the Register of Deeds  (ROD) office in the county where the event took place. For example, in the case of death of a resident of North Carolina that occurred in a county other than the county of residence, the county where the death occurred would be the correct RODs office from which to obtain a death certificate (not the RODs office in the county of residence). In most cases, certificates can be obtained from the Register of Deeds on the same day.

Note: NC Vital Records is the only office from which you may obtain a birth certificate for an adopted child.

• Current NC Vital Vital Records processing times for regular certificate requests that do not involve changes/amendments.

Walk-in (in-person) service is available by appointment only. Expedited processing fees ($15) apply in addition to the fees assessed for the service you are requesting. To make an appointment for expedited certificate purchase walk-in services only, please use the NC Vital Records Appointments calendar or call 919-733-3000, Option 3.

• 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, NCOVR is not accepting appointments for amendments or delayed registration of birth.

Did You Know? Alternatively, you may order a birth, death or marriage certificate from your Register of Deeds in the county where the event took place. Divorce certificates may also be obtained from the clerk of court in the county where the divorce is filed.

The current processing time for mailed-in certificate orders is 6 months to 1 year.

To Place an Order

• Complete, print, and sign the appropriate form below.
• Include a $24 money order, certified check, or business check (not a personal check) for the first copy of the certificate and $15 for each additional certificate.
• Make payment to "NC Vital Records".
• Do NOT send cash.
• Do NOT send an expedited fee. Expedited service is currently only available by visiting us at the state office. If you would like to obtain your certificate in person, please make an appointment at NC Vital Records Appointments. Alternatively, you may visit the Register of Deeds office where the event occurred to obtain your certificate. In most cases, the Register of Deeds can provide a copy of your certificate on the same day.
• Do NOT send overpayment, as it may result in processing delays.

Mail the completed, signed form and payment to:

North Carolina Vital Records
ATTN: VC Certificate Orders
1903 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1900

If no record is found, you will be sent a letter. The $24 search fee is nonrefundable even if a record is not located.

Standard Ordering Forms

Birth Certificate Application Form

• Application for a Copy of a North Carolina Birth Certificate
• Spanish: Solicitud de copia de acta de nacimiento de Carolina de Norte

Death Certificate Application Form

• Application for a Copy of a North Carolina Death Certificate
• Spanish: Solicitud de copia de acta de defunción de Carolina del Norte

Divorce Certificate Application Form

• Application for a Copy of a North Carolina Divorce Certificate
• Spanish: Solicitud de copia de acta de divorcio de Carolina del Norte

Marriage Certificate Application Form

• Application for a North Carolina Marriage Record
• Spanish: Solicitud de copia de acta de matrimonio de Carolina del Norte

Report of Fetal Death and Certificate of Birth Resulting in Stillbirth Application Form

• Application for a Copy of a North Carolina Report of Fetal Death and/or Certificate of Birth Resulting in Stillbirth
• Spanish: Solicitud de copia de acta de nacimiento sin vida/informe de defunción fetal de Carolina del Norte

You will need a PDF reader, such as Adobe Acrobat Reader, to use the forms and save copies to your machine. Note that not all web browsers handle opening of PDF files in the same manner. If you have problems opening the form from your web browser, try downloading or saving the document to your computer first (right-click on the link and select "Save link as") and then opening the saved document on your machine from within your PDF reader (i.e., File > Open).