NC Vital Records: General Issuance Processing Dates
For questions about a specific general issuance (regular) certificate request, please submit the General Issuance Certificate Status Request Form. Do not use the General Issuance (Regular) Certificate inquiry form for special registrations / amendments, such as adoptions, court-ordered name changes, legitimations, paternity changes, changes to death certificates.
Estimated Time from the Date Request Keyed into the System to the Date Requested Service is Shipped
| Service | VitalChek | Regular (Non-Expedited) | Expedited * |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birth Certificates - 1971 to present | 4 Months | 7 Months | 6 Months |
| Birth Certificates - 1913 to 1970 | 4 Months | 13 Months | 6 Months |
| Death Certificates - 1930 to present | 4 Months | 13 Months | 6 Months |
| Marriage Certificates - 1962 to present | 4 Months | 13 Months | 6 Months |
| Divorce Certificates - 1958 to present | 4 Months | 13 Months | 6 Months |
* Expedited mail service has been temporarily suspended as of 1/10/2022. If your expedited order was postmarked prior to the suspension, it will be processed as an expedited order. Expedited walk-in service will be available on 2/1/2022 (the Order a Certificate page has more information). Alternatively, you may order a birth, death or marriage certificate from your Register of Deeds.
Current General Issuance Processing Dates (Updated 01/20/2022; Updated Weekly)
| Service | VitalChek | Regular (Non-Expedited) | Expedited |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birth Certificates - 1971 to present | 10/04/2021 | 7/01/2021 | 7/23/2021 |
| Birth Certificates - 1913 to 1970 | 10/04/2021 | 12/18/2020 | 7/23/2021 |
| Death Certificates - 1930 to present | 9/28/2021 | 12/21/2020 | 7/23/2021 |
| Marriage Certificates - 1962 to present | 9/29/2021 | 12/30/2020 | 7/27/2021 |
| Divorce Certificates - 1958 to present | 9/28/2021 | 01/07/2021 | 7/26/2021 |
* VitalChek is a third-party processing service. Since 1987, VitalChek has provided services to order official copies or replacements of government-issued birth, death, marriage and divorce records. VitalChek is an official service provider for hundreds of government agencies throughout the United States.
Background Concerning General Issuance Processing Times
Due to COVID-19 related closures, staffing shortages, and the exciting launch of our Birth and Death Registration System, North Carolina Database Application for Vital Events (NCDAVE), North Carolina Office of Vital Records (NCOVR) has experienced and continues to experience significant delays. NCDAVE is a major step towards the modernization of the NCOVR.
In the meantime, NCOVR is working as diligently as possible to fulfill NCOVR requests. We expect that the implementation of the new system and increase in staffing will lead to shorter processing times. We apologize for any delays during this transition. We understand the frustrations that delays may cause and are working to get back to normal as soon as possible. We appreciate your patience and understanding.
Last Modified: January 20, 2022