People request a birth records search for many reasons. Since most Americans receive birth certificates at birth, searching for public birth records is quite easy. This search can be an online birth record search, vital record search, public birth record search and even a hospital birth records inquiry.

There are many options when considering commencement to search birth certificates and records. Many of these cost a significant amount of money, while others are low cost or free. The reasons for the most common types of birth record searches are:

1. To trace and learn more about a person's ancestry. By searching and finding birth certificates, your clients can learn a lot about the lineage of a family. You can perform this type of search via the Internet.

2. To find information concerning adoptions. These records may provide important information regarding the biological parents of a person. Some of these records might have the names of both the mother and father of the individual.

3. To get accurate background information to determine if people are who they claim to be.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Look up vital records with an online people search

If your search is limited to birthdates, many free services will help you find what you need. Most of this information comes from government resources and databases. To find an accurate match, you need the full name and approximate age of the person. A more extensive search provides details such as relatives, property ownership and even a criminal report.

I recommend: To find birth dates for free, visit BirthDatabase.com. A more extensive people search is available through NetSleuth.com. Packages here range from $8 to $40, depending on the information you need. The more information you want, the more you can expect to pay.

Expect to pay for added information when you conduct a birth records search

Many websites claim to have extensive databases, but will not allow you to sample them unless you pay a fee for a 'trial' period. Other sites entice you by coming up with 'search results' on the person you are searching for, but will not give you the information without buying it.

I recommend: Gov Resources is a large search engine that gives you access to millions of records. To gain access to their records, you can choose from one year of unlimited access or five years of unlimited access, all ranging from $20 to $30. The National Association of Independent Private Investigators endorses it. Another highly regarded resource Public Records Pro. There are links to everything you might need to help conduct a legitimate online birth record search at a cost of $3 per month.

Explore public information sources to find birth records free or at minimal cost

Most states require that applications for a copy of a birth certificate must include the person's signature and all fees where appropriate. Most states allow your client to file this application via a website, by e-mail or by telephone.

I recommend: To find out the application process for each state, query the National Center for Health Statistics. Click on the state where the birth occurred to determine the cost to receive a birth certificate from that local health department. Another resource is VitalChek, which is a "pay" service that allows you to order certified copies of birth certificates (that contain the appropriate government seal) for all immediate family members in the United States and in Puerto Rico. The fee for an official birth record depends on the state issuing the certificate, but it typically ranges from $20 to $50.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Access to birth certificates is limited to the person whose name is on the certificate, a legal guardian or parent, a grandparent and/or an adult child.

Search birth certificates online for any number of reasons: locate a long-lost relative, get necessary information for business purposes, passports, or simple documentation for you or your family.

Since these records are public, anyone can find this information, it's just a matter of looking in the right place.

1. Conduct your birth record search online.

2. Contact hospitals to gain access to their files to find birth records.

3. Search state and county vital records; they will have very old records cataloged in a database.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Start with an online birth record search

Performing an online search should be your first stop when a client comes to you for help.

I recommend: Take advantage of a membership to Gov-Reports.net to have unlimited access to as many birth records as you can handle. Find U.S. and international vital records using World Vital Records; membership is required for this site as well.

Go straight to the source: search hospital birth records

You may not always be able to go down to the hospital someone was born at to search their records. Sometimes making a phone call or sending an email is more than enough to get the information you're looking for. You need to know how to find these hospitals, whether they're domestic or foreign health care centers.

I recommend: Start your search with a comprehensive list of hospitals in the United States by ordering from SK&A Information Services. Locate someone who was born abroad by contacting the consulate in the proper country. Find the consulate by using the Bureau of Consular Affairs.

Search a state's birth records database

Trying to find a birth certificate and not knowing which hospital a person was born at can really complicate things. Still, there are several ways to go about finding the person. You'll have to go through a government agency to do it, though. Each state has their own vital records office, and sometimes individual counties keep records as well. The search can get complicated, but these agencies can get you pointed in the right direction.

I recommend: Locate state health departments at the National Center for Health Statistics. Another great database website is VitalRec.com, which has listings for the Vital Records Office for each state. You can even order birth certificates for U.S. Citizens that were born abroad.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Some people don't want to be found. They alter their public birth record to show something that isn't accurate. Also, adoptions take place and sometimes the original birth records aren't changed, so double check your facts before proceeding.

There are many reasons why a client may need help finding birth certificates. Perhaps, they lost their original public birth record or hospital birth records, for either themselves or their children, or they need this information to obtain a passport. Maybe your client wants to locate another person or wants to contact someone's parents, neighbors or relatives to conduct a background check. Since birth records are public information, you can easily track down this information for them.

When conducting a birth records search, include the person's full name, birth date, place of birth, doctor's name, names of parents, parents’ ages, mother's maiden name and even the birth place of each parent. In most cases, if the date of birth of the person you are looking for is not available, you can perform birth record searches that will include a range of possible dates of birth. To conduct a birth records search:

1. Carry out an initial birth record search using the Internet search engines.

2. Browse state records, because most states retain all records of births from that particular state. Many older records are archived files.

3. Get in touch with hospitals in the area of the client’s birth to access birth record files.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Utilize the Internet to find birth certificates

Birth record online search engines are a good way to begin the process of finding specific individuals birth records. Many search-related sites require an online membership in order to have access to their vast databases that they have researched. Some of these are 'pay' sites with various forms of membership, depending upon the cost and the criteria needed.

I recommend: Apply for a membership to Vitalrec.com to have unlimited access to birth records. Find U.S. and international vital records using Government Records Access membership.

Research hospital birth records at the hospital where the person looking for may have been born

Search birth certificates by either visiting, emailing or calling the specific hospital to find out if the person's records being requested are available. In most cases, you can easily obtain from the medical records department.

I recommend: To find records in U.S. hospitals, a valuable source of information is FileMaker Data, which maintains a detailed database for this purpose. If you need to find out information on someone born in another country, contact the country's consulate through the U.S. Department of State website.

Find the appropriate agency to help in the search for birth certificates

There are other ways to conduct a birth record search. Each state has its own way of keeping this information and the requirements for getting this information. It is important that you provide the most information possible to narrow the search to find an individual's birth record.

I recommend: Locate individual state health departments at the National Center for Health Statistics and submit the required information and fees to obtain a notarized birth certificate. Each state has its own requirements on how this process works, and some people prefer to use a service to obtain the information to streamline the process. One such service is U S Birth Certificate.net.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When performing a vital records search, obtain the most accurate information available to expedite the process and limit the error possibilities.

Birth records are one type of public record that you can access. You may need to search for birth records for your own files or to use for business purposes. Whatever your reasoning, you should know a little bit about birth records before beginning your search. This can help you make the most out of your quest. Understanding birth records, including the data they contain, can help you attain the information needed for personal or business reasons.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Vital records

Vital records are also known as vital statistics. These are kept in files in every county where the birth takes place. Included in this group are birth, marriage and death certificates, as well as other information that makes up a community.

I recommend: Learn more about vital records, including birth certificates, at vitalrec.com.

Public records

Public records are any type of official information that is available to the general public. This includes birth, marriage and death certificates, which can all be accessed by any individual.

I recommend: Learn more about public records, how they relate to birth certificates and how they are used at the Electronic Privacy Information Center.

Long forms

Long forms, or certified copies, are the exact photocopies of the birth certificates prepared by the physician present at the birth or by the hospital. These forms are considered official documentation.

I recommend: Visit the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals to learn more about long forms for birth certificates.

Short forms

Short forms, or computer certifications, aren't always acceptable for legal matters, so use caution when purchasing one of these. Certain information is taken from the long form. The short forms are used more for certification than for official documentation.

I recommend: Check out the Shelby County Government to learn about short forms for birth records.

Delayed birth certificates

If you're diving through family history and need a copy of a birth certificate, then consider purchasing delayed birth certificates. Since these certificates may be hundreds of years old, you may need to do some research to locate the copies.

I recommend: To learn more about delayed birth certificates, check out a site from The Generations Network, Ancestry.com.

Raised or embossed seals

If you need the birth certificate for passports, Social Security issues, employment or personal identification, then be sure to request birth certificates that have raised or embossed seals. This ensures that the documentation is official and certified. Sometimes the county will affix the seal or embossing on all birth certificates, but you should ask to be sure.

I recommend: Check out the Illinois Department of Public Health to learn more about raised and embossed seals on birth records.