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Public Health Home > Planning & Peak Performance

Location, Hours, Contact

Location

Columbus Public Health
240 Parsons Ave.
Columbus, OH 43215

Hours

General Services
Mon - Fri
8:00 am - 4:15 pm

Wed
9:00 am - 4:15 pm

Contact

(614) 645-7331

Contactanos:
(614) 645-3114

VS@columbus.gov

Birth and Death Records

Program Information | Forms and Publications | Resources and Links

Program Information

Certified Birth and Death Certificate Services

Our office issues certified copies of certificates for births in Ohio only and deaths occurring from 1908 to present.

Registers all births, deaths, and fetal deaths occurring in Franklin County.
Issues burial transit permits.
Helps single parents with completing "Acknowledgement of Paternity Affidavits."
Assists customers with correcting information on birth and death certificates issued in Franklin County.

Program Services

Please allow 8-10 weeks for receipt from the hospital and registration of Newborn Birth Certificates.
Newborn Birth Application Form
Same day walk-in service is available for birth or death certificate requests 8 am-4:00 pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday; and 9 am - 4 pm Wednesday.
Birth and death certificate requests outside of same day service hours will be processed for mail out or pick-up the next business day.
Pick-up hours for certificates are 10:00 am to 4:15 pm, Monday - Friday.
Office closed on City of Columbus official holidays.

Getting a Birth or Death Certificate

Walk-in, Pick-up or Mail Order

Print and complete an application and bring to Columbus Public Health, Vital Stastics.
Birth Certificate Application
Death Certificate Application
Only cash, check or money order payment is accepted for walk-in service. Please see the new hours posted above for same-day service. According to City of Columbus Charter, Section 82, your check will be deposited within hours.
Applications can be mailed to Columbus Public Health, Vital Statistics Office. All mail order and credit/debit card orders will be sent to you by U.S. Postal Service or UPS Express Service. Mail Order/Credit Card form.

Order Online with Vitalchek

For your convenience, certificates can also be ordered online or applications can be faxed in with a debit or credit card payment for an additional $9.95 fee through "Vitalcheck." Click on Franklin County Bureau of Vital Statistics on the Vitalcheck homepage. Faxed applications must include advanced payment via credit or debit card number and expiration date. Faxed requests are sent to you by U.S. Postal Service or UPS Express Service.

Before you call...

Birth or death certificates requested by mail that you have not received:

It takes about 7-10 business days to process mail requests, including those made with a debit or credit card.
We can only issue certificates for births in Ohio and deaths from 1908 to present.
Birth certificates for newborns are not ready for about 8 to 10 weeks after the child is born.
According to City of Columbus Charter, Section 82, your check will be deposited within 24 hours. If your check has cleared and was sent within the last 2 weeks, your request is being processed.

If your request was sent more than 14 days ago and you have not received your certificates, please e-mail, or call Columbus Public Health, Vital Statistics Office:
E-mail: VS@columbus.gov
Phone: (614) 645-7331

Have the following information ready for the call or include in the e-mail:

Name on certificate(s) requested
Date of event (birth or death)
Mother's maiden name (birth certificate only)
Father's name (birth certificate only)
Approximate date sent
Number of copies ordered and amount paid
Your name, mailing address and phone number
Your e-mail address (optional)

Correcting a Birth Certificate

For Births Before 2003:

(1) Circle the mistake.
(2) Write the correct spelling next to it.
(3) Return in person or mail all certified copies to:

Columbus Public Health
Vital Statistics
240 Parsons Avenue
Columbus, OH 43215

For corrections requested by mail, please include your mailing address and daytime phone number. It takes about 10 business days to correct a certificate.

**Please Note - We must have the incorrect certificate(s) to issue a corrected certificate.

If an affidavit is needed to correct the mistake, we will send a completed affidavit form to you. If the mistake needs to be corrected by probate court, we will send you more information on what to do.

For Births After 2003:

Contact the hospital Medical Record Department where birth occured.

Adding a Father to a Birth Certificate

Single, unmarried mothers wishing to add a father to a birth certificate must complete an Acknowledgment of Paternity Affidavit. Affidavit forms can be obtained from any hospital, child support enforcement agency, or local Vital Statistics Office. It takes approximately 6-9 months for a new birth certificate to be completed once a Paternity Affidavit has been received and approved. Please do not return certificates without the father’s name until you have verified with our office that a new certificate is on file. If you wish to check on the status of a new birth certificate with the father’s name added, please call 614-645-7331.

Correcting a Death Certificate

Contact the funeral home that submitted the original information.

Cost

Certified birth and death certificates are $25 each. Only certified copies are available. Requests by mail usually take 7-10 business days. Service is also available by telephone, internet and fax with a debit or credit card for an additional $9.95.

Express VitalChek Service (debit/credit card)

For Express service within U.S., please add $17.50 for overnight delivery or $15.00 for 2-3 day delivery - Express service is payable by credit or debit card only. Express delivery orders must be called in to 1-877-648-0605, or placed online at www.vitalchek.com, or application faxed in to 614-645-0730.

Publications

Birth Certificate Application Form

Death Certificate Application Form

Newborn Birth Application Form

Mail Order/Credit Card Form

Resources & Links

Deaths Outside Franklin County, but within Ohio

Contact the county in which the birth or death occurred.
Locations within Ohio or

Ohio Department of Health
Bureau of Vital Statistics
225 Neilston Street
Columbus, OH 43215-0098
Phone Number (614) 466-2531 or (614) 466-2532

Births and Deaths Outside Ohio

Contact the state in which the event (birth or death) occurred.
List of state locations

Older Records

Birth & Death Records in Ohio from 1867 through December 20, 1908 are kept by the probate court of each county. There is NO statewide index to Ohio birth and death records prior to December 20, 1908.

Franklin County Probate Court
373 S High St 22nd Floor
Columbus OH 43215 6311
Phone number: (614) 462-3894
Hours: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM M-F

Other Probate Court addresses within Ohio

Unknown Date of Event (birth, death) and Place of Event (city, county)

Search the Ohio Death Index (all counties) from 1908 to 1937

Contact: Ohio Historical Society
1982 Velma Ave.
Columbus, OH 43211-2497
Phone number:(614) 297-2439

Searching Ohio Births and Deaths (all counties) and Adoptions (original birth certificate)

Contact: Ohio Department of Health
Bureau of Vital Statistics
225 Neilston Street
Columbus, OH 43215-0098
Phone number; (614) 466-2531 or (614) 466-2532
More information

Paternity Information
(for single parents –adding father's name to birth certificate)

Contact the local Vital Statistics agency, or the Paternity Enhancement Program for an "Acknowledgment of Paternity Affidavit” form. Completion of the form is voluntary. Both the natural father and mother of the child are required to sign this affidavit. The affidavit may be signed by both parents at the same time or at different times; however, each signature must be notarized at the time of signing.

Paternity Enhancement Program
131 N. High Street, Suite 620
Columbus, OH 43215
Phone Number: (614) 224-8909 0r 1-888-810-OHIO
More information

Social Security Information

Social Security Administration
200 N. High Street, Room 225
Columbus, OH 43215
Hours: 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday

Marriage & Divorce Records for Franklin County are located at:

Franklin County Probate Court
373 S. High St. (23rd Floor)
Columbus, OH 43215-3894
Phone number:(614) 462-3108

Marriage & divorces records outside Franklin County and within Ohio

Located at the county in which the event (marriage, divorce) occurred.
List of addresses

Passport Information

Travel.State.Gov
Local number: (614) 469-4223