(Frequently Asked Questions)
Please click on the appropriate topic below to view more information on how to request a record.
If you wish to request a copy of a vital record from the state, please note the State of CT has a turnaround time of approximately six (6) to eight (8) weeks for requests for birth, death, fetal death and marriage certificates that are received through the mail.
For faster processing, you may also obtain an official, certified copy of the certificate from
the town where the event occurred, if a "State" certified copy of a vital record is not needed. Please contact the town for specific processing times. For the town address and telephone number, click on the following link for the
Town Vital Records Directory.
Expedited service is also available for an additional fee for requests ordered on-line via
VitalChek.
VitalChek is the only third party vendor approved by CT DPH to accept vital record orders.
Please Note: The Connecticut Department of Public Health does not accept credit cards or online orders for Vital Records transactions; however, for your convenience, you can process online requests through an independent company that we have partnered with to provide you this service; VitalChek Network, Inc. VitalChek can be reached either through its website, www.vitalchek.com, or by phone at 1-866-809-0839. An additional fee is charged by VitalChek for using this service, and all major credit cards are accepted, including American Express®, Discover®, MasterCard® or Visa®.
Birth Certificates
Death Certificates
Where to Obtain an Apostille for a Vital Record
If you do not find the answers to your questions here, please contact the State Vital Records Office at:
State Vital Records Office Mailing Address:
CT Department of Public Health
State Vital Records Office
410 Capitol Ave. MS#11VRS
Hartford, CT 06134-0308
State Vital Records Customer Service:
Customer Service Window Hours of Operation:
410 Capitol Ave, 8:15AM to 3:45PM Monday - Friday
Telephone Customer Service - for birth, death and marriage certificates
Phone: (860) 509-7700 between the hours of 12:00 noon and 4:00 pm
Telephone Customer Service - for Paternity related questions
Phone: (860) 509-7958 between the hours of 12:00 noon and 4:00 pm
Fax: (860) 509-7964
Please Note:
The City of Hartford Vital Records Office and the State Vital Records Office are both located in the city of Hartford. If you intend to send a request to the City of Hartford for a vital event that took place in Hartford, you must send it to:
550 Main Street
Hartford, CT 06103
Do NOT send it to the address for the State Vital Records Office (also located in Hartford) unless you intend to purchase a state certified copy of your vital record.
The Vital Records Office does not receive copies of divorce decrees. To obtain a copy of a Divorce Decree or Dissolution of Civil Union Decree, contact the CT Superior Court where the divorce or dissolution was granted. Please contact the appropriate court for applicable fees and requirements:
Directory of Connecticut Superior Courts.
Certificate of Fetal Death
To request a copy of a Certificate of Fetal Death, please follow all procedures for requesting a Birth Certificate.
How Do I Request A Correction or an Amendment To A Vital Record?
To apply for an amendment or correction to a vital record:
- You must be a party that is deemed entitled to make such a request;
- You must provide a notarized affidavit affirming that the existing vital record is incorrect or incomplete, and that the newly provided information is accurate.
- You must submit documentation to the Vital Records office in the town where the vital event occurred proving that the information to be entered onto the record is accurate.
Please contact the Vital Records office in the town where the vital event occurred for further information to determine who is entitled to make the requested change and what type of documentation will need to be presented to the town to support the requested amendment or correction. See the
Town Vital Records Directory for contact information.
There is no processing fee for amendments or corrections.
New Public Act 15-132, An Act Concerning Birth Certificate Amendments, changes the law to allow a person to amend the sex designator on his or her birth certificate to reflect such person's gender transition. Surgical treatment is no longer required. Instead, the sex designator on the birth certificate can be amended if the registrant provides an affidavit from a physician, advance practice registered nurse, or psychologist, that the registrant has undergone surgical, hormonal or other treatment clinically appropriate for the purpose of gender transition. Public Act 15-132 is effective as of October 1, 2015.
If you would like to request an amendment to the sex designator on your birth certificate, you must send the following documents to the Vital Records Office at the Department of Public Health, 410 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, Connecticut 06134.
· An affidavit from you, signed under penalty of law, requesting a replacement birth certificate be created to reflect that your gender differs from the sex designated on your current birth certificate;
· An affidavit completed by a licensed physician, a licensed advanced practice registered nurse, or a licensed psychologist, stating that you have undergone surgical, hormonal or other treatment clinically appropriate for the purpose of gender transition;
* The affidavit form must be obtained, by mail or in person, from the Department of Public Health. *
· A certified copy of a court order granting your legal name change, if you would like your amended birth certificate to reflect a new name;
· A photocopy of a valid, government issued photo identification (e.g., driver's license, passport); and
· A ‘Request for Copy of Birth Certificate’ if you would like us to provide a certified copy of your amended birth certificate. Along with the request form, you will also need to send payment of $30 for the cost of the certified copy of the birth certificate. The payment must be a money order payable to “Treasurer, State of Connecticut.”
In order to
request an affidavit form or for general questions regarding this topic, you can contact department staff at 860-509-7956 or
maria.d.colon@ct.gov.
