New Jersey vital records
The New Jersey Department of Health, Office of Vital Statistics and Registry is the vital records office for New Jersey.1 It issues certified birth certificates, death certificates and marriage certificates2. It does not issue divorce records; this page shows who does.3 Local offices also issue certified copies.4
On this page
Current notices from the office
Records and where to get them
| Record | Who issues it | Years held | First copy | Shortest published time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birth certificate | New Jersey Department of Health, Office of Vital Statistics and Registry1 | – | $256 | In person: Same day6 |
| Death certificate | New Jersey Department of Health, Office of Vital Statistics and Registry1 | 1951 to today2 | $256 | In person: Same day6 |
| Marriage certificate | New Jersey Department of Health, Office of Vital Statistics and Registry1 | 1951 to today2 | $256 | In person: Same day6 |
| Divorce records | Superior Court of New Jersey Records Center3 | – | $107 | – |
Birth certificate
- Ways to order
- Online through VitalChek, by mail: VitalChek, by mail (option 2), in person, at a local office: Local Registrar of the municipality where the event occurred, at a local office: Jersey City Office of the City Clerk - Division of Vital Records, by phone
How to get a New Jersey birth certificate
Death certificate
- Older records
- New Jersey State Archives (deaths May 1, 1848–December 31, 1950)8
- Ways to order
- Online through VitalChek, by mail: VitalChek, by mail (option 2), in person, at a local office, by phone
How to get a New Jersey death certificate
Marriage certificate
- Older records
- New Jersey State Archives (marriages May 1, 1848–December 31, 1950)8
- Ways to order
- Online through VitalChek, by mail: VitalChek, by mail (option 2), in person, at a local office, by phone
How to get a New Jersey marriage certificate
Divorce records
- Who holds it
- Divorce decrees are not issued by the Office of Vital Statistics and Registry; contact the Superior Court Records Center (609-421-6100)3
- Older records
- New Jersey State Archives (Chancery Court cases 1743–1948)8
- Ways to order
- By phone
How to get New Jersey divorce records
Local offices
- Local offices issue certified copies
- Yes4
- Which offices
- Municipal Local Registrar (local office of vital records in each municipality)4
Access rules and the law
- Who may get certified copies
- Closed records: only people the law names may get certified copies2
Laws and rules the office cites
- P.L. 2014, c. 9: Adult adoptee access to original birth certificate (effective January 2017)4
- N.J.S.A. 37:1-7: Remarriage4
- Executive Order 18: Attorney access to certified copies4
- Babs Siperstein Law (2018): Amending sex designation by self-attestation9
- Rule summarised by CDC NCHS: Who may obtain certified copies10
The state office
- Office
- New Jersey Department of Health, Office of Vital Statistics and Registry1
- Phone
- 877-622-7549 (toll-free; phone orders via VitalChek); status of mailed-in applications 1-866-649-87261
- Web contact form on the Contact Us page (not for ordering records)1
- Mailing address
- New Jersey Department of Health, Office of Vital Statistics and Registry, P.O. Box 370, Trenton, NJ 08625-03701
- Walk-in address
- Office of Vital Statistics and Registry, 140 East Front Street, Trenton, NJ 0860811
- Hours
- 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Monday – Friday, excluding State Holidays1
- Website
- Official website2
Questions people ask
How much do birth and death certificates cost in New Jersey?
A certified birth certificate costs $25 for the first copy and a death certificate $25.6
What is the phone number of the New Jersey vital records office?
New Jersey Department of Health, Office of Vital Statistics and Registry: 877-622-7549 (toll-free; phone orders via VitalChek); status of mailed-in applications 1-866-649-8726.1
Where do I get divorce records in New Jersey?
Superior Court of New Jersey Records Center. Divorce decrees are not issued by the Office of Vital Statistics and Registry; contact the Superior Court Records Center (609-421-6100).3
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from these official sources, checked between November 5, 2026 and November 6, 2026. Tap a source number next to a fact to read the exact words.
- Department of Healthnj.gov/health/vital/contact-usNew Jersey Department of Healthdated July 1, 2022
- Department of Healthnj.gov/health/vitalNew Jersey Department of Healthdated June 15, 2026
- Department of Healthnj.gov/health/vital/registration-vital/divorce-decreesNew Jersey Department of Healthdated August 21, 2017
- Department of Healthnj.gov/health/vital/contact-us/faqsNew Jersey Department of Healthdated January 3, 2022
- Department of Healthnj.gov/health/vital/order-vital/online-requestsNew Jersey Department of Healthdated July 9, 2021
- Department of Healthnj.gov/health/vital/order-vital/non-genealogical-recordsNew Jersey Department of Healthdated June 15, 2026
- How do I obtain a copy of a "Final Judgment of Divorce"?New Jersey Courtsdated March 5, 2026read from the Internet Archive copy of this official page
- Search genealogical collections.shtmlNew Jersey State Archives
- Department of Healthnj.gov/health/vital/correcting-vital/sexdesignationNew Jersey Department of Healthdated August 21, 2019
- Where to Write for Vital RecordsCDC NCHSdated September 6, 2026read from the Internet Archive copy of this official page
- Reg 27a (PDF)New Jersey Department of Healthdated April 1, 2019