How to get a Pennsylvania birth certificate

In Pennsylvania, order a certified birth certificate from the Division of Vital Records, Pennsylvania Department of Health.¹ Each certified copy costs $20¹. You can order online, by mail or in person. Only the people the state lists below can order a certified copy. The fastest published option is in person: same day².

Last checked November 5, 2026 against official sources.

On this page

Ways to order
What a Pennsylvania birth certificate costs
How long it takes
Who can order a Pennsylvania birth certificate
ID you need
What the application asks for
Forms
Years held and older records
Special situations
Warnings from the office
The state office
Questions people ask
Sources

Ways to order

How	Cost per copy	Processing time	Payment
Online through LexisNexis VitalChek Network Inc.	$30 for one copy ($20¹ plus $10¹ processing fee)	2 weeks on average³	Card¹
By mail	$20¹	2 weeks on average³	Check and money order¹
In person	$20¹	Same day²	Card, check and money order⁴

Online through LexisNexis VitalChek Network Inc.

Vendor: LexisNexis VitalChek Network Inc.⁵
Vendor status: The state's only authorized vendor¹
Fees: Per copy $20¹
Processing fee $10¹
Processing time: 2 weeks on average³
Payment: Card¹

Good to know

18 or older for online orders¹
Time of birth cannot be requested online⁶
Fee waivers do not cover the online fee¹

Go to the ordering site¹

By mail

Fees: Per copy $20¹
Processing time: 2 weeks on average³
Payment: Check and money order¹
Make payable to: VITAL RECORDS¹
Mail to: Division of Vital Records, Birth Certificate Processing Unit, PO Box 1528, New Castle, PA 16103
¹

Open the application or mail instructions⁷

In person

Fees: Per copy $20¹
Processing time: Same day²
Payment: Card, check and money order⁴
Office: 105 Nesbitt Road, New Castle, PA 16105
²
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00AM - 4:00PM. Closed holidays.²

Open the official page²

What a Pennsylvania birth certificate costs

First certified copy: $20¹
Each additional copy: $20¹
Each extra year searched: $25⁸
If no record is found: The fee is kept as a search fee¹

Types of copies

Copy	Accepted for	Fee
Birth certificate¹	Passport, employment, driver's license, Social Security card, school enrollment, REAL ID¹	$20¹
No Record Certification of Birth¹	–	–
Non-certified copy from the Pennsylvania State Archives⁹	–	$5⁹
Noncertified copy of original birth record¹⁰	Not a certified copy¹⁰	$20¹⁰

No-fee copies

U.S. Armed Forces: active service or discharged other than dishonorably; self, spouse or dependent child; up to 10 copies per applicant per calendar year¹
Application for a Birth Certificate with Fees Waived for an Individual Who is Experiencing Homelessness (HD1106F-H)¹¹
Application for a Birth Certificate with Fees Waived for Foster and Juvenile Justice-Involved Individuals¹²
Application for a Birth Certificate with Fees Waived for an Individual Affected by an Opioid Use Disorder (HD1106F-O)¹³
Application for a Birth Certificate with Fees Waived Under the Disaster Declaration for a Natural Disaster¹⁴

How long it takes

These are the office's own published times. They count from the day the office receives your order. Mail and shipping time is extra unless the office says otherwise.

How you order	Processing time
Online through LexisNexis VitalChek Network Inc.	2 weeks on average³
By mail	2 weeks on average³
In person	Same day²

Who can order a Pennsylvania birth certificate

The state names these people and bodies as able to order a certified copy. Each line gives the official wording.

The person named on the record¹
Spouse¹
A parent named on the record¹
Brother or sister¹
Child¹
Grandparent¹
Grandchild¹
Attorney or legal representative¹
If the person listed on the birth certificate is deceased, a family member who is not listed above must also submit a copy of the death certificate to be eligible to receive the birth certificate¹
Proof: Copy of the death certificate¹

Records open to the public after: 105 years¹⁵
Minimum age to order: Mail or in person: 16; Online: 18¹

ID you need

Photo ID: Required¹⁶
Without that ID: Two documents: Bank Statement, Credit Card Statement, Medical Records, Pay Stub, Social Security Statement, Utility Bill, Car Insurance, Lease/Rental Agreement, School Records/Student ID, Tax Return/W-2 form, Vehicle Registration; Last resort: two pieces of current mail¹⁶
ID copy with a mail order: Include a copy of your ID¹⁶

What the application asks for

Have these details ready before you fill in the form or start an online order.⁴

Name at birth
Age now
Date of birth
Sex
Type of birth record
Place of birth (county, city/borough/township, hospital name)
Parents' information
Relationship to person named on record
Intended use
Applicant name, address, email, daytime phone
Name changes other than marriage

Forms

Application for a Birth Certificate (H105.102) REV 02/25⁴
Solicitud de un Certificado de Nacimiento (H105.102) REV 09/23¹⁷
Application for a Multi-Year Search of a Birth Record Rev. 03/15¹⁸
Delayed Report of Live Birth (HD105.018) REV 09/20¹⁹

Years held and older records

Years the issuing office holds: 1906 to today¹
Older records: County courthouse⁶

Special situations

Delayed registration: Delayed report for a birth reported more than seven years later¹⁹
If no record is found: May file a Report of Delayed Birth⁶
Adoption: Wait for confirmation before ordering²⁰
Adoptees born abroad: Pennsylvania certificate available⁶ Details
Stillbirth: First stillborn birth certificate free, then $20 each²¹
Use abroad: Say so on the application; apostille comes from the Department of State⁶
Dual citizenship: Select dual citizenship or other as intended use⁶
People without housing: Fee waiver with a qualified advocate²²
Military and veterans: Armed forces fee waiver⁶
Name change: Not amended for marriage²³
Paternity: Certificate may be held up to 2 months for an AOP⁶

Warnings from the office

VitalChek is the only authorized online vendor¹
Older certificates without a raised seal may be refused⁶
Hospital commemorative certificates are not valid⁶
Other online services convert orders to paper and delay service¹
Problems with other vendors go to that vendor¹

The state office

Office: Division of Vital Records¹
Contact: Contact form¹
Mailing address: Division of Vital Records, Birth Certificate Processing Unit, PO Box 1528, New Castle, PA 16103
¹
Walk-in address: 105 Nesbitt Road, New Castle, PA 16105
²
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00AM - 4:00PM. Closed holidays.²
Website: Official website²⁴

Questions people ask

How much is a certified Pennsylvania birth certificate?

Each certified copy costs $20.¹

How long does it take to get a Pennsylvania birth certificate?

Online through LexisNexis VitalChek Network Inc.: 2 weeks on average. By mail: 2 weeks on average. In person: same day.³²

Who do I make the check or money order payable to?

Write it exactly as the office prints it: VITAL RECORDS.¹

Where are older Pennsylvania birth certificates kept?

County courthouse.⁶

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from these official sources, checked on November 5, 2026. Tap a source number next to a fact to read the exact words.

Birth certificatesPennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Records
Public officesPennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Records
Processing timesPennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Records
Application for a Birth Certificate (PDF)Pennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Recordsdated February 1, 2025
Pennsylvania Department of Health home pagePennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Records
Pennsylvania Department of Health: Faq birthPennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Records
Pennsylvania Department of Health: FormsPennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Records
Multi year searchesPennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Records
Request a birth or death certificatePennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission, State Archives
Information for adopteesPennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Records
Pennsylvania Department of Health page (PDF)pa.gov/…ees Waived for Individual Who is Experiencing Homelessness.pdfPennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Recordsdated July 1, 2022
Pennsylvania Department of Health page (PDF)pa.gov/…th Fees Waived for Foster and Justice Involved Individuals.pdfPennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Recordsdated October 1, 2022
Pennsylvania Department of Health page (PDF)pa.gov/…cate with Fees Waived for an Individual affected by an OUD.pdfPennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Recordsdated September 1, 2021
Pennsylvania Department of Health page (PDF)pa.gov/…ived Under the Disaster Declaration for a Natural Disaster.pdfPennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Recordsdated September 1, 2021
Act of Dec. 15, 2011,P.L. 445, No. 110 Cl. 35Pennsylvania General Assemblydated December 15, 2011
Acceptable idPennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Records
Solicitud de un Certificado de Nacimiento (PDF)Pennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Recordsdated September 1, 2023
Multiyear birth application 03 2015 (PDF)Pennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Recordsdated March 1, 2015
Delayed Report of Live Birth (PDF)Pennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Recordsdated September 1, 2020
AdoptionsPennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Records
Stillborn birth certificatePennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Records
Faq youth applicantsPennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Records
Birth Certificate Info for REAL ID (PDF)Pennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Recordsdated April 17, 2025
Vital recordsPennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Records