How to get a West Virginia birth certificate

In West Virginia, order a certified birth certificate from the West Virginia Vital Registration Office.¹ Each certified copy costs $12². You can order online, by mail, in person or at a local office. Only the people the state lists below can order a certified copy.

Last checked November 6, 2026 against official sources.

On this page

Ways to order
What a West Virginia birth certificate costs
How long it takes
Who can order a West Virginia 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 VitalChek	$12²	–	–
By mail	$12²	–	Check and money order²
In person	$12²	Same day²	Cash, check, money order and card²
At a local office	$5³	–	–

Not offered: online directly with the vital records office.²

Online through VitalChek

Vendor: VitalChek (third-party vendor linked by the state)²
Fees: Per copy $12²

Good to know

Customer service for vendor orders is handled by the vendor, not the state²

Go to the ordering site²

By mail

Run by: WV Vital Registration Office (State Registrar)⁴
Fees: Per copy $12²
Expedited service: $10. Additional handling charge for non-routine, expedited service: $5 for regular mail, $10 for next day service; express shipping extra at cost⁵
Payment: Check and money order²
Make payable to: Vital Registration⁴
Mail to: Vital Registration Office, 350 Capitol Street, Room 165, Charleston, WV 25301-3701
²
Appointment: Not required²

Good to know

Do not send cash⁴

Open the application or mail instructions²

In person

Run by: WV Vital Registration Office (State Registrar)²
Fees: Per copy $12²
Processing time: Same day²
Expedited service: Not offered²
Payment: Cash, check, money order and card²
Make payable to: Vital Registration⁴
Office: Vital Registration Office (walk-up counter, right side of the main lobby, first floor), 350 Capitol Street, Charleston, WV 25301
⁶
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-5:00 PM, except State holidays⁶
Appointment: Not required²
Card surcharge: Percent: 4; Applies to: debit/credit card payments at the walk-up counter²

Good to know

Third-party pickup only with a faxed permission slip (walk-in office only)⁷

Open the official page²

At a local office

Run by: Clerk of the County Commission (county clerk) in the county where the record is on file⁸
Fees: Per copy $5³

Good to know

Local custodians must apply the same eligibility rules¹⁰

Find a local office⁹

What a West Virginia birth certificate costs

First certified copy: $12²
Each additional copy: $12⁴
Expedite fee: $10⁵
Each extra year searched: $12²
If no record is found: The fee is kept as a search fee²
Fees in effect since: July 1, 2023 (memo: certified copies remain $12 per copy)¹¹

Types of copies

Copy	Accepted for	Fee
Certified copy of a West Virginia birth certificate⁴	School enrollment, employment and passports¹	$12²
Manually prepared abstracted document for certification⁵	–	$10⁵

No-fee copies

Free WV birth certificate for a homeless individual under 18, with a written affirmation of homelessness¹²
State agencies and organized charities, when certificates are needed for claims to the federal government or a state for public assistance¹²
State Registrar may waive a fee for good cause, including legitimate charities and indigent persons⁵

How long it takes

These are the office's own published times. They do not include shipping. Mail and shipping time is extra unless the office says otherwise.

How you order	Processing time
In person	Same day²

Who can order a West Virginia 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 record⁴
A parent named on the record and grandparent⁴
Child and grandchild⁴
Brother or sister⁴
Spouse⁴
Legal guardian: Legal guardians or legal representatives (proof of legal guardianship/representation also required)..⁴
Attorney or legal representative: The term “authorized representative” includes an attorney, physician, funeral director, or other designated agent acting on behalf of the registrant or his or her family.¹⁰
Wider "immediate family" under 64CSR32 §14.1.4 (includes in-laws, step-parents, stepchildren); anyone with a direct and tangible interest needed to determine a personal or property right¹⁰
A third person picking up at the walk-in office with a faxed permission slip from the registrant (or a parent for a minor)¹³
Records 100+ years old are open to anyone⁴

Records open to the public after: 100 years⁴
Social Security number on the copy: Social security numbers recorded on birth certificates are not released even after records become public¹⁴

ID you need

Photo ID: Required⁴
Accepted ID: DMV-issued driver's license unexpired or expired for not more than five years
DMV-issued learner's/instruction permit unexpired or expired for not more than five years
DMV-issued photo identification card (excluding child ID cards) unexpired or expired for not more than one year
Current Photo ID card, (school and employment). Check Cashing Cards are not acceptable
Unexpired U.S. military ID card of an active duty or retired member (ID cards of military dependents are not acceptable as primary identity documents)
U.S. Passport unexpired or expired for not more than five years
West Virginia Criminal Justice Agency Offender Information Form
United States Probation Offender Information Form⁴
Without that ID: Social Security Card
A utility bill (phone, electric, gas, water, etc.) with your name and current address
Automobile registration with your name and current address
Automobile insurance card with your name and current address
Voter's Registration Card with your name and current address
Checking account deposit slip or bank statement stating name and current address
Paycheck stub or a W-2 form with your name and current address
U.S. Selective Service Card
U.S. military discharge papers (form DD214)
Health care insurance card
Unexpired welfare/social services identification card with photo, issued by a municipality
Unexpired weapons or gun permit issued by federal, state or municipal government
Veterans' Universal Access Identification Card
⁴
ID copy with a mail order: Include a copy of your ID²

What the application asks for

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

Name of person on the certificate (first, middle, last)
Date of birth
Sex
Mother's maiden name
Father's name
Place of birth (county, city, state)
Hospital
Requestor's relationship
Printed name and signature
Number of copies and amount enclosed
Mailing address
Daytime telephone number
E-mail address

Forms

Application for Certified Copy of West Virginia Birth Certificate revision Last Revised 1/9/09⁴
Birth Permission Slip⁷

Years held and older records

Years the issuing office holds: 1917 to today (delayed records from around 1850)¹⁵
Older records: County clerk in the county of birth (query first for births before 1917); some earlier births are at the state office as delayed certificates¹⁶

Special situations

Delayed registration: Call the Corrections Unit at 304-558-2931 to register a delayed birth¹⁷ Details
Paternity: Add or change paternity via the Corrections Unit; no charge within the first year or for court-ordered paternity, $10 after the first year for an acknowledgment⁵ Details
Adoption: New birth certificate after adoption or legitimation: no charge for preparation; a certified copy is not included⁵ Details
Adoptees born abroad: A "Certificate of Foreign Birth" can be registered for a foreign-born, non-citizen child adopted through a WV court; it is not evidence of U.S. citizenship¹⁸ Details
Sex marker: Sex designation change: physician-completed Sex Designation Form, plus the correction affidavit and a certified copy application with fees¹⁹ Details
Stillbirth: Certificate of Birth Resulting in Stillbirth: only a parent listed on the original Report of Fetal Death may request it; $12 per copy²⁰ Details
People without housing: Free WV birth certificate for a homeless individual under 18, with a written affirmation of homelessness¹² Details
If no record is found: Fee is a non-refundable search fee; a failed computer search triggers a search of the year given, the year before and after; extra 3-year searches $12 each² Details
Use abroad: Apostille from the WV Secretary of State on a certified copy signed by the State Registrar or county clerk⁸ Details

Warnings from the office

Misuse of vital records carries criminal and civil penalties (W. Va. Code §16-5-38)⁴
Previously issued copies are no longer replaced free after amendment (since July 1, 2023)¹¹
Vendor orders: customer service is the vendor's responsibility; the state receives $12 per copy regardless of vendor fees²

The state office

Office: Vital Registration Office (West Virginia Health Statistics Center)¹
Phone: (304) 558-2931⁶
Email: [email protected]⁶
Mailing address: Vital Registration Office, 350 Capitol Street, Room 165, Charleston, WV 25301-3701
²
Walk-in address: Vital Registration Office (walk-up counter, right side of the main lobby, first floor), 350 Capitol Street, Charleston, WV 25301
⁶
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-5:00 PM, except State holidays⁶
Website: Official website²¹

Questions people ask

How much is a certified West Virginia birth certificate?

Each certified copy costs $12.²⁴

How long does it take to get a West Virginia birth certificate?

In person: same day.²

Can I order a West Virginia birth certificate online?

Yes. Online through VitalChek.²

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

Write it exactly as the office prints it: Vital Registration.⁴

What ID do I need?

The state accepts: DMV-issued driver's license unexpired or expired for not more than five years; DMV-issued learner's/instruction permit unexpired or expired for not more than five years; DMV-issued photo identification card (excluding child ID cards) unexpired or expired for not more than one year; Current Photo ID card, (school and employment). Check Cashing Cards are not acceptable; Unexpired U.S. military ID card of an active duty or retired member (ID cards of military dependents are not acceptable as primary identity documents); U.S. Passport unexpired or expired for not more than five years; and the other documents listed above.⁴

Where are older West Virginia birth certificates kept?

County clerk in the county of birth (query first for births before 1917); some earlier births are at the state office as delayed certificates.¹⁶

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from these official sources, checked on November 6, 2026. Tap a source number next to a fact to read the exact words.

Vital RegistrationWest Virginia Department of Health, Bureau for Public Health, Health Statistics Center (Vital Registration Office)
Certificate RequestsWest Virginia Department of Health, Bureau for Public Health, Health Statistics Center (Vital Registration Office)
W. Va. Code §59-1-10 Fees to be charged by clerk of county commissionWest Virginia Legislature
Application for Certified Copy of West Virginia Birth Certificate (birthfm26.pdf)West Virginia Department of Health, Bureau for Public Health, Health Statistics Center (Vital Registration Office)dated January 9, 2009
64CSR51 Fees for Services, Final File (effective July 1, 2026)West Virginia Secretary of State (Code of State Rules), rule of the WV Department of Healthdated July 1, 2026
Contact InformationWest Virginia Department of Health, Bureau for Public Health, Health Statistics Center (Vital Registration Office)
Certificate Request FormsWest Virginia Department of Health, Bureau for Public Health, Health Statistics Center (Vital Registration Office)
Authentication of Documents for International UseWest Virginia Secretary of State
West Virginia County Clerk DirectoryWest Virginia Secretary of State
64CSR32 Vital Statistics, Final File (effective May 8, 2025)West Virginia Secretary of State (Code of State Rules), rule of the WV Department of Healthdated May 8, 2025
HSC Memorandum: Notice of fees for services (06/01/2023)West Virginia Department of Health, Bureau for Public Health, Health Statistics Center (Vital Registration Office)dated July 1, 2023
W. Va. Code §16-5-29 Fees for copies and searchesWest Virginia Legislature
Birth Permission SlipWest Virginia Department of Health, Bureau for Public Health, Health Statistics Center (Vital Registration Office)
W. Va. Code §16-5-27 Disclosure of information from vital recordsWest Virginia Legislature
GenealogyWest Virginia Department of Health, Bureau for Public Health, Health Statistics Center (Vital Registration Office)
Where to Write for Vital Records - West VirginiaCDC National Center for Health Statisticsdated November 6, 2015read from the Internet Archive copy of this official page
Corrections and Amendment FormsWest Virginia Department of Health, Bureau for Public Health, Health Statistics Center (Vital Registration Office)
W. Va. Code §16-5-18 Certificates of birth following adoption, legitimation, paternityWest Virginia Legislature
Correct or Amend a CertificateWest Virginia Department of Health, Bureau for Public Health, Health Statistics Center (Vital Registration Office)
Application for Certified Copy of West Virginia Certificate of Birth Resulting in StillbirthWest Virginia Department of Health, Bureau for Public Health, Health Statistics Center (Vital Registration Office)dated May 26, 2015
Health Statistics Center | WV Bureau for Public HealthWest Virginia Department of Health, Bureau for Public Health