You can get copies of the following certificates:

• Birth certificates for births that took place in New York City before 1910. 
• Death certificates for deaths that took place in New York City before 1949. 
• Marriage records for marriages that took place in New York City before 1950.

You can order copies:

Online

The cost of each certified copy is $15. You can make a payment with your credit or debit card, or by e-check. There is a nonrefundable service fee of 2% when using a credit or debit card.

Order a copy of a historical vital record.

By Mail

The cost of each certified copy is $15. When ordering by mail, the processing time for a certificate copy is approximately three to four weeks

Payments are made by check or money order and are payable to NYC Department of Records and Information Services.

Applications should be mailed to:
31 Chambers Street, Room 103 
New York, NY 10007

You can request an application be mailed to you.

Birth or Death Certificate

You can get the status, by phone, of an order of a birth certificate (before 1910) or death certificate (before 1949) placed more than 6 weeks ago.

You will receive a notice in the mail if the Municipal Archives was not able to find the record you requested. 

Approximately 25 percent of all births prior to 1910 were not reported to New York City. 

Church records or the federal and state censuses are alternative resources. The federal census is available from the National Archives.

Find Federal Census data on the National Archives' website.

You can request a refund for a birth or death certificate by email or by phone.

Include all relevant order details, such as:

• Date the order was placed
• The certificate number (if known)
• Whether you submitted the order by mail or online
• The name of the person on the document requested
• The date of birth or death (if the full date is unknown, then just the year of birth or death)

By Email

archives@records.nyc.gov

By Phone

If you have further questions about the birth certificate, death certificate, or marriage certificate process or order you can send an email to the Department of Records and Information Service.

Email the Department of Records and Information Services.