A delayed birth certificate is filed more than a year after the individual’s birth. The majority of U.S. babies are born at a hospital or birthing facility, and the parents are immediately given a Certificate of Live Birth form to complete. This form is then submitted to the state, which uses it to create a new birth certificate for the child.
Birth records have been formally filed in most U.S. states since the early 1900s, and parents are required to register a new baby’s birth within one year. However, some parents still opt for home births and may neglect to complete the paperwork to register the birth. In addition, senior citizens born before birth registration became commonplace may not have had their births registered.
Most people do not even realize that their birth was never registered until they apply for a certified copy of their birth certificate, which is necessary to obtain essential documents like a REAL ID or apply for a passport.
How to Get a Delayed Birth Certificate
It’s easy to check and see if you have a birth certificate already by applying for a certified copy of your birth certificate online. If your birth was registered, then you will receive a certified copy of your birth certificate. However, if it was not registered, you will receive a notice that there is no birth record on file for you. If this is the case, then you will need to apply for a delayed birth certificate.
You can apply for a delayed birth certificate at any time past the one-year mark. Still, you will need to provide some additional documentation to verify details about the birth. Keep in mind that you must apply with the state where the birth occurred, and each state has its own delayed birth certificate application process. However, most states require you to complete a Delayed Certificate of Birth form and submit it with your supporting documents, an affidavit, and payment for the processing fees.
You must provide at least two different documents that verify your:
- Full name at birth (unless your name was changed as a child due to adoption or other circumstances)
- Place and date of birth
- Mother’s full name (including maiden name)
- Mother’s place of birth
- Father’s full name and place of birth (may not be required if your parents were not married at the time of your birth)
The following documents are acceptable:
- Baptismal records
- School records
- Marriage license or certificate
- Your child’s birth certificate (with your name on it)
- A statement from the doctor or midwife that attended your birth
- Hospital records (at birth or later)
- Doctor’s office records
- Census records
- Military discharge records
- Insurance documents
- Driver’s License
- Employment records
- Voter registration records
- U.S. passport
- U.S. Naturalization Certificate
Virginia and few other states also require the Delayed Certificate of Birth application form to be notarized. After it is submitted, the state will process your application and create a birth certificate, and you can order a certified copy of it.