Get your certified Michigan Birth Certificate

A certified copy of a Michigan birth certificate costs $34 from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). Additional copies of the same record ordered at the same time are $16 each, rush processing adds $12, and applicants 65 or older ordering their own record pay $14. Through VRO, add VRO's $19 service fee. MDHHS currently quotes 10 to 12 weeks for regular mail-in requests and 8 to 10 weeks with rush processing, plus mail time.

You may also need to order a Michigan death certificate through our secure online service.

MDHHS takes online and phone orders through its own authorized online provider. VRO is an independent preparation service: we prepare your application and send it to MDHHS by mail on your behalf. You will need valid identification, the full name on the certificate, the date of birth, and the parents' names. Because Michigan requires an original signature, we mail you the prepared application to sign before it goes to MDHHS.

Ordering online is especially useful when you need your birth certificate to apply for other official documents - for example, a REAL ID driver's license, a replacement Social Security card, or a U.S. passport. For definitions of unfamiliar terms on your certificate, see our vital records glossary.

Only eligible people can. Besides the person on record, Michigan allows the parents named on the record (adoptive parents only, if adopted), a legal heir, a court-appointed guardian, someone holding a power of attorney that specifically grants access to vital records, and a licensed attorney with a letter of representation. Anyone other than the person on record or a parent must send proof of eligibility, such as guardianship papers or the power of attorney. Notarized affidavits are not a substitute for that proof.

Looking for a different document? Order a Michigan marriage certificate through our secure online service.

An officially certified birth certificate from the MDHHS-DVRHS will have unique features to show its authenticity. The appearance of an official birth certificate can vary depending on the year of issue, and it will contain essential details to confirm a person's identity and citizenship at birth. A long-form (official) birth certificate is used for legal purposes and differs from a short-form (informational) copy. The MDHHS-DVRHS has specific guidelines for counties, which may include distinct colors and layouts. Overall, official birth certificates commonly feature the state seal, the individual's name, the signature of the registrar, and are printed on secure paper.

• Full Name of the Person: The full legal name of the person whose birth is being recorded.

• Date of Birth: The exact date of birth of the individual.

• Place of Birth: The city, county, and state where the birth took place.

• Parents' Names: The full names of both parents, including the mother's maiden name.

• State Seal: A raised, embossed, or printed multicolor or black and white seal of the issuing authority, which validates the document.

• Signature of State Registrar: The signature of the state registrar or authorized official responsible for issuing the certificate.

• Date of Issuance: The date when the state officially issued the birth certificate.

• Printed on Security Paper: Printed on specialized paper to prevent counterfeiting.

In some instances, a certified birth certificate may also include:

• Name of the Hospital where the birth was recorded.

• Name of the Physician who attended the labor.

Need help understanding long form vs. short form certificates, costs, or eligibility? Visit our birth certificate information page.

If you lose your birth certificate:

1.Submit an application for a certified replacement copy in person, by mail, or online through VRO. You will need to complete the application, sign it by hand, gather the required identification, and pay the fees set by MDHHS.

a. For in-person applications: Book an appointment at the MDHHS office in Lansing (Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:00am to 2:00pm), use the drop box in its main lobby, or visit the county clerk where the birth occurred. MDHHS does not take walk-ins.

b. For applying by mail: Send your application, a photocopy of your ID, and a check or money order payable to "State of Michigan" to:

Vital Records Requests

P.O. Box 30721, Lansing, MI 48909

c. For online submissions: Complete the application and upload your documents through the VRO website (payable by credit card online). Sign the packet we mail you and return it to us; we send it to MDHHS.

2. MDHHS will mail the certified copy(s) after processing.

Need another vital record? Get your Michigan divorce certificate through our secure online service.

The process depends on what needs to change. The original record stays unaltered; the correction is added to it.

Typically, a correction to a Michigan birth certificate requires:

1. A completed application: the Application to Correct a Michigan Birth Record (DCH-0847).
2. Supporting documentation: it varies by the change requested. See the Frequently Asked Questions on how to Correct or Change a Michigan Birth Certificate. In general, MDHHS requires at least two (2) dated documents proving the correct information.
3. Fees: $50.00, including one certified copy of the corrected record; $16.00 for each additional copy; rush processing $25.00 extra.

MDHHS currently quotes 8 to 10 weeks for changes (6 to 8 weeks with rush). Mail it to Vital Records Changes, P.O. Box 30721, Lansing, MI 48909, or call the Changes Unit at (517) 335-8660. Name changes, added parents, and sex designation changes are explained in the special situations section above.

Apostilles for Michigan birth certificates are issued by the Michigan Department of State, Office of the Great Seal, and are required when you file a birth certificate with a foreign government that is part of the 1961 Hague Convention. VRO's apostille service costs $49, plus government fees.

If you are submitting a request for an apostille yourself, you will need:

1. The Authentication Request Form
2. A certified copy of your birth certificate issued within the last 15 years
3. A self-addressed, stamped envelope or prepaid air bill
4. A check or money order for $1.00 per document, payable to "State of Michigan"

Mail your request to:

Certified copy and apostille in one request: MDHHS also sells an authenticated (apostilled) copy for $42 (additional copies $26, rush +$25) and sends it to the Great Seal for you. MDHHS currently quotes 12 to 16 weeks for these requests (8 to 10 weeks expedited).

Simultaneous Birth / Apostille Request Form

A long-form birth certificate (also called the "full" or "certified" copy) is a complete reproduction of the original Michigan birth record. It includes your full legal name, date and place of birth, parents' names, birthplaces, and occupations, the attending physician or midwife, and the file date and registration number. This is the version you'll need for passports, REAL ID, Social Security, adoption, immigration, dual citizenship, and most legal purposes.

A short-form birth certificate (sometimes called a "certification" or "abstract") is a condensed version that shows only your name, date of birth, place of birth, and sex. It does not include parents' information. The short form is accepted for many everyday purposes, like enrolling in school, applying for a driver's license, or joining sports leagues, but it is not always accepted for federal documents or international travel.

When you order a Michigan birth certificate through VitalRecordsOnline, you receive the long-form version by default, since it is the most widely accepted. If you're unsure which version you need, check with the agency requesting the document.

New to our service? Learn how our service works through our secure online service.

MDHHS currently quotes 10 to 12 weeks for regular mail-in requests and 8 to 10 weeks with rush processing ($12), plus mail time. Copies requested at an in-person appointment in Lansing are usually issued the same day.

When you order online through VitalRecordsOnline, we review your application to catch errors before submission, mail you the packet to sign, and send the signed packet to MDHHS. Ordering through VRO does not shorten MDHHS processing time. Expedited options at checkout speed up VRO's preparation and shipping of your packet; they do not change MDHHS processing time.

If the issuing office returns your request because of missing information, our team contacts you so the correction can be made without starting over. Once your application reaches MDHHS, order status is provided by the Michigan Vital Records office at (517) 335-8666.

We also offer Michigan death certificate through our secure online service.

Yes. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) charges a reduced fee of $14 to applicants age 65 or older who are requesting their own birth record.

The discount does not apply to heirs or guardians, and the record must be your own (not a relative's). Include a valid ID showing your date of birth. Additional copies of the same record requested at the same time are $16 each.

Browse our Michigan marriage certificate through our secure online service.

Yes. In Michigan, certified copies of birth certificates can also be ordered from the County Clerk's office in the county where the birth was recorded. This is a state-approved alternative to ordering from MDHHS in Lansing.

Wayne County (Detroit), Oakland County, Kent County (Grand Rapids), Macomb County, Washtenaw County (Ann Arbor), Ingham County (Lansing), and Genesee County (Flint) are among the major county clerk offices that issue certified Michigan birth certificates. Fees, accepted ID, and processing times vary by county, so check your local clerk's website before applying.

You may also need to order a Michigan death certificate through our secure online service.

Yes. Michigan birth certificates are issued at the state level by MDHHS in Lansing, so the same certificate is available regardless of which Michigan city you were born in - including Detroit, Grand Rapids, Warren, Lansing, Sterling Heights, Ann Arbor, Flint, Dearborn, Livonia, and Troy. Births that occurred in these cities are all recorded in the state vital records database.

For faster in-person service, residents of Wayne County (Detroit), Kent County (Grand Rapids), Oakland County, Washtenaw County (Ann Arbor), or Ingham County (Lansing) may also request the certificate through their local County Clerk's office.

Looking for a different document? Order a Michigan marriage certificate through our secure online service.

No, Michigan birth certificates are not public records. Under Michigan law, birth records are restricted for 100 years from the date of birth.

During that 100-year window, only the person named on the record, the parents named on the record, legal heirs, court-appointed guardians, holders of a power of attorney that grants access to vital records, and licensed attorneys may request a certified copy. After 100 years, the record is no longer restricted and anyone may request it for genealogy and historical research.

Need another vital record? Get your Michigan divorce certificate through our secure online service.