Get your certified New Jersey Birth Certificate

How to Get a New Jersey Birth Certificate Without ID?

If you do not have a primary ID, you can still obtain a New Jersey birth certificate by providing two secondary forms of identification, such as a utility bill, bank statement, or rental agreement. At least one of the IDs must show your current address. Alternatively, authorized third parties, such as family members or legal representatives, can request the birth certificate on your behalf, provided they have the necessary documentation and proof of their relationship with you.

How Long Does It Take to Process and Receive a Birth Certificate in New Jersey?

The NJDOH’s current processing time for birth certificate applications by mail is approximately 12 to 14 weeks. The total waiting time will also depend on how you submit your application and the necessary documents. Expedited mail-in processing is available for $6.00 plus shipping costs (if using express) through NJDOH’s website. To avoid delays, we recommend using VRO’s easy online service, which helps prevent incomplete submissions and errors.

Do I Need to Notarize My Application?

The NJDOH generally does not need to notarize your New Jersey birth certificate application. However, if you are applying by mail and requesting your certificate be sent to an address other than the one listed on your ID, you must provide a notarized letter with a written request to mail the certificate to the alternative address.

Other FAQs

• How to Obtain a New Jersey Birth Certificate if Born on an Overseas Military Base

  

  If you were born overseas on a U.S. military base, no birth certificate is on record with the state of New Jersey. Your birth would have been recorded with the U.S. Department of State. In this case, you must request a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA), also known as form FS-240, from the U.S. Department of State. The CRBA serves as evidence of U.S. citizenship, is equivalent to a U.S. birth certificate, and is legally accepted for various purposes, such as proving your birth and citizenship, applying for a passport, legal proceedings, or accessing social services.

  If you are looking for copies of an original birth certificate, contact the hospital where you were born.

• Why Do I Need Certified Copies of My New Jersey Birth Certificate?

  

  Birth certificates are essential for proving identity and citizenship and are legally recognized by government and commercial organizations. They contain crucial information such as your legal name, place and date of birth, and parents' names. In addition, they are often necessary for legal matters, family affairs, school enrollment, employment, and travel.
  
  Birth certificates are often useful or required for:

  Applying for a driver's license

  Applying for a new passport

  Issuing or obtaining a Social Security Card

  Applying for Social Security benefits

  Claiming pension or insurance benefits

  Genealogy research

  Claiming family inheritance

  Applying for a new job

  Enrolling in school

  Enlisting in military

  Obtaining a marriage license

  
  

• What Does a New Jersey Birth Certificate Look Like?

  

  Official New Jersey birth certificates will display specific features to prove authenticity, according to rules outlined by the state for their design. The appearance may vary depending on the year they were issued. However, they will always contain standard information, such as the state seal, the individual's name, and the registrar's signature, and are printed on secure paper the individual's identity and citizenship.

  Note that there are two types of copies: official (long-form) copies used for legal purposes and informational (short-form) copies used for personal or commemorative purposes.

  • 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.

  
  

  

• How to Replace a Lost or Stolen New Jersey Birth Certificate

  

  If you lose your birth certificate:

  1.Apply a certified replacement copy application in person, by mail, or online through VRO. You will need to complete the application, gather the required identification and documents, and pay the fees determined by the NJDOH.

  a For in-person applications: Present the completed application and required documents to the state health department or a local office that offers the record you need.
  

  b. For applying by mail: Send your application, documents, and a check or money order for the replacement fee to the NJDOH at:

  New Jersey Department of Health
  Vital Statistics and Registry

  P.O. Box 370
  Trenton, NJ 08625-0370

  c. For online submissions: Complete the application and upload your documents through the VRO website (payable by credit card online).

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

• How to Correct or Amend a New Jersey Birth Certificate

  

  The process for correcting or amending a New Jersey birth certificate varies depending on the specific changes needed. Typically, an addendum is created to correct or change the birth certificate while the original record remains unaltered. Each type of amendment has different requirements set by the NJDOH Vital Statistics and Registry.

  Reasons to correct or amend a NJ birth certificate include: changing a legal name, correcting a last name on a birth certificate, correcting a first or middle name on a birth certificate, updating the birth record for a child with unmarried parents, updating the birth record if biological parents marry after the child's birth, updating the birth record for a child born out of wedlock when the mother marries someone else, changing gender identity.

  Typically, amendments to birth certificates will require:

  1. A completed Amendment Application Form REG-15
  2. Supporting documentation includes valid proof of identity (photo ID) and proof you are an eligible requestor.
  3. Appropriate fee(s): The cost for the search and the resulting record is $25.00; additional copies of the same record ordered simultaneously are $2.00 each. Make check or money order payable to “Treasurer, State of NJ.” Do not mail cash.
  4. Mail the completed submission to:
     New Jersey Department of Health Vital Statistics and Registry Attention: Vital Record Modifications Unit P.O. Box 370 Trenton, NJ 08625-0370

  Once an amendment is completed, the New Jersey Office of Vital Statistics and Registry will not replace previously issued copies. For questions regarding the amendment application form, contact the NJDOH records office at [email protected] or by telephone at 609-292-4087.

• How to Obtain an Apostille for a New Jersey Birth Certificate

  

  You can order directly through the New Jersey Secretary of State or online through VRO's Express Apostille Service to obtain an apostille for a New Jersey birth certificate. The Secretary of State exclusively issues apostilles for New Jersey birth certificates for submission to a foreign government by the 1961 Hague Convention.

  If you are manually submitting a request for an apostille, complete the following steps:

  1. Obtain a Certified Birth Certificate: Request a certified copy of your birth certificate from the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) or through an authorized provider like VRO. This document must be certified within the last 6 months.
  2. Complete the Request Form: Fill out the Apostille/Certificate of Authenticity Request Form.
  3. Gather Required Documents: Ensure you have a certified copy of the birth certificate and any additional documents required for the apostille process.
  4. Make Payment: Prepare the appropriate fee of $25.00 per certificate ($5.00 per certificate for adoptions) for the apostille service. You can pay by a check or money order made payable to the "Treasurer, State of New Jersey."
  5. Submit Your Request. Submit the completed form, documents, and payment to the following addresses:

  By Mail:

  In Person: