Get your certified New Jersey Birth Certificate

A certified copy of a New Jersey birth certificate costs $25 when ordered from the New Jersey Department of Health. Additional copies ordered at the same time cost $2 each. Standard processing takes approximately 6–8 weeks, with expedited options available for additional fees.

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Yes. You can request a New Jersey birth certificate online through the NJ Department of Health or through an authorized third-party service. You will need to provide the full name on the certificate, date of birth, place of birth, and parents’ names along with valid identification.

Start now — order your New Jersey birth certificate online in minutes.

New Jersey allows eligible individuals such as a parent, legal guardian, or legal representative to request a birth certificate on someone else’s behalf. If you are not the registrant, you may need to provide a notarized affidavit or sworn statement confirming your relationship and purpose. A Power of Attorney (PoA) document is also accepted as proof of legal authority.

Learn more about ordering a New Jersey birth certificate on behalf of a family member.

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.

Explore our complete guide to ordering birth certificates online for general information on types, costs, eligibility, and expedited processing options.

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.

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 records@doh.nj.gov or by telephone at 609-292-4087.

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:

A long-form birth certificate (also called the "full" or "certified" copy) is a complete reproduction of the original New Jersey 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 New Jersey 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.

Not sure which you need? Order your New Jersey birth certificate and get the right version.

Processing times for a New Jersey birth certificate depend on how you order and which delivery speed you choose. Standard government processing through the New Jersey vital records office generally takes 4 to 12 weeks by mail. In-person requests at the state office or authorized county location are often completed the same day or within a few business days.

When you order online through VitalRecordsOnline, we review your application within 24 hours to catch errors before submission, then forward it to the issuing authority. Most customers receive their certified New Jersey birth certificate in 2 to 3 weeks with standard shipping. Expedited processing and rush shipping options are available at checkout for urgent needs like passport applications or upcoming travel.

If the issuing office returns your request because of missing information, our team contacts you immediately so the correction can be made without starting over. You can track your order status at any time through your account.

Don't wait — start your New Jersey birth certificate order today for faster processing.

New Jersey birth records are not public records during the individual’s lifetime. Access is restricted to eligible requesters who can show a direct and tangible interest. Qualified requesters generally include the person named on the record, parents listed on the certificate, legal guardians, spouses, adult children, siblings, grandparents, and authorized legal representatives.

When do NJ birth records become public? Under New Jersey law, a birth record becomes a public record 80 years after the date of birth. Once past this 80-year threshold, anyone can request a copy for genealogy, historical research, or other purposes without needing to prove tangible interest. This makes older NJ birth records a valuable resource for family history research — particularly for immigrant ancestors who arrived through Ellis Island and settled in NJ.

Learn more about tangible interest vs. public access for vital records if you’re unsure whether you qualify to request a specific NJ birth certificate.

In New Jersey, the document you receive from the state is officially titled a "Certificate of Live Birth" — not simply a "birth certificate." It’s the same document that��s commonly called a birth certificate in everyday conversation and on other states’ paperwork. The NJ Department of Health uses this formal terminology because the document is the legal registration that you were born alive in New Jersey.

All the standard uses still apply: you can use a Certificate of Live Birth for passport applications, REAL ID, Social Security enrollment, school enrollment, dual citizenship filings, driver’s license applications, and all other legal purposes that require proof of birth. Federal agencies and other states accept it as a birth certificate without issue.

If a form asks specifically for a "New Jersey birth certificate" or "New Jersey certificate of live birth," either term refers to the same document. When you order through VitalRecordsOnline we deliver the long-form certified copy that works for every use case.

Yes. New Jersey is one of the few states that allows local Municipal Registrars of Vital Statistics to issue certified copies of birth certificates for events that occurred within their jurisdiction. So if you were born in Newark, Jersey City, Paterson, Elizabeth, Trenton, Edison, Lakewood, or any other NJ municipality, the local registrar may be able to issue your certificate directly.

Keep in mind:

• Fees vary by city. Municipal fees range from about $15 to $28 for the first certified copy, compared to the state’s standard $25. • Municipal registrars can only issue records for births that occurred in their city — not for anyone born elsewhere in NJ. • Office hours, accepted payment methods, and ID requirements differ from office to office. • Not every municipality maintains birth records for older dates; in those cases you must order from the state.

For convenience, most people order a certified NJ Certificate of Live Birth directly from the NJ Office of Vital Statistics and Registry in Trenton (P.O. Box 370, Trenton, NJ 08625). VitalRecordsOnline handles the full application process for you — no trip to city hall, no multiple office calls, and the record is mailed to your door.

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