Get your certified New Jersey Birth Certificate
Order your government-issued New Jersey birth certificate from home.
Start your application now.
Order New Jersey Birth Certificate
Trusted by +1.5 million customers
Order your government-issued New Jersey birth certificate from home.
Start your application now.
Order New Jersey Birth Certificate
Trusted by +1.5 million customers
Order with confidence
Learn how to obtain a New Jersey birth certificate from the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH). The current processing time is 8 to 12 weeks for online orders and 12 to 14 weeks for mail-in orders, with a fee of $25.00 for birth certificate replacements and $2.00 for each additional copy in the same order. Authorized individuals, including the person on record, family members, and legal representatives, can order certified copies of birth records.
You can now order New Jersey birth certificates through VRO’s online filing service. VRO offers a secure and simple way to order birth certificates. We handle the entire application process, ensuring accuracy and ease. Your application is securely delivered to the New Jersey Department of Health Office (NJDOH) Office of Vital Statistics and Registry (OVRS) for processing, allowing them to issue and mail your birth certificate to you. You can place the order yourself in person or by mail through the NJDOH OVRS by following the specific steps and meeting certain requirements. Before starting the application and placing your order, review the costs, eligibility, requirements, and processing times.
Requesting a New Jersey birth certificate through our online filing service is quick and easy.
Starting from
$29+ state fees
Benefits of Ordering Online with VRO
required documents
Applicants must provide proof of identity to the New Jersey Department of Health when requesting certified copies of birth records—a government-issued ID such as a U.S. state-issued driver’s license or U.S. passport. The table below displays the information and documents required to order a birth certificate in New Jersey.
Primary ID Requirements Options | Secondary ID Requirements Options |
---|---|
Driver's License | Vehicle Registration |
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.
Cost & fees
The total cost for replacing New Jersey birth certificates varies by your application method. The fee for a certified copy from the NJ OVSR is $25.00, and each additional copy costs $2.00, whether you apply in person, by mail, or online. The NJ vital records online platform costs an additional processing fee of $22.00 ($5.00 verification fee, $5.00 online processing fee, and $12.00 UPS expedited shipping fee for faster service). Fees may differ by municipality if you visit a local vital records office. When using VRO's online filing service, the fee starts at $29.00, plus state fees. VRO provides a secure online solution for ordering birth certificates.
State Fee |
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$25.00 |
Rush Processing |
---|
Not offered |
Additional Copy |
---|
1 x $2.00 |
Processing time
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.
Processing Time |
---|
12 to 14 weeks |
Rush Processing Time |
---|
Not offered |
Authorization
The person on record or authorized third parties can order certified copies of New Jersey birth certificates by providing a valid ID with their application. If you are ordering on behalf of the person on record, confirm that you are an eligible individual. You may be required to submit additional documentation to verify your relationship with the person on record. All applicants must provide proof of their identity when making the request.
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.
Tracking
When you place a request through VRO, you can track the status of your application online while we handle it. VRO verifies your documents before forwarding them to NJDOH – Office of Vital Statistics and Registry for further processing. Additionally, you can request mail tracking with VRO to monitor your application's arrival at the health department for further confirmation.
If you manually mail your birth certificate request, purchasing first-class mail with tracking is recommended to know when your application is delivered to the NJDOH.
NJDOH does not directly provide mail tracking for delivering your vital records certificates to your address. Once the state sends the records, they are not responsible for lost or misdirected certificates.
frequently asked questions
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.
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
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.
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:
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.
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:
By Mail:
In Person: