Birth, Death, Marriage and Divorce Information

The Bureau of Vital Records, within the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, provides services including:

• Maintaining a central registry of Missouri births, deaths, and fetal deaths reported from Jan. 1, 1910 to the present.¹
• Preparing new certificates for adoptions and legitimations
• Maintaining a central registry of Missouri marriages and divorces (since July 1, 1948)
• Correcting vital records as authorized by state law
• Issuing certified copies of vital records
• Maintaining the Putative Father Registry

Consumer Alert

VitalChek is the only recognized and endorsed method to obtain Missouri vital records online or over the phone. The Missouri Bureau of Vital Records is not affiliated with any other phone/online service and is not responsible for any commitment, guarantees, loss of fees, or use of personal information by these unauthorized entities.

Quick Links

• Applications & Forms
• Authentication/Apostilles
• Certifying Cause of Death
• Correcting or Changing Vital Records
• Documenting Out of Facility Births
• Home Burials
• Missouri Electronic Vital Records System (MoEVR)
• Mothers in a Same-Sex Marriage
• Original Pre-Adoptive Birth Certificate – Missouri Adoptee Rights Act
• Out-of-State Records
• Putative Father Registry
• Research Requests
• Training & Resources
• Vital Records: Why We Do What We Do
• Who Can Obtain a Vital Record?

Obtaining a Vital Record

Many Missouri residents can quickly obtain their birth, marriage and divorce records at the local level.^{2, 3}

Birth & Death

To request a birth or death certificate from a local health department, you may download the application and submit it in person or by mail to the nearest local health department.⁴

Marriage

The Certified Statement Relating to Marriage issued by the Department of Health and Senior Services in Jefferson City will only include the names of both spouses, date of marriage, and county where the marriage was recorded. An actual certified copy of the original marriage license may only be obtained by contacting the Recorder of Deeds in the county where the license was obtained.

Divorce

The Certified Statement Relating to Divorce issued by the Department of Health and Senior Services will only include the names of both spouses, date of divorce, and county where the divorce was recorded. An actual certified copy of the original divorce decree may only be obtained by contacting the Circuit Clerk in the county where the decree was granted.

VitalChek

For expedited service, call VitalChek at 1-877-817-7363, toll free 24 hours a day, seven days a week or order online now through VitalChek. Documents can be requested by phone or onlineand charged to a major credit card. An additional fee is charged by VitalChek for using this service. To further expedite the request, overnight delivery service is available.

Mail-In / Walk-In

You may also request these documents from the Department of Health and Senior Services in Jefferson City. Follow the steps below to mail-in a request for a record or print out and take to your local health department or walk-in to the Bureau of Vital Records in Jefferson City.

Note: If you choose to mail in your request to Jefferson City, a processing time of 12-16 weeks will apply.

Step 1 – Download and complete the appropriate form.

Application for copy of Birth or Death Certification
Application for copy of Statement Relating to Marriage or Divorce

Step 2 – Determine search fee for record

A search fee must accompany all requests for copies of vital records. A five-year search may be conducted per search fee. If an applicant wishes to have additional sets of five-years searches conducted, an additional search fee will be required.

For example: If an application for a birth record is submitted with the date of birth (DOB) listed on the application as 2005, and no record is found in that year, the two years before the listed DOB (2003-04) and the two years after the listed DOB (2006-07) will also be searched.

Make check or money order payable to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. Checks must be drawn on a United States bank. A money order must be drawn on a United States bank or issued by the United States Postal Service. Do not send cash.

Step 3 – Take to health department or mail request

Take to your local health department, walk-in to the Bureau of Vital Records in Jefferson City, or mail request.

Jefferson City office walk-in:
930 Wildwood Drive
Jefferson City, MO 65109
573-751-6387

Walk-in customer service hours are: Mon-Fri 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. CST. Excluding state and federal holidays.
Telephone customer service hours are: Mon-Fri 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. CST. Excluding state and federal holidays.

• Most certificate requests can be processed the same day without a notary if you arrive in the Vital Records office by 3:30 p.m., present proper valid ID, and have all required information needed to search for the certificate.
• Same day service is not guaranteed for certificate requests involving genealogy, paternity affidavits, adoption processing, corrections, amendments, and birth/death certificate registration, among other related requests.

Mail request:

Include completed application form, a legal size, self-addressed stamped envelope and check or money order for the search fee. Do not send cash.

Mail to:

Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
Bureau of Vital Records
930 Wildwood Drive
Jefferson City, MO 65109

*Allow 12 to 16 weeks for processing and then standard time for return mail delivery.

Note: Checks are cashed/fees are deposited immediately upon receipt of the application. The application is then sent to the Bureau of Vital Records for processing. Therefore, a cashed check does not indicate an application has been processed.

Requests received without the appropriate fee will be returned to the sender.

Requesting a Vital Record without an Application Form

A record can be requested by sending a written, notarized request to the Bureau of Vital Records at the above address and providing the following information:

Birth, Fetal Death and Death Records

• Full name at birth, death, or fetal death
• Date of birth, death, or fetal delivery
• Place of birth, death, or fetal delivery
• For birth records and fetal death records provide both parents’ names including mother’s maiden name
• Your relationship to the person whose record is being requested
• Explain reason for requesting the record

Marriage and Divorce Records

• Full name of both parties
• Include the last name prior to first marriage and any previous married names
• Date of marriage or divorce
• Place of marriage or divorce
• Your relationship to the parties listed on the record (specify which)
• Explain reason for requesting the statement

When requesting a copy of a vital record without an application, a check or money order for the appropriate fee must be mailed to the Bureau of Vital Records with the written notarized request (fees and address listed above).

Research Requests

Policies and procedures for release of vital records information for legitimate research purposes can be found at Data, Surveillance Systems & Statistical Reports. Scroll to the heading Data Release Policies, Procedures and Guidelines.

1. While vital record keeping began in 1910, some delayed certificates may be available before 1910. However, there is no guarantee of a record’s existence either before or after 1910.
2. Vital Records are not available at the St. Louis City Health Department. Missouri born citizens can obtain records in the St. Louis City area at the Recorder of Deeds office at: City Hall, 1200 Market Street, Room 126, St. Louis, MO 63103 (314) 613-3016.
3. Fees for copies of vital records will be collected by the local agency providing the document. Fees for birth and death records are the same as those charged by the Bureau of Vital Records. The fee for marriage and divorce records are set by the agency issuing the documents, so the cost may vary.
4. All birth and death certificate year ranges are not available at the local health department level. Births: 1910-present. Death: 1980-present.