Are Birth Records Public in Utah
Yes, however, birth records in Utah are only made public after 100 years from the birth occurrence. This is because, unlike other public records, birth records in Utah are truly confidential. So, not everyone has access to them. Hence, public birth records only become available after 100 years. Birth records in Utah are only open to the record holder, individuals listed on the document (like a spouse, sibling, grandparents, or grandchildren), and legal representatives. The Utah birth certificate application can be made online at the Utah Vital Records Registry (through a third-party online vendor who offers expedited service), by mail, or in person. In addition, walk-in services are possible at the State Vital Records Office in Utah.
What are Birth Records in Utah?
A Utah birth record is an official registration of birth and a document establishing the existence of a child under the law. A birth record is legal proof of identity and age status. No one can claim citizenship in Utah without a Utah birth certificate.
Midwives and birthing facilities are required to file a birth certificate within 10 days of a child's birth. Birth clerks can accurately file birth information using the parental worksheets provided to parents at the time of birth. A birth record is necessary for anyone to obtain a social security number, enroll in schools, gain employment, or obtain a driver's license.
A Utah birth record contains:
- Date of birth
- Time of birth
- Place of birth
- Child's full name
- Mother's name
- Father's name
- Child's gender
- Type of birth
- Mother's marital status
- Birth registration number
Where to Find Public Birth Records in Utah
Utah public birth records are available at the Utah State Archives office. This is the official government organization that maintains birth records for all record seekers. Record seekers can request Utah public birth records online, by mail, or in person. Certified copies of birth certificates cost $20 per copy, and additional copies cost $10 each. Record seekers can find out details of birth records through the online Utah birth index:
- The first basic search process involves details of the child’s name, father’s name, or mother’s maiden name.
- Also, individuals can search with their last name, first/middle name, mother’s last name, mother’s first/middle name, father’s last name, father’s first/middle name, parish, month, date, or year.
The online Utah birth index tool automatically conducts a search when appropriate information is typed into any of the search boxes. The search will reveal a list of everyone on record bearing such information.
How to Find and Request Birth Records Online in Utah?
Utah allows members of the public to look up records of births that occurred before 1919 online through the state's Division of Archives and Records Service. Users of this service can perform a quick search online by providing the name of the subject of a record. The result shows birth information such as sex, birth date, county, father's name, and mother's name. An image of the birth record can also be viewed and printed online. The public can look up birth records filed in three categories: pre-1898, 1898-1905, and 1905-1918.
However, certified copies of birth records can only be obtained online through a secure online service provided by the Utah government called Silver. Through Silver, a requester can order birth records with the State Vital Records Office in a few minutes. Requests are handled safely and securely to make orders very convenient for users. This online platform is the only official source of obtaining Utah birth records online.
Considered open to citizens of the United States, public records are available through both traditional, government sources, and through third-party websites and organizations. In many cases, third-party websites make the search easier as they are not limited geographically or by technological limitations. They are considered a good place to start when looking for a specific record or multiple records. In order to gain access to these records, interested parties must typically provide:
- The name of the person listed in the record. Juveniles are typically exempt from this search method.
- The last known or assumed location of the person listed in the record. This includes cities, counties, and states.
While third-party sites offer such services, they are not government-sponsored entities, and record availability may vary on these sites when compared to government sources.
How to Get Birth Records in Utah?
Birth records in Utah can be obtained in person or by mail. However, the appropriate fee and identification are required for a purchase to be permitted. A requester only needs to provide one form of primary ID, otherwise, two documents from the secondary identification list must be provided.
The primary ID list comprises:
- Government-issued photo driver's license
- Government-issued photo identification
- Government-issued work ID
- Employment Card
- U.S. Military Identification Card
- Tribal Identification Card
- Pilot license
- Alien Registration Card
- Permanent Resident Card
- Temporary Resident Card
- U.S. passport
- Foreign passport
- U.S. Certification of Naturalization
- Certificate of U.S. Citizenship
- U.S. Citizen Identification Card
- Matricula Consular Card
- Concealed Weapon Permit
- Mexican Voter Registration Card
- Jail/Prison Release Form (with picture)
Secondary forms of identification that may be used are:
- Work Identification/Paycheck/W-2
- School, University, or College ID Card
- Voter Registration Card
- Social Security Card
- US Military Separation/DD-214
- Motor Vehicle Registration/Title
- Marriage License (not issued by Utah State Vital Records)
- Court Order or Court Documents
- Jail/Prison documents
- Probation Documents
- Property Tax Receipt
- Veterans Universal Access ID Card
- Selective Service Card
- Hunting/Fishing License
- Insurance cards or documents
- Medicare Cards
- Utility Bill
- Business License
- Professional License
Note that novelty ID cards and driving privilege cards are not accepted. An eligible requester who cannot provide acceptable identification may have another qualified requester such as a spouse or adult child obtain the record on their behalf. In such instances, proof of relationship will be required. Requesters in need of an apostille may contact the Utah Secretary of State. An apostille is attached to the certified birth record to verify that it is legitimate and authentic. This authentication is required for documents to be used in foreign countries that are members of the Hague Apostille Convention.
Persons who had midwives deliver their babies must have the midwives register the births with the State Office of Vital Records. If a birth parent delivers without the help of a midwife, the State Office of Vital Records must be contacted to register the birth and issue a birth certificate.
How to Get Utah Birth Records in Person?
Requesters can obtain birth records in person from the Utah Local Health Department in the area where the births occurred. Go along with correct fees and valid identification. The required application form can be obtained from the Departments if one cannot be printed. To obtain a birth record in person from the Utah Office of Vital Records and Statistics, visit:
288 N 1460 W
Salt Lake City, UT 84116
The Vital Records Central Office opens between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday except for state holidays. For walk-in services, requesters would have to first order birth records via a third-party online vendor. They must choose the "Call" option for delivery, and an email will be sent once the certificate is ready for pick up.
How to Get Utah Birth Records by Mail?
Requests for birth records are required to contain completed request forms, correct fees, and valid identification. An enlarged and easily identifiable photocopy of the front and back of your identification must be included in mail requests. Incomplete requests will be returned. Where a request form cannot be printed, the requester can write a letter that includes:
- The type of record
- Name of person on the record
- Date of event
- Place of event
- Relationship to the person named on the record
- Signature
Mail the completed form and all other requirements to the mailing address of the local health departments in Utah or the State Vital Records Office at:
Vital Records
P.O. Box 141012
Salt Lake City, UT 84114-1012
Where Can I Find Birth Records in Utah?
Utah birth records are maintained by the Utah Office of Vital Records and Statistics. Birth records older than 100 years are no longer considered confidential. Such records are available with the Utah State Archives.
How to Get Birth Records From a Hospital in Utah?
Utah hospitals do not offer free birth certificates for newborns. However, many hospitals offer souvenir certificates to birth parents. Note that a souvenir birth certificate is not legally valid and cannot be obtained from any of Utah Vital Records Offices.
Can Anyone Get a Copy of a Birth Certificate in Utah?
A Utah birth record can be obtained by:
- The person named on the record
- Immediate family of the person named on the record. Must be a spouse, child, parent, sibling, grandparent, or grandchild
- The legal guardian of the person named on the record. Such persons must provide certified or stamped court-approved documents.
- A legal representative of the person named on the record. Includes attorney, physician, funeral service director, genealogist, or other agents of the subject of the record
- Any person who has obtained a court order granting access to the birth record.
Per Utah Code 26-2305, 26-23-5.5, and 26-23-6, it is a criminal violation to fraudulently obtain a birth record. The punishment may include a civil penalty of up to $5,000 and up to five years in prison.
How Much Does a Birth Certificate Cost in Utah?
A non-refundable fee of $22 is required to search a Utah birth record. This fee is inclusive of the cost of one certified copy of a birth record. Additional copies are charged at $10 each. Order by mail can be paid for with a check or money order.
An apostille costs $20 per document. It costs $95 per document if same-day service is requested. The next business day service for apostilles is charged at $55 per document.
How Long Does It Take to Get a Birth Certificate in Utah?
Mail orders for birth certificates take between 4-6 to complete. In-person applications are usually completed on the same day of requests, while online orders are typically completed in 2-4 business days. For a birth parent who has just had a baby, Utah hospitals are required to register the birth with the State Office of Vital Records. However, it may take another 1-2 days before the record is ready for issuing. Once a record can be accessed by any of the vital record offices, it can be obtained in person within a few hours, typically under one hour.
How to Get a New Birth Certificate in Utah
Birth certificates in Utah are handled by The Utah Vital records office. This is usually done after an adoption is finalized and also when an original birth certificate needs amendments. The birth certificate holder must be alive for this process to take place. In the case of getting a new birth certificate after an adoption, individuals must send the certified court documents to the Utah State Office of Vital Records along with the processing fee of $65.00. This entitles the person to a new birth certificate reflecting details of the adoption. If an individual changes their name in court, they must send the certified documents from the certified court to the Utah State Office of Vital Records along with the fee of $27.00.
Can You Find Utah Birth Certificates Online?
Yes. Individuals who are interested in ordering birth certificates online can process them through the official website or a third-party online vendor authorized by the Utah Bureau of Vital Records and Statistics. This search costs $22 per copy and $10 for the additional processing fee. Individuals requesting additional copies or services should be ready to pay additional fees. Individuals must provide the following information to be able to conduct a search using the online tool:
- Whose birth certificate are they ordering?
- The full name of the subject
- State and city of birth
- Date of birth
- What the birth certificate will be used for
Record seekers can also use the third-party online tool to search for the records of other vital events (death records, divorce records, and marriage records) in the state. For instance, individuals can equally request for Utah marriage certificate online using a third-party online tool if they married within the state captured online.
How to Expunge Your Birth Records in Utah?
Expungement is a legal term used to describe the permanent removal or deletion of a record. Utah does not allow anyone to remove any part of a birth record. Therefore, there is no way to expunge birth records in the state.
How to Seal Your Birth Records in Utah?
In a typical adoption, the original birth certificate is amended to change the name of the birth parents to the name of the adoptive parents. The original birth certificate is then placed in the adoption records and sealed permanently. Hence, an original birth record is sealed automatically upon the completion of the adoption process.
How to Unseal Your Birth Records in Utah?
Utah only allows an adult adoptee to request and obtain an original birth certificate by providing a court order or upon the consent of the birth parents in limited circumstances. An adoptee must be able to demonstrate good cause or present compelling reasons during proceedings before the court can grant an order permitting an original birth certificate to be released. For adoptions concluded on or after January 1, 2016, a birth parent may provide consent in writing to the release of identifying information to an adult adoptee. An adult adoptee is an adoptee who is at least 18 years old and was adopted as a minor.
However, from November 21, 2021, Utah's new law regarding unsealing birth certificates will come into effect. The new law removes the date-based restriction on the release of pre-adoption records. HB0345 applies to all adoptions and not only adoptions finalized on or before January 1, 2016. Note that under the new law, parental consent is still required for the release of the original birth certificate. An original birth certificate will be released if the birth parents are deceased. If a birth parent is alive and has not consented to release, the parent's name will be redacted from the birth certificate.
The State of Utah also maintains an Adoption Registry which is a voluntary, mutual consent registry that helps adult adoptees born in Utah to unite with their birth parents and birth siblings. The Registry is the only adoption registry with all original pre-adoption birth records for Utah births. No other adoption registry is authorized to maintain access to all of Utah's original pre-adoption birth certificate records.
Matches between the birth parents and adult adoptees are accurate since matching is based on information found on original pre-adoption birth certificate records. To join the Utah Adoption Registry, complete the Utah Registry Application form. Then mail the following information to the Utah Department of Health Office of Vital Records and Statistics:
- Completed Application Form
- A $25 check or money order made payable to "Vital Records"
- A certified birth certificate. If the requester does not have a certified birth certificate and was born in the State of Utah, an additional fee of $20 must be included. This fee will allow the Utah Department of Health to print one copy of the certified birth certificate and add it to the requester's file.
- A copy of the requester's driver's license
The mailing address of the Department of Health Office of Vital Records and Statistics is:
Utah Department of Health
Office of Vital Records & Statistics
Utah Adoption Registry
P.O. Box 141012
Salt Lake City, UT 84114
Who Signs Birth and Death Certificates in Utah?
In event of a road delivery before getting to the hospital, birth certificates can be signed by the physician or anybody who took the labor at the time. If the physician or anybody present at the birth can not sign the birth certificate, the person in charge of the hospital can do it. Birth certificates of children born outside the hospital are signed by the physician, midwife, or any other person present when the birth occurred. If any of these people are not available, then any of the parents can sign it. The local registrar at the Utah birth registry will sign the birth certificate if any parents cannot. Individuals can request birth certificates from the Utah Vital Records Office online, in person, or by mail. Note that the Office offers walk-in services.
Utah Code Section 26-2-22(2) permits for the death certificate to be signed within 24 hours by the last physician that attended to the person. If the death occurred without medical attendance, the local registrar would be notified, who will then refer the case to the medical examiner for investigation and certification.
Upon concluding the cause of death, the medical examiner will sign the death certificate within 48 hours after taking charge of the case. When death is registered in Utah, individuals can obtain the deceased person’s death certificate online, by mail, or in person at the Utah Vital Records Office. Utah vital records office does not offer death certificates directly, they do it through a third-party online vendor.
What is a Utah Birth Index?
Simply put, the Utah birth index is a database that contains information regarding the births that occur in the state. Utah birth index includes the name, sex, date of birth, mother's maiden name, and county of birth. For instance, the Utah State Archives has a Birth Records Index Database where record seekers can search for information regarding births that occurred between 1898 to 1905.
