Ohio Genealogy Records

To begin, add a genealogy record or view a list of locations and resources for Ohio genealogy records.

Ohio genealogy records are kept by the Ohio Office of Vital Statistics. The Office of Vital Statistics was established in 1989 by state statute 3705.02 of the Ohio Administrative Code. All of Chapter 3705 of the Ohio Administrative Code deals with the rules and regulations of the Office of Vital Statistics. Birth, death, fetal death, marriage, divorce, and burial records are all kept by the same office in Ohio, and all are helpful genealogy records.

Ohio Administrative Code section 3705.23 addresses access to the information contained in any vital records. Applicants must meet certain criteria when applying for access to vital records. In an effort to thwart would-be identity thieves, statute 3705.27 allows the director of health to match birth and death records and to post the date of death to the matching birth record.

OAC section 3705.12 delineates the regulations that the Office of Vital Statistics must follow when dealing with adoption records. Adoption records are generally not considered public record and access may require a court order.