Rhode Island Genealogy Records

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

Rhode Island genealogy records are Rhode Island Department of Health and Safety, Office of Vital Records. Anyone requesting records must prove that they have a "direct and tangible interest" in the information contained in the records. In the vast majority of cases, only the person listed on the record or his/ her immediate family members may receive copies of any genealogy records. Rhode Island family researchers, especially extended family members, may have to use the services of a legally incorporated genealogical society to gain access to any information listed on a birth, marriage, or death record.

The Office of Vital Records advises anyone needs vital records to contact the city or town in which the event occurred, as the records will be received more quickly from the local offices than from the state office. Birth and marriage records are available from either location from 1899 to the present. Death records are available from 1949 to the present from either office. Records prior to 1899 are available in the town clerk's office where the event occurred or from the Rhode Island State Archives.