How to Find Vital Records On and Offline

Ever since the federal government realized how useful a census is, vital records have been kept in every state going back to the early 1900's. In Europe, vital records have been kept in some areas for over 400 years. A vital record is an official record, usually kept by a city or county, that documents major changes in the population, such as a birth, a death, marriage and, more recently, things like domestic partnerships. Vital records are a very important part of modern society. For instance, you need an official copy of your birth certificate to get a passport and you need a copy of a divorce certificate if you wish to get married for a second time. The Internet has made chasing down vital records easier than ever before. Let’s take a look at what you need to do both offline and online to get the vital records you need.

The Internet has taken the guesswork out of tracking down vital records. Many people felt overwhelmed by the idea of not only having to find the proper city, state, or federal office to call, but then having to wade through an intimidating phone tree only to have to wait on hold for an extended period of time and then talk to an overworked and underpaid clerk who won’t get to your request for weeks. Thanks to the Internet and websites like RecordsProject.com, you can find the direct phone number to call in moments and be speaking to someone who can help you right away. You can then be given the proper instructions you need to follow to get the vital record you need. Be prepared to answer some questions once you are connected to the department you need to talk to. Some vital records are restricted to family members only, while some states have open record laws that allow anyone to request any information they need.

Most vital records request do cost money, whether you do it yourself or if you use a website to make the request for you. If you decide to perform the request yourself, you will likely have to enclose a self addressed, stamped envelope for your vital record to come in and there is sometimes a processing backlog, especially for birth certificates. If you are going to need a passport in the near future and you don’t have a copy of your birth certificate, make sure you factor in that processing time in advance.

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