The state health department has adopted new guidelines for obtaining copies of birth, death, marriage and divorce records to help protect Missourians from identity theft.
Beginning March 1, identification will be required when requesting vital records from the state health department in Jefferson City and local health departments throughout Missouri.
To obtain a copy of a birth or death certificate at the state health department or a local health department, a person must present a document containing a photo. If an applicant does not have a photo ID, at least two alternate forms of identification must be presented. The documents must include the applicant’s name and the name of the company or organization issuing the document.
Requests for vital records submitted by mail must be notarized by a notary public. An application form available on the state health department’s website or a written request containing the required information must be notarized before it is mailed to the health department. Payment for mailed requests must be made by personal check or money order. Online requests for records can be made through a link on the state health department’s website and are required to be paid with a credit card. This service is offered through a third-party provider and additional fees apply.
The new identification requirements also apply to requests for copies of marriage and divorce statements from the state health department.
The fees for vital records will remain the same. The fee for a birth, marriage or divorce record is $15 per record. A death record is $13 for the first copy and $10 for each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time.
The application for obtaining a copy of a vital record requires applicants to explain their relationship to the person named on the record. Obtaining a vital record illegally is a class D felony.
Birth and death certificates can be obtained at most local health departments in Missouri. In St. Louis City, birth and death records can be obtained from the recorder of deeds office at the St. Louis City Hall.
Copies of marriage licenses are available from the recorder of deeds in the county where the license was obtained. Copies of divorce decrees are available from the circuit clerk in the county where the decree was granted.
More information about obtaining vital records can be found at www.dhss.mo.
gov/data/vitalrecords/in
dex.php.
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