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Birth Records in Iowa
The Bureau of Health Statistics in Iowa maintains birth records from July 1,
1880 to the present.
All applications for certified copies of birth records must be in writing. You
must completely identify the record you want and establish your need and
entitlement to the birth record you are requesting.
Entitled persons include:
� The individual listed on the birth record
� The legal parents, grandparents, spouse, children, grandchildren, siblings, or
a legal representative or guardian.
In addition, if you are a legal guardian, legal representative, or a sibling,
you must provide additional proof of your entitlement to the record.
Obtaining a copy of a birth record can be done in person, by phone or by mail.
Proof of identity is required in the form of a photo ID (or a legible photocopy
when requesting a copy by mail). In addition, you must sign your request in the
presence of a registrar at the Iowa Registrar of Vital Records (or have your
signature notarized when requesting a copy of a birth record by mail).
Requesting a Birth Record in Person
You may request a birth record in person at:
Iowa Department of Public Health
Bureau of Health Statistics
Lucas State Office Building, 1st Floor
Des Moines, Iowa 50319-0075
The hours are from 7:00 AM to 4:45 PM Monday through Friday with closures for
state recognized holidays.
You must complete a written application www.idph.state.ia.us/ and sign it in the presence of a registrar. You must also provide your valid, and current, government-issued photo ID card. You can pick up copies in person two days later or request they be mailed to an entitled person.
Requesting a Birth Record by Mail
Fill out the �Application for Copy of a Vital Record� form. This form can be
downloaded at: www.idph.state.ia.us/
Next, have your signature on the form notarized, attach your fees in the form of
a check or money order made payable to the �Iowa Department of Public Health�,
and attach a legible photocopy of your current, government-issued photo ID card.
Mail all of the above to:
Iowa Department of Public Health
Bureau of Health Statistics
Lucas State Office Building, 1st Floor
Des Moines, Iowa 50319-0075
Requesting a Birth Record by Phone
Call the state Health Statistics office at (515) 281-4944. Their hours are
between 7:00 AM and 4:45 PM, Monday through Friday, except for Iowa�s
state-observed holidays.
You�ll hear a recording with instructions for applying by mail or in person and
finally by ordering with a credit card (acceptable cards are American Express,
Discover, MasterCard, and Visa). Choose the credit card option when prompted and
you will be connected to a health statistics operator who will take your
information and process your payment. Ordering by phone incurs an additional
$5.50 service fee. This is in addition to your birth record search fee and any
other charges. Phone orders take up to three weeks to process.
Because of the high call volume, you can expect a long wait before reaching an
operator � possibly over 20 minutes. You may not use credit cards for family
history requests. For family history requests, apply in person or by mail.
Birth Record Fees
Searching for a record costs $15 (this is a non-refundable fee) the search
includes one certified copy of the birth record - if it is located. Additional
copies of the same record are $15. Acceptable forms of payment include check or
money orders made payable to the issuing registrar�s office. The checks must be
drawn from the applicant�s checking account and all money orders must be in the
applicant�s name. In addition, all fees must be paid when applying for a birth
record.
Commemorative Birth Records
Iowa-born citizens can request commemorative certificates of their birth record
which makes a memorable keepsake or gift. Commemorative birth certificates
include parchment with gold foil borders and an image of the state capital of
Iowa. The personal information is in a beautiful calligraphy print and the
certificate is signed by the Governor of Iowa and the State Registrar. These
beautiful certificates are about 8 1/2 x 11 inches and are suitable for framing.
You can find an application for a commemorative birth certificate here: www.idph.state.ia.us/
You must fill the application out completely and have your signature notarized.
As with any birth certificate request, you must meet the same qualifications
(such as being an immediate family member or the person listed on the birth
record) to request a commemorative record. You can specify whether you wish to
pick up the certificate or have it mailed to you.
It takes about thirty days to process your application for an Iowa commemorative
birth certificate. Fill out an application, have your signature notarized,
attach your fees of $35 in the form of a check or money order, attach a legible
copy of your current, government-issued photo ID, and mail to:
Iowa Department of Public Health
Bureau of Vital Statistics
Lucas State Office Building, 1st Floor
Des Moines, Iowa 50319-0075
The $35 commemorative birth record fee includes the search for the record along
with one commemorative certificate. If the record is not located, you will
receive the record search results and a partial refund ($20). The Department of
Public Health keeps $15 as a search fee as required by statute. You can order
additional commemorative certificates for the same record on the same
application form. Each additional copy costs $35.
Interested in obtaining your birth certificate?
Here is a list of counties, offering information on who to contact, so that you can apply for your own birth certificate today:
Iowa:
Adair County Recorders
Greenfield, IA
515 - 743 - 2411
Adams County Recorder ~ http://www.adamscountyia.com/
Corning, IA
515 - 322 - 3744
Allamakee County Recorder
Waukon, IA
319 - 568 - 2364
Appanoose County Recorder
Centerville, IA
515 - 856 - 6103
Audubon County Recorder
Audubon, IA
712 - 563 - 2119
Benton County Clerk
Vinton, IA
319 - 472 - 3309
Black Hawk County Recorder ~ http://www.co.black-hawk.ia.us/depts/recorder.html
Waterloo, IA
319 - 291 - 2472
Boone County Recorder
Boone, IA
515 - 433 - 0514
Bremer County Recorder ~ http://www.co.bremer.ia.us/new/departments.htm
Waverly, IA
319 - 352 - 0401
Buchanan County Recorder
Independence, IA
319 - 334 - 4259
Buena Vista County Recorder ~ http://www.co.buena-vista.ia.us/recorder
Storm Lake, IA
712 - 749 - 2539
Butler County Recorder ~ http://www.butlercoiowa.org/clerkofcourt.htm
Allison, IA
319 - 267 - 2735
Calhoun County Recorder
Rockwell City, IA
712 - 297 - 8121
Carroll County Recorder ~ http://www.co.carroll.ia.us/PublicHealth/publichealth.htm
Carroll, IA
712 - 792 - 3328
Cass County Recorder
Atlantic, IA
712 - 243 - 1692
Cedar County Recorder
Tipton, IA
319 - 886 - 2230
Cerro Gordo County Recorder ~ http://www.co.cerro-gordo.ia.us/Recorder/
Mason City, IA
515 - 421 - 3056
Chickasaw County Recorder ~ http://www.chickasawcoia.org/Recorder/certifiedcopy.asp
New Hampton, IA
515 - 394 - 2336
Clay County Recorder ~ http://www.co.clay.ia.us/
Spencer, IA
712 - 262 - 1081
Clayton County Recorder
Elkader, IA
319 - 245 - 2710
Clinton County Recorder
Clinton, IA
319 - 244 - 0223
Crawford County Recorder
Dennison, IA
712 - 263 - 3643
Dallas County Recorder ~ http://www.co.dallas.ia.us/recorder/recorder.asp
Adel, IA
515 - 993 - 5804
Delaware County Recorder
Manchester, IA
319 - 927 - 4665
Des Moines County Recorder ~ http://www.co.des-moines.ia.us/Recorder/Vitals.asp
Burlington, IA
319 - 753 - 8221
Dickenson County Recorder ~ http://www.co.dickinson.ia.us/default.asp
Spirit Lake, IA
712 - 336 - 1495
Dubuque County Recorder ~ http://www.dubuquecounty.org/offices/recorder/vitals.html
Debuque, IA
319 - 589 - 4434
Emmet County Recorder
Esterville, IA
712 - 362 - 4115
Fayette County Recorder
West Union, IA
319 - 422 - 3687
Floyd County Recorder ~ http://www.floydcoia.org/departments/recorder/certifiedcopy.asp
Charles City, IA
515 - 257 - 6154
Franklin County Recorder
Hampton, IA
515 - 456 - 5675
Fremont County Recorder ~ http://www.co.fremont.ia.us/fremcorecdbirth.htm
Sidney, IA
712 - 374 - 2315
Greene County Recorder
Jefferson, IA
515 - 386 - 3716
Grundy County Recorder
Grundy Center, IA
319 - 824 - 3234
Guthrie County Recorder
Guthrie Center, IA
515 - 747 - 3412
Hamilton County Recorder
Webster City, IA
515 - 832 - 9535
Hancock County Recorder
Garner, IA
515 - 923 - 2464
Hardin County Recorder
Eldora, IA
515 - 939 - 8178
Harrison County Recorder ~ http://www.harrisoncountyia.org/recorder/index.html
Logan, IA
712 - 644 - 2545
Henry County Recorder ~ http://www.henrycountyiowa.us/Recorder.html
Mt. Pleasant, IA
319 - 385 - 0765
Humboldt County Recorder
Dakota City, IA
515 - 332 - 3693
Ida County Recorder
Ida Grove, IA
712 - 364 - 2220
Iowa County Recorder
Marengo, IA
319 - 642 - 3622
Jackson County Recorder
Maquoketa, IA
319 - 652 - 2504
Jasper County Recorder
Newton, IA
515 - 792 - 5442
Jefferson County Recorder
Fairfield, IA
515 - 472 - 4331
Kossuth County Recorder
Algona, IA
515 - 295 - 5660
Lee County Recorder ~ http://www.leecounty.org/Services/RecorderServices.htm
Fort Madison, IA
319 - 372 - 4662
Linn County Recorder
Cedar Rapids, IA
319 - 398 - 3441
Louisa County Recorder ~ http://www.louisacountyiowa.org/louisa/recorder/vitals.html
Wapello, IA
319 - 523 - 5361
Lucas County Recorder
Chariton, IA
515 - 774 - 2413
Lyon County Recorder
Rock Rapids, IA
712 - 472 - 2381
Madison County Recorder ~ http://www.madisoncoia.us/recorder/recorder.html
Winterset, IA
515 - 462 - 3771
Mahaska County Recorder
Oskaloosa, IA
515 - 673 - 8187
Marion County Recorder
Knoxville, IA
515 - 828 - 2211
Marshall County Recorder
Marshalltown, IA
515 - 754 - 6355
Mills County Recorder ~ http://www.millscoia.us/recorder/recorder.html
Glenwood, IA
712 - 527 - 9315
Mitchell County Recorder
Osage, IA
515 - 732 - 5861
Monona County Recorder
Onawa, IA
712 - 423 - 2575
Monroe County Recorder
Albia, IA
515 - 932 - 5164
Montgomery County Recorder
Red Oak, IA
712 - 623 - 4363
Muscatine County Recorder ~ http://www.co.muscatine.ia.us/departments/rec_vit.shtml
Muscatine, IA
319 - 263 - 7741
Obrien County Recorder
Primghar, IA
712 - 757 - 3045
Osceola County Recorder
Sibley, IA
712 - 754 - 3345
Page County Recorder
Clarinda, IA
712 - 542 - 3130
Palo Alto County Recorder
Emmetsburg, IA
712 - 852 - 3701
Plymouth County Recorder ~ http://www.co.plymouth.ia.us/recorder1.htm
Le Mars, IA
712 - 546 - 4020
Polk County Recorder ~ http://recorder.co.polk.ia.us/vitals.htm
Des Moines, IA
515 - 286 - 3160
Pottawattamie County Recorder ~ http://www.pottcounty.com/html/departments14c.shtml
Council Bluffs, IA
712 - 328 - 5612
Poweshiek County Recorder
Montezuma, IA
515 - 623 - 5434
Sac County Recorder ~ http://www.saccounty.org/recorder/index.asp
Sac City, IA
712 - 662 - 7789
Shelby County Recorder ~ http://www.shco.org/recorder.htm
Harlan, IA
712 - 755 - 5640
Sioux County Recorder ~ http://www.siouxcounty.org/recorder.htm
Orange City, IA
712 - 737 - 2229
Story County Recorder ~ http://www.storycounty.com/index.aspx?DN=22,6,1,Documents
Nevada, IA
515 - 382 - 7230
Tama County Recorder ~ http://www.tamacounty.org/
Toledo, IA
515 - 484 - 3320
Wapello County Recorder
Ottumwa, IA
515 - 683 - 0045
Warren County Recorder ~ http://www.co.warren.ia.us/Recorder/vitals.htm
Indianola, IA
515 - 961 - 1089
Washington County Recorder
Washington, IA
319 - 653 - 7727
Webster County Recorder ~ http://webstercountyia.org/
Fort Dodge, IA
515 - 576 - 2401
Winnebago County Recorder
Forest City, IA
515 - 582 - 2094
Winnesheik County Recorder
Decorah, IA
319 - 382 - 3486
Woodbury County Recorder ~ http://www.woodbury-ia.com/departments/Recorder/
Sioux City, IA
712 - 279 - 6528
Worth County Recorder
Northwood, IA
515 - 324 - 2734
Wright County Recorder ~ http://www.wrightcounty.org/recorder.htm
Clarion, IA
515 - 532 - 3204
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