Frequently Asked Questions

An individual who has filed a complete application for a copy of a vital record can authorize another person to pick up the record on his or her behalf. To do so, the applicant should sign a notarized letter, stating the name of the person listed on the vital record and the name of the individual who is picking up the record. The individual picking up the record must present this letter along with an acceptable form of identification. 

An ex-spouse can only obtain birth or death records if the records are being obtained on behalf of a minor child that was the product of the marriage. Documentary proof of the minor child and the need for the certificate must be provided. 

Stepparents can only obtain a certified copy of the birth certificate of a stepchild with the authorization of the biological parent, unless the stepparent has adopted the child or has been granted custody of the child. 

An attorney can only obtain records on behalf of a client. The attorney must show proof of being the legal representative of the client and may only obtain the same type of copy of a vital record that the client is eligible to receive. An attorney is not granted certified copies of vital records solely on the basis of being an attorney. 

Yes. However, if the foreign country is a member of the Hague Treaty, the record must also contain an Apostille Seal. You can contact the consulate of that country to determine if it is a member of the Hague Treaty or obtain other specific requirements. 

Certified copies of Vital Records issued by a local Registrar CANNOT be used to obtain an Apostille Seal. You must purchase a copy of your vital record from the State of New Jersey Office of Vital Statistics and Registry and indicate on your application that it is needed for Apostille Seal. You will receive a certified copy which you must forward to the Department of Treasury requesting an Apostille Seal. 

A No Match statement means the information you provided does not exactly match a record on file. Verify the information you provided. Submit a new application for the record with the corrected information. Your new application must include the required identification and fees. 

A No Record statement means that there is no record on file that corresponds to the information you provided. Verify the information you provided. If the information you originally gave is correct, you can request to file a delayed report be placed on file. More information on delayed reports of birth can be found under the Birth Records portion of the FAQ’s, more information on delayed reports of marriage can be found under the Marriage Records portion of the FAQ’s.

No. Vital records require the raised seal of the local office of vital records or the Office of Vital Statistics and Registry seal to be considered valid. It is the administrative policy of the State Registrar that records are not faxed for any reason.

In order to be processed your application must contain all required items. To find the required information, you may wish to check census records, newspaper archives at the local library, the federal social security death index or hire an investigator. If after exhausting all alternatives you are still unable to supply the required items you will need to obtain a court order directing the Office of Vital Statistics and Registry to issue the copy.

No.