How to Order Death and Birth RecordsHow to Order Death and Birth Records
Please note: The current response time for research and copy orders is approximately six weeks. Orders for documents required in active court cases or for the health, safety or welfare of persons can be prioritized.
Death Records
The Maryland State Archives is pleased to announce that our digital initiative http://mdvitalrec.net is online and that the Reference Department is now accepting orders for genealogical and legal purposes from the County Death Record Indexes, 1898-1944 and Baltimore City, 1875-1972. For more information and ordering instructions, please read the introductory statement on the first page of the system. Please note: Although the online index only goes to the years 1972 for Baltimore City and 1944 for the counties, the Maryland State Archives is in possession of death records up to the year 2001 and can complete requests up to that year.
Please send requests to:
Maryland State Archives
350 Rowe Blvd.
Annapolis, MD 21401
fax: 410-974-2525
e-mail: ref@mdsa.net
Orders for death records must include the decedent's name, date of death (at least a month and year), location of death (a county or city in Maryland), your own contact information and payment.
Death certificates cost $25.00. All copies are certified.
Please keep in mind that all copy and research fees http://guide.mdsa.net/viewer.cfm?page=placeorder are non-refundable, even if no information is found. However, we will mail you a report on the search and suggestions for further research. We will also determine what agency may hold the records you need and will advise, providing you with contact information.
For death certificates after the year 2001 please contact the Department of Health & Mental Hygiene:
Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Division of Vital Records
Reisterstown Plaza, 6550 Reisterstown Road
Baltimore, MD 21215
Phone: 410-764-3038 (recording 24 hours, with menu options)
TTY/Maryland Relay Service: 800-735-2258
Fax: 410-358-0738
Web site: http://www.vsa.state.md.us/
Birth Records
The State Archives cannot provide any copies of birth certificates after the year 1924. Birth certificates from 1925 to the present are only available from the Department of Health & Mental Hygiene:
Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Division of Vital Records
Reisterstown Plaza, 6550 Reisterstown Road
Baltimore, MD 21215
Phone: 410-764-3038 (recording 24 hours, with menu options)
TTY/Maryland Relay Service: 800-735-2258
Fax: 410-358-0738
Web site: http://www.vsa.state.md.us/
Birth Records are restricted for 100 years. There are no restrictions on ordering birth records over 100 years old.
Please note that modern birth certificates begin only in 1875 in Baltimore City and in 1898 for the rest of the state. Incomplete birth records from the colonial period to 1884, taken from church and civil sources, exist prior to these modern birth certificates, but are not in any way comprehensive. The Archives can search for and, if available, provide copies from these early records, providing that a specific church or county circuit court and year is given. General searches in one or more counties or across multiple years cannot be performed. For such searches please consult the list of Genealogists & Researchers. Locating these early records without a specific citation requires payment of the standard research fee of $25.00 per record.
Birth certificates cost $25.00. All copies are certified.
Please send requests to:
Maryland State Archives
350 Rowe Blvd.
Annapolis, MD 21401
fax: 410-974-2525
e-mail: ref@mdsa.net
Orders for birth records prior to 1925, and less than 100 years old, must include proper identification (power of attorney, proof of guardianship, or proof of death), showing your right to access these restricted records. In addition, birth record orders must contain the subject's name,parents' name, date of birth (at least a month and year), location of birth (a county or city in Maryland), your own contact information and payment.
Please keep in mind that all copy and research fees http://guide.mdsa.net/viewer.cfm?page=placeorder are non-refundable, even if no information is found. However, we will mail you a report on the search and suggestions for further research. We will also determine what agency may hold the records you need and will advise, providing you with contact information.
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