There will be several occasions in your lifetime when you will need an official copy of your birth certificate, such as for school enrollment or for Social Security benefits. One of those VIP documents that should always be readily accessible, a birth certificate may also be the one most often misfiled, misplaced or lost. Fortunately, it is not difficult to get official certified copies of birth certificates from the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Records.

Where to Get a Replacement

Pennsylvania provides three options for replacing birth certificates registered since 1906: online, in person or by mail. Full instructions for all three options are provided at the Division of Vital Records website listed under Resources at the end of this article. An online application can be downloaded, paid for by credit card and submitted through the website. This method takes three to five business days to process and is not available for genealogy purposes, any reason or relationship not listed in the drop-down menu, or births that occurred in another country that have been registered in Pennsylvania. You may submit an application in person at any one of six locations nearest you: Erie, Harrisburg, New Castle, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh or Scranton. Check the Blue Pages of your telephone directory or call toll free at 1-877-724-3258 for the telephone numbers and addresses. Requests by mail will take the longest amount of time, requiring as much as three weeks from the time the application form is received at the processing center. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to download and print the by-mail request form. Be sure to include a self-addressed, stamped envelope when you mail the completed application to the address provided below.

Cost

The fee for each certified copy of a birth certificate is $10 plus shipping. Payments for in-person or by-mail processing must be by check or money order payable to "Vital Records." Online standard shipping is by U.S. Postal Service Air for an additional $8 per transaction. An option for regular mail delivery is available in the Shipping Options drop-down menu. Making that change of shipping is necessary to avoid the air-delivery charge to credit card payment.

Source:

Birth Certificate Today

Vital Check