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Birth certificate in Indiana

Step-by-step guide to ordering a certified birth certificate for an event that occurred in Indiana.

Who issues birth certificates in Indiana

Certified birth certificates for events that occurred in Indiana are issued by the Indiana State Department of Health, Vital Records. The office holds a centralized registry going back to 1907, the year statewide registration of births began. For events before that year, you will usually need to contact the county where the event occurred or the State Archives.

State officeIndiana State Department of Health, Vital Records
Address2 N. Meridian St, Indianapolis, IN 46204
Phone(317) 233-2700
Websitehttps://www.in.gov/health/vital-records/
Typical turnaround6-8 weeks by mail
Records since1907

Current fees

  • Birth records: $10
  • Death records: $8
  • Marriage records: contact circuit court clerk
  • Divorce records: contact circuit court clerk

Fees change. Always confirm the current amount on the official agency page before mailing payment. Most state offices accept money orders and cashier's checks; many accept credit cards for online and in-person orders.

Eligibility — who can order

Certified copies of Indiana birth certificates are restricted records. The following parties are typically eligible to order without additional documentation:

  • The person named on the certificate (the registrant), once they reach legal age.
  • The registrant's parents, legal guardians, and adult children.
  • The registrant's spouse and grandparents.
  • A legal representative acting under a court order or valid power of attorney.
  • Government agencies acting in an official capacity (Social Security Administration, US Department of State for passports, state driver-licensing agencies for REAL ID).

Distant relatives, friends, and unrelated third parties generally cannot order a recent certified copy. Older birth records (typically 75-100 years and older) may be reclassified as public and become available to genealogists; check with the office for the exact threshold.

For a deeper comparison of acceptable photo-ID alternatives — particularly useful when an ID has expired or you have only secondary documents — see this independent ID-substitution checklist .

How to order

By mail

Download the office's application form from https://www.in.gov/health/vital-records/, complete it in full, attach a clear photocopy of an acceptable photo ID, and mail it with a money order or cashier's check for the fee to:

Indiana State Department of Health, Vital Records
2 N. Meridian St, Indianapolis, IN 46204

Include a self-addressed stamped envelope only if the office's instructions request one; many offices use their own outbound mailing system at no extra cost.

In person

Most state vital records offices offer walk-in service during business hours at the address above. In-person service is the fastest mail-route alternative — often same-day. Bring an acceptable photo ID, the completed application, and the fee in cash or card (some offices do not accept personal checks at the counter).

Online

Indiana partners with VitalChek as its approved online vendor for expedited orders. Online ordering adds a service fee on top of the state fee and a shipping charge for overnight delivery, but it can shave weeks off the wait when you need a record in a hurry. Always start at the official agency page (https://www.in.gov/health/vital-records/) and follow its link out to VitalChek; do not respond to unsolicited search ads from look-alike sites.

If you are gathering this birth certificate as part of a larger genealogy project, this US family-history research walkthrough covers complementary record sets (census, military, immigration) that pair well with vital records.

Processing time

The published turnaround for standard mail orders to the Indiana State Department of Health, Vital Records is 6-8 weeks by mail. Add 5-10 business days for delivery in each direction. In-person and approved online orders are almost always faster. If your need is urgent — a passport appointment, a closing date, an immigration filing — order in person if you can travel to the office, or use the approved online vendor with overnight delivery.

County offices in Indiana

You can also request informational copies of older birth certificates from the county where the event occurred. The most populous Indiana counties:

Don't pay twice. If a non-government search site asks for a fee just to "look up" a Indiana birth certificate, walk away. The fee schedule above is the only fee the issuing office charges, and it includes the search.