North Carolina Birth Certificate Records

North Carolina keeps birth records dating back to 1913 through its statewide vital records system. The state Office of Vital Records in Raleigh holds these files, and each of the 100 county Register of Deeds offices keeps local copies as well. Residents and eligible family members can request certified birth certificates by mail, online, or in person. This guide covers how to search for and order North Carolina birth records through every available channel. Whether you need a certified copy for a passport, school enrollment, or family history research, this page walks you through the full process.

How to Order North Carolina Birth Records

There are three ways to get a certified birth certificate in North Carolina. You can order through the NC Office of Vital Records, visit your county Register of Deeds for a birth record copy, or use VitalChek online. Each path leads to the same result: a certified copy of your North Carolina birth certificate with the State Registrar's raised seal and signature.

Mail orders for North Carolina birth records go to the state office in Raleigh. You must send a completed form along with a money order, certified check, or business check for $24. Personal checks are not accepted by mail. Cash is only taken for in-person visits at the vital records office. Online payments for birth certificate copies must go through VitalChek, which adds a $13.95 processing fee on top of the $24 search fee. Under NCGS 130A-93.1, the $24 fee covers one search of a three-year period and one certified copy if a birth record is found. Each extra copy of the same North Carolina birth certificate costs $15.

The North Carolina Office of Vital Records portal shown below is the starting point for all state-level birth certificate orders.

This screenshot shows the main portal where applicants begin the ordering process for certified copies.

When you order a North Carolina birth certificate by mail, include the full name on the record, both parents' full names, date of birth, and place of birth. You also need to state your relationship to the person named on the birth record. Per NCGS 130A-101, all births in North Carolina must be filed with the local registrar within five days. That filing creates the vital record you are requesting.

Note: The $24 search fee charged by North Carolina Vital Records is not refundable, even if no matching birth record is found in the system.

Birth Certificate Eligibility in North Carolina

Not everyone can get a certified copy of a North Carolina birth certificate. NCGS 130A-93(c) limits access to specific people. You can request your own birth record. Your spouse, siblings, parents, grandparents, and children can also request certified copies. Stepparents and stepchildren qualify too. Beyond family, a person who needs the vital record for a legal determination of personal or property rights may apply. An authorized agent, attorney, or legal representative acting on behalf of any eligible person can also place the birth certificate request.

The NC Vital Records FAQ page spells out these rules in full detail.

This page lists acceptable forms of identification and answers common questions about who can request copies.

Vital records in North Carolina are not public records. Access to birth certificates is restricted by state law. You cannot simply look up anyone's North Carolina birth record without proving your right to it.

North Carolina Birth Records ID Rules

Every North Carolina birth certificate request must include proof of identity. The state requires a legible photocopy of a valid photo ID with all birth record applications. Requests without proper ID will be sent back. This rule helps prevent identity theft and fraud.

North Carolina accepts several primary IDs for birth record requests. These include a current state driver's license, state-issued non-driver photo ID, passport or visa, U.S. military ID, Department of Corrections photo ID dated within the last year, a state or federal government agency photo ID, or a student ID paired with a transcript copy. If you lack a primary ID for your birth certificate order, you may submit two different secondary forms instead. Those include a temporary driver's license, current utility bill, car registration or title, bank statement, pay stub, W-2 form, a letter from a government agency dated within six months, or a state concealed weapon permit.

Note: Your ID address must match the address on your request form when using a driver's license.

Birth Certificate Fees and Costs

The North Carolina Vital Records fee schedule sets clear prices for all birth certificate services.

This page from the North Carolina vital records site breaks down every fee tied to birth certificate orders.

A standard North Carolina birth record search costs $24 and covers one three-year period. If the state finds your record, they include one certified copy of the birth certificate. Additional copies cost $15 each. Expedited processing adds another $15 and is also nonrefundable. Amending a North Carolina birth certificate costs $39, which includes the search and one certified copy of the amended record if approved. Legitimation requests cost $15 for processing, plus $24 for the first birth certificate copy and $15 for each extra copy. Paternity additions follow the same fee structure. The administrative rules under 10A NCAC 41H govern these North Carolina vital records charges.

The administrative code shown here provides the legal basis for fees charged by the NC Office of Vital Records.

Processing Times for Birth Records

Current wait times for North Carolina birth records are long. Due to increased demand from REAL ID requirements, the state office reports processing times of 110 to 115 business days for birth certificates ordered in 2025. That is roughly five to six months of waiting. Expedited birth certificate orders move faster but still take weeks.

In-person visits to the North Carolina vital records office are available by appointment only. The Raleigh office sees visitors Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Each appointment lasts 30 minutes, and the last slot each day is 2:30 p.m. Cash payments are accepted only for in-person birth record orders.

The state ordering page above describes all three methods for requesting a certified birth certificate copy.

County Register of Deeds offices across North Carolina can often fill birth record requests faster than the state. Under NCGS 130A-99, each county must file and preserve copies of birth certificates. Many county offices process birth certificate requests the same day or within a few business days. If time is a concern, visiting your local North Carolina Register of Deeds may be a better option for obtaining certified copies.

Note: County birth certificate fees in North Carolina may differ from state fees, so check with your local Register of Deeds before visiting.

Amending a North Carolina Birth Certificate

After a North Carolina birth certificate is accepted for registration by the State Registrar, it cannot be changed except through the state vital records office. NCGS 130A-118 gives the State Registrar authority to amend birth certificates when proper evidence is provided. The North Carolina change a record page walks you through every step.

This state page details the forms, fees, and evidence needed to amend a birth certificate.

The North Carolina birth certificate amendment fee is $39, which is nonrefundable. This covers the birth record search and processing of your application. If approved, one certified copy of the amended certificate is included. Requests submitted to either the state vital records office or a Register of Deeds should be processed within 30 calendar days after the office receives the completed application with notarization, supporting evidence, and payment. A field that has already been changed once cannot be modified again without a court order.

Court-ordered name changes on a North Carolina birth certificate require you to mail a completed Birth Certificate Modification Application along with a certified copy of the court order. Removing a parent from a birth record always requires a court order. A DNA test alone is not enough under current North Carolina law. When a mother is married at the time of conception or birth, adding a different biological father also requires a court order that finds the husband is not the child's father.

Adoption Birth Records in North Carolina

North Carolina issues new birth certificates after adoption. The process starts when the Clerk of Superior Court grants adoption and sends a certified court order to the NC Division of Social Services. That agency then sends a report to the North Carolina Office of Vital Records, which prepares the new birth certificate. Under NCGS 48-9-107, the new certificate of birth shows the child's adoptive name, sex, state and date of birth, and the adoptive parents' names.

The adoptions page has all the forms and steps.

This page outlines the full adoption birth certificate process from court order through certificate issuance.

Only certain people can request an adoptee's North Carolina birth certificate. The adoptee, their children, adoptive parents, and the adoptee's spouse, brothers, and sisters may request certified copies. Under North Carolina law, "parent" and "sibling" refer only to adoptive relatives. Original birth records showing the birth mother's name are sealed and can only be opened by court order. Adoption birth certificate fees include $15 for processing under 10A NCAC 41H .0704 and $24 for the search and first certified copy. New adoption orders must not go through VitalChek. They require the special Adoptions Processing Form.

For out-of-state adoptions, you or your attorney must send the certified court order to the North Carolina vital records office directly. The Division of Social Services does not forward out-of-state orders. For children born in foreign countries, North Carolina creates a Certificate of Identification for Child of Foreign Birth under NCGS 130A-108 rather than a standard birth certificate.

Legitimation is a separate process under North Carolina vital records law. It applies when a biological father marries the mother after a child is born. A new birth certificate may then show the father's name. The child's last name can be changed to the father's surname if both parents agree and request it on the birth record.

Genealogical Research with NC Birth Records

The North Carolina vital records office is not the best first stop for family history research. They charge $24 per name for each three-year period searched, and the fee applies whether or not a birth record turns up. The North Carolina genealogical research page suggests starting with county birth records or the State Archives instead.

The research page above explains how to approach birth record searches for family history purposes.

Official birth registration in North Carolina began on October 1, 1913. For births before that date, the State Archives Bible Records collection is a key resource for North Carolina birth records. This collection holds copies of family information pages from privately owned Bibles, arranged by surname. The State Archives of North Carolina welcomes donations of pre-1913 family birth records to help fill gaps in the historical record.

The Bible Records collection at the State Archives helps fill gaps for births that took place before 1913.

The State Archives in Raleigh holds a wide range of historical documents beyond vital records.

Delayed birth certificates are another tool for genealogists researching North Carolina birth records. Under NCGS 130A-104, a person whose birth was never registered can file a delayed certificate of birth. These vital records carry the same legal weight as birth certificates filed within the original five-day window. People born in North Carolina who are over one year old and have no birth certificate may file a special proceeding before the Clerk of Superior Court under NCGS 130A-106.

Note: Adoptee birth records in North Carolina are sealed by law and are not available for public genealogical research without a court order.

Ordering Birth Certificates Through VitalChek

VitalChek is the only vendor authorized to process remote orders for state-issued certified birth certificates in North Carolina. The online form for North Carolina birth records takes about 5 to 10 minutes to fill out. VitalChek uses LexisNexis to validate your identity electronically, which means you may not need to mail a photocopy of your ID with your birth certificate request.

The VitalChek portal accepts credit cards and personal checks for North Carolina birth certificate orders.

VitalChek accepts all major credit cards and personal checks for North Carolina birth certificate orders. The service adds a $13.95 nonrefundable processing fee on top of the state's $24 birth record search fee. After your request clears validation, the North Carolina vital records office prints and ships the certified copy directly to you. This option works well for people who cannot visit a county office or mail documents to Raleigh.

North Carolina Vital Records Offices

The Office of Vital Records operates under the NC Division of Public Health, which is part of the NC Department of Health and Human Services. Chapter 130A of the NC General Statutes contains the vital records statutes that set out the legal framework for birth certificate registration, access, and amendments across North Carolina.

The Division of Public Health oversees the state's vital records system and sets policy for all 100 counties.

NCDHHS is the parent agency for the Division of Public Health and the Office of Vital Records.

Browse North Carolina Birth Records by County

Each of North Carolina's 100 counties has a Register of Deeds office that handles birth certificate requests. County offices often process orders faster than the state and may offer same-day service for in-person visits.

View All 100 Counties

Birth Records in Major North Carolina Cities

City residents order birth certificates through their county's Register of Deeds office. The six largest cities in North Carolina are listed below with links to local birth record details.

View Major North Carolina Cities