If you or someone in your family was born in the nation's capital, Washington DC, there are proper procedures that get you access to the District of Columbia public records more efficiently and in a timely manner. Like all the fifty states in the country, the District of Columbia treats its residents' vital information with a great deal of respect and caution. That is why even though these types of documents are open to the public, in accordance to the Freedom of Information Act; necessary steps must still be taken before an individual can obtain a certified copy of any public document.
Washington DC's Vital Records Division is the main agency that has the capacity to disseminate birth and death certificates to the public. If you wish to acquire your own records, this is the office where you will submit your request. Under the DC Department of Health, the Vital Records Division maintains a huge database of births and death reports from August of 1874 up to the present. But agency policy prevents any individual from accessing third party birth certificates that are less than a hundred years old. Death reports filed within the last fifty years are also closed to the general public. Only the next of kin and authorized individuals have access to these documents.
To obtain a certified copy of a birth certificate or a death report, you must complete the appropriate request form, which can be obtained in person at the office of the Vital Records Division or via online download at the District of Columbia Department of Health's official website. Just look for a link labeled "Vital Records" on the website's homepage. In the vital records page, you will find a downloadable PDF application, as well as additional information regarding the proper procedures, requirements and application fees.
On the other hand, if you are interested in marriage certificates and divorce decrees, the Vital Records Division unfortunately has no authority to disclose these types of documents. The DC Superior Court is the main entity that houses and disseminates these kinds of files. Requesting access to a marriage certificate or a divorce decree will require a different kind of application form, which you can pick up at the district court offices. You can also download the form in PDF format at their website. This is also where marriage licenses can be requested, for those of you who are planning to get married in Washington DC.
There is, however, an alternative source of vital documents that is much more convenient and practical, especially for those performing background checks. If you are running a public records search online, there are several data retrieval websites that cater to your specific needs. All it requires is a one-time membership fee and you are free to do as many record searches as you want. With an extensive database of vital records, from Alabama to Wyoming, including the District of Columbia and the nation's territories from Guam to the Virgin Islands, you will never have to visit multiple websites or contact a variety of offices and entities to gather the information you need.
Washington DC's Vital Records Division is the main agency that has the capacity to disseminate birth and death certificates to the public. If you wish to acquire your own records, this is the office where you will submit your request. Under the DC Department of Health, the Vital Records Division maintains a huge database of births and death reports from August of 1874 up to the present. But agency policy prevents any individual from accessing third party birth certificates that are less than a hundred years old. Death reports filed within the last fifty years are also closed to the general public. Only the next of kin and authorized individuals have access to these documents.
To obtain a certified copy of a birth certificate or a death report, you must complete the appropriate request form, which can be obtained in person at the office of the Vital Records Division or via online download at the District of Columbia Department of Health's official website. Just look for a link labeled "Vital Records" on the website's homepage. In the vital records page, you will find a downloadable PDF application, as well as additional information regarding the proper procedures, requirements and application fees.
On the other hand, if you are interested in marriage certificates and divorce decrees, the Vital Records Division unfortunately has no authority to disclose these types of documents. The DC Superior Court is the main entity that houses and disseminates these kinds of files. Requesting access to a marriage certificate or a divorce decree will require a different kind of application form, which you can pick up at the district court offices. You can also download the form in PDF format at their website. This is also where marriage licenses can be requested, for those of you who are planning to get married in Washington DC.
There is, however, an alternative source of vital documents that is much more convenient and practical, especially for those performing background checks. If you are running a public records search online, there are several data retrieval websites that cater to your specific needs. All it requires is a one-time membership fee and you are free to do as many record searches as you want. With an extensive database of vital records, from Alabama to Wyoming, including the District of Columbia and the nation's territories from Guam to the Virgin Islands, you will never have to visit multiple websites or contact a variety of offices and entities to gather the information you need.
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