Birth & Death CertificatesEffective July 1, 2019 changes to the Vermont statutes will enhance the safety and security of birth and death certificates. These changes were made to protect against misuse of these legal documents and reduce the potential for identity theft. Additionally, the changes intend to streamline the statewide system for creating, storing and tracking birth and death certificates. Under Act 46, certified copies of birth and death certificates can be obtained from any town, regardless of whether the birth or death occurred there, or where the person was a resident. Fees: $10:00 Certified copies, $1.00 Informational copies To pay for your certificate online - click here and choose "PAY YOUR BILL ONLINE" then choose birth or death certificates. If you are in need of assistance or are missing information please call our office or email and we are happy to help. Vital Records Application Form What You Need to Know
Authorized Persons List Only certain persons are eligible for a certified copy of a birth or death certificate. These include: • the registrant or his or her spouse, child, parent, sibling, grandparent, or guardian; • a person petitioning to open a decedent’s estate; • a court-appointed executor or administrator; • or the legal representative of any of these; • a specific person pursuant to a court order finding that a non-certified copy is not sufficient for the applicant’s legal purpose and that a certified copy of the birth or death certificate is needed for the determination or protection of a person’s right; or in the case of a death certificate only, additionally to: • the individual with authority for final disposition as provided in section 5227 or a funeral home or crematorium acting on the individual’s behalf; • the Social Security Administration; • U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs; or • the deceased’s insurance carrier
Acceptable Forms of Identification for Obtaining Certified Copies of Vital Records In accordance with Vital Records rule, Subchapter 7, Section 4.0, in order to obtain a certified copy of a birth or death certificate, an applicant is required to provide a valid government-issued identification document or two alternate forms of identification and must present the identification at time of signing the Vermont application for a certified copy of a birth or death certificate. The Vital Records Office may request additional evidence as necessary for the positive identification of an applicant. ONE of the following forms of government-issued identification are acceptable: • United States issued Driver’s License or Identification card; • United States Territories Driver’s License or Identification card; • Tribal Identification Card that contains bearer’s signature; • U.S. Military Identification Card that contains the bearer’s signature; 8 • Passport issued by the United States, or by a foreign country recognized by the United States government; • Visa issued by the United States and that is included within a Passport and the bearer’s signature is on the passport and not on the Visa; • U.S. Resident Alien Card, as known as a U.S. Green Card or the U.S. Permanent Resident Card (Form I-1551); or • U.S. Employment Authorization Document/Card (Form I-765). The following forms of “alternate means of identification” are acceptable:
TWO of the following forms of ID with accompanying documents: • Employment Identification Card with photo, accompanied by a pay stub or U.S. Internal Revenue W-2 form; • School, university, college identification card with photo, accompanied by a report card or other proof of current school enrollment; • U. S. Bureau of Prisons identification card, accompanied by probation documents or discharge papers; • Social Security/Medicare Card that contains the bearer’s signature; • Pilot’s License; • Car registration or title with current address; • U.S. Selective Service Card; • Voter’s Registration Card; • Filed Federal tax form that contains current address and signatures; • Bank statement or utility bill (gas, water, electric, sewer, phone) with current address; or • U.S. or state court documents with current address.
Alternate Means for Obtaining a Certified Copy Mail: If you are requesting a certified copy of a birth or death certificate via the mail, you must submit a completed application form and a photocopy of a valid government identification and payment via money order or our online payment portal. The application will be reviewed to ensure it meets all the criteria listed above. If the application is incomplete, it will be rejected, and the applicant would be referred to the Vital Records Office with any questions or appeals. Please send applications to:
City of Saint Albans City Clerk's Office
100 North Main Street
Saint Albans, VT 05478
Email: If you are requesting a certified copy of a birth or death certificate via email, you must submit a completed application form and a scanned copy of a valid government identification and payment via our online portal. The application will be reviewed to ensure it meets all the criteria listed above. If the application is incomplete, it will be rejected, and the applicant would be referred to the Vital Records Office with any questions or appeals. Please send information to the City Clerk, Nicole Robtoy, N.Robtoy@stalbansvt.com
Contact Vermont Vital Records Vermont Department of Health 108 Cherry Street, PO Box 70 Burlington, VT 05402 (P) 802.863.7275 (F) 802.651.1787
Public Resources Statewide Public Search Index: https://secure.vermont.gov/VSARA/vitalrecords/search-tool.php Link to Vital Records Ordering Service: https://secure.vermont.gov/VSARA/vitalrecords/ Some vital record information is available online. If you are doing genealogy or family research, visit the Secretary of State's Vital Records Page: Vermont Secretary of State - Vital Records |
