Birth Certificates

Birth certificates for newborns are required throughout the United States and most countries internationally. It is one of those last minute details that can easily be overlooked, but thankfully, if your baby is born in a hospital, the nursing staff is apt to help you fill out the necessary form prior to being released from the hospital.

Purpose of Birth Certificates

Birth certificates are legal documents filed with the state. They are required in the issuance of social security cards, driver’s license, and passports, and are often required to enroll children into the public school system. Since birth certificates normally include the mother’s maiden name, they are also invaluable tools to genealogists, who use them to track family trees.

Doing the Paperwork

In most cases, if your baby is born in a hospital, the hospital will provide you with the forms necessary to obtain a certified birth certificate. The state may also require you to pay a small fee to receive a certified copy for your records. If your child is born at home, contact your state’s Department of Vital Statistics for registration instructions. In many cases, the state requires the parents to complete the birth certificate within the first few days or weeks after the birth of a baby. This is one reason it is a good idea to have some baby names in mind prior to the birth of your baby.

The information included on birth certificates varies from state to state but in general will include:

• Child’s full name
• Legal names of both parents and mother’s maiden name
• Place of birth
• Date and time of birth
• Gender
• Registration number (this is not a federal social security number, but a number issued by the state.)

Once the birth certificate registration is filled out, it is sent to a state agency. The agency will then send the parent a certified copy of the birth certificate. In the event the original certified copy is lost, a new one can be requested for a small fee.

Vital Statistics Offices Nationwide

Check here for the contact information for your state.

Storing the Certificate

While many parents like to frame their child’s birth certificate, it is a better idea to keep it in a safe deposit box of a fireproof box. Remember, this is a legal document that your child will need throughout his life. If it is lost, stolen, or destroyed, you will have to go through the cost and effort to have it replaced. A copy of the certificate can always be used for decorative purposes while the original is kept safely stored away.

Birth Certificate Keepsakes

Traditionally, birth certificate keepsakes have been considered excellent baby shower gifts. For example:

• Birth Certificate Holder is a terrific way from mom to store the baby’s birth certificate rolled up safely in a decorative tube.
• Birth Certificate Frames
• Heirloom birth certificates are available in many states for an additional fee. For example, see the Washington heirloom birth certificate.

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