Durham County (NC) Birth Certificate Online

How to Get a Certified Birth Certificate in Durham County (NC)

To order an authorized copy of a Durham County, (NC) birth certificate:

1. Fill out the birth certificate application (available by clicking the button at the top of this page) with the required information
2. Print and sign it in the presence of a notary public
3. Mail it to the California vital records office with the necessary requirements, a prepaid self-addressed envelope, and payment (as detailed in the personalized instructions you will receive)

Your certified copy will be issued and sent by mail to the address printed on your self-addressed postage-paid envelope.

Copies of Durham County Birth and Death Certificates may be ordered by mailing your application package to the following address:

North Carolina Vital Records Office
1903 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1900

Citizens of the rest of Durham County who would prefer to submit their birth certificate application in person, may do so at the following address during walk-in hours —although this usually entails waiting in line:

Durham County Register of Deeds Office
201 East Main Street, Administration Bldg. II
Durham, NC 27701.

Please note that As of May 7, 2025, U.S. citizens and residents must have a REAL ID-compliant driving license or ID card to enter federal facilities and board commercial aircrafts. Requirements to obtain a REAL ID may include proof of identity, such as a certified copy of the birth certificate.

Durham County birth certificate requirements

To get a certified copy of a Durham County, NC birth certificate, you will need to complete the online birth certificate application with the following personal data:

• Full name (as it would appear on the certificate)
• Date of birth
• Mother’s name or parent’s name prior to first marriage
• Father’s name or parent’s name prior to first marriage

Applicants submitting their birth certificate application by mail may be asked to sign the application form in the presence of a notary public as well as providing a sworn statement.

Citizens filing their Durham County birth certificate application in person may be required to sign their form in the clerk’s presence upon arrival eliminating the need to have it notarized.

Citizens applying for a certified copy of a Durham County birth certificate need to prove their identity and that they are over 18 years old.

Proof of identity can be provided using any of the following documents:

• State of North Carolina Driver’s License
• State of North Carolina ID Card
• Driver’s license issued by another U.S. State, jurisdiction or territory state-issued
• Photo State Identification Card issued by another U.S. State, jurisdiction or territory
• U.S. Passport or foreign issued

Who is eligible to apply

An official copy of a Durham County (NC) birth certificate can be ordered by:

• The subject of a birth certificate (the person whose birth is recorded in the certificate)
• The father, mother, or stepparent of the birth certificate’s subject
• The child of the person the birth certificate refers to
• The spouse of the person the birth certificate refers to
• The sibling of the birth certificate’s subject
• The grandparent or grandchild of the person named on the record
• The subject’s legal guardian
• The legal representative of a person eligible to obtain the certificate
• An individual seeking information for legal determination of personal or property rights.
• An individual whose right to access the birth certificate has been established by a court of law

Please note that the documentation that must be presented alongside the Durham County birth certificate application may vary depending on the person requesting the vital record.

How to Request an Apostille for a Durham County (NC) Birth Certificate

If you need to use your birth certificate outside the U.S territory, your document should bear an apostille to grant it legal validity abroad.

This can be obtained by mail. Simply send your official birth certificate, together with the apostille fee to the Secretary of State’s office in a self-addressed postage-paid envelope. Make sure to have Certificate of Authentication Request at hand. Certain counties may have additional requirements.

North Carolina Authentications Unit address:

Department of the Secretary of State
Office of Authentications
2 S Salisbury St,
Raleigh, NC 27601

North Carolina Authentications unit PO BOX:

Office of Authentications
PO Box 29622
Raleigh. NC 27626-0622

Durham County (NC) Birth Certificate Processing Times

In most cases, your Durham County birth certificate order will be filled within 5 weeks. However, some vital records may take longer due to peak demand periods.

You will then receive your certified copy of the Durham County, North Carolina (NC) birth certificate by post, delivered right to your door.

Once you have mailed the application, along with a copy of a photo ID and the fees, the vital records office will process your request.

Rush service for Durham County birth certificate orders is available for an additional fee of $30. In this case, your expedited birth certificate will be delivered within approximately to 10-15 days.

North Carolina Vital Records Office

The following is a complete list of Vital Records and Public Health offices that can provide birth certificate copies in North Carolina .

Keep in mind that the Durham County Clerk’s office may sometimes process requests faster than the state vital records office.

Regardless of whether the birth certificate you require is found or not, a non-refundable search fee will be charged.