Order Your Washington (WA) Birth Certificate Online
If you were born in the state of Washington and need a copy of your certificate, you can quickly apply for one online. All you have to do is complete an online application with your personal details.
Legal Disclaimer: Usbirthcertificates is a privately owned website that is not affiliated with, not owned or operated by any government agency. Usbirthcertificates is an independent preparer that provides vital records application preparation assistance services. If you are looking for blank forms, you can get them for free at the relevant state office.
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Washington Birth Certificate Replacement
Your birth certificate is one of the most important legal documents and should always be kept in a safe place. It allows you to prove identity, age and American citizenship**. For instance, it is especially useful to:
- Obtain a U.S. passport
- Apply for government benefits
- Enroll in school in the United States
- Join the military
Birth certificates and other official vital records in Washington (WA) are issued by the Washington State Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics.
You can now apply for your authorized birth certificate from your home by submitting an online request. You will just need to fill out the relevant online form following the detailed instructions we provide with your application form and ship the request.
The Center for Health Statistics will then issue your certificate and you will receive it directly at your home address.
You may only obtain a certified copy of your birth certificate from the state where the event occurred. If you were born in Washington then you may request a birth certificate from this state.
You will be able to obtain a birth certificate from the Washington (WA) vital records office or the county recorders such as the ones in: King County, Pierce County, Snohomish County, Spokane County, Clark County, and the cities of Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, Vancouver, Bellevue, Kent, Everett, Renton.
The Washington State Department of Health keeps birth certificates of births that took place from July 1, 1907 to the present.
You can request or correct existing birth, death, or marriage/divorce certificates and apply to change your name.
Both certified and noncertified informational copies of birth certificates are available. A noncertified informational copy is not issued on official paper with security features and cannot be used for legal purposes. It will include a watermark stating “Cannot be used for legal purposes. Informational only.”
Certified and informational copies of a birth certificate include the same information.
Please note that the state of Washington has recently passed a new vital records state law called Vital Records Modernization Act that will become effective in Washington starting January 1, 2021.
How to Get a Birth Certificate in Washington
To obtain a certified copy of a birth certificate in Washington you need to follow the below simple steps:
- Fill out the online application form in all of its parts with the required information
- Provide documents proving your identity and your relationship with the certificate’s subject (if applicable). This step is being introduced as part of the Vital Records Modernization Act
- Pay the Washington application fee
- Print the application, sign it, and prepare it for shipping
- Mail your application to the following address:
Washington Department of Health P.O. Box 9709 Olympia, WA 98507-9709
You will then receive your birth certificate in the mail.
Who Can Apply for a Washington Birth Certificate?
Official birth records are restricted in Washington. Birth certificates can only be issued to:
- The subject of the record (the person whose birth the certificate refers to)
- An individual with a qualifying relationship with the subject of the record
The following are considered to be qualified applicants other than the subject of the record:
- Spouse or domestic partner
- Parent, step-parent, or legal guardian
- Child or stepchild
- Sibling
- Grandparent or great grandparent
- Grandchild
- Legal representative
- Authorized representative
- Government agency or the courts if the birth certificate is used to conduct official duties
An authorized representative is an individual who is permitted to obtain the birth certificate. This means that they are an agent identified in a power of attorney or that they hold a notarized form signed by a qualifying applicant.
The Washington Vital Records Modernization Act has restricted access to birth certificates to the individuals listed above. This was done to “Help protect privacy and prevent identity theft, while ensuring the public’s access to these important documents is maintained,” according to Secretary of Health John Wiesman. “The laws, rules, and regulations governing vital records in Washington had gone untouched for decades, and these updates are much needed to modernize this critical area of our work.”
Those who are not listed as qualified applicants can access vital record information by purchasing a noncertified informational copy or requesting historical records from the State Archives.
Washington Birth Certificate Requirements
To obtain a copy of a birth certificate you will need to complete the application and mail it to your birth state’s vital records office. You will also need to prove your identity and your relationship with the person whose birth is recorded in the certificate (if applicable.)
In the Washington birth certificate application form, you will be asked to provide the following information:
- First, middle, and last name of the subject of the record
- First and last name of all parents listed on the record
- Date of birth (month, day, year)
- City or county where the birth occurred
After filling in the application form with the requested information, you will need to provide acceptable proof of ID and qualifying relationship (if applicable). Find below a list of acceptable proof of identification:
- Washington State enhanced driver’s license (EDL), driver’s license (DL), permit, or identification (ID) card
- Out-of-state enhanced driver’s license (EDL) or REAL ID license, driver’s license (DL) or identification (ID) card
- U.S. passport or card
- Consulate card
- Foreign passport, driver’s license, or ID card
- Permanent resident card
- Tribal membership or enrollment ID card from a federally recognized Indian tribe
- U.S. Immigration or naturalization papers
- U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs ID card
- U.S. Certificate of Citizenship or Naturalization
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service ID
- I-571 U.S. Refugee Travel Document
- US alien registration card
- I-327 U.S. Permit to Re-Enter Travel Document
- I-766 Employment Authorization
- NEXUS, SENTRI, or FAST border crossing card
- U.S. Merchant Mariner's card
- U.S. B1/B2 Visa Border Crossing Card (Form DSP-150)
The document must include a photo as well as your full legal name and DOB. Moreover, it must be valid or, if expired, it must not have done so earlier than 60 days before your application.
If you do not hold any of the above, you may submit at least 2 documents from the official Washington alternative list.
Washington Birth Certificate Fees
To request a Washington birth certificate, you are required to pay the state fees. From January 1, 2021, the cost to process a copy of a birth certificate in Washington is $25.
The same fee applies to certified and noncertified copies and each additional copy will require the payment of a $25 fee. Moreover, you should take into account the costs associated with shipping your petition.
The birth certificate fees are used to support the vital records system in the state of Washington and help fund the death investigations account (a fund operated by Washington State Patrol to pay for the state toxicology lab, investigations, and training.)
Some applicants can request a vital record copy for free in the state of Washington. This is the case if:
- The documents is connected to a claim for compensation or pension pending before the Veteran’s Administration
- The vital record certifies the death of a sex offender, for use by a law enforcement agency in maintaining a registered sex offender database
- The vital record certifies the death of any offender, requested by a county clerk or court in Washington state for purposes of extinguishing the offender’s legal financial obligation
- The vital record is the birth certificate of a homeless person living in Washington state
Washington Birth Certificate Processing Times
Thanks to our service, you are able to request your birth certificates with ease, by avoiding long lines and without having to go to government offices. All you have to do is complete our easy-to-fill-out form and send it to the corresponding state vital records office.
Once it is processed, you will receive it in the comfort of your own home by mail. In most cases, birth certificate orders in Washington are filled within 6-8 weeks. However, some orders may take longer due to peak request periods.
We recommend requesting certified copies of Washington birth certificates early to avoid delays especially if certificates are needed for sports programs, travel documents and passports, school enrollment, planning for retirement and other reasons that may have a deadline.
Washington Vital Records Offices
You can find below a complete list of County Clerks and Department of Health offices in Washington (WA) that can provide you copies of vital records. Please note that although some county offices may be farther from you, these often process applications quicker.
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Clark County Birth Certificates
1601 E Fourth Plain Blvd.
Building 17, 4th Floor Suite 419
Vancouver WA 98661 -
Pierce County Birth Certificates
Vital Statistics
13629 S. D St.
Tacoma, WA 98418-6813 -
Seattle, King County Birth Certificates
Vital Statistics
HMC Box 359784
325 9th Ave
Seattle, WA 98104-2499 -
Snohomish County Birth Certificates
3020 Rucker Avenue Suite 104
Everett, WA 98201 -
Spokane County Birth Certificates
1116 W Broadway Avenue
Room 300
Spokane, WA 99260 -
Washington State Department of Health
Center for Health Statistics
Town Center 1
101 Israel Road SE
Tumwater, WA 98501
Washington Birth Certificate FAQs
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How to get a birth certificate in Washington?
The fastest way to obtain a certified copy of a birth certificate in Washington is by completing the form online.
- Fill out the birth certificate application online (click button to view form). Our experts will review your form to ensure it is mistake-free so that your certificate can be issued directly.
- Print, sign and pack your revised form with photocopies of a government-issuedphoto ID (check valid documents listed above)
- Post your package to the Washington vital records office with the required documents and fees
The Washington bureau of vital statistics will issue your official birth certificate and send it to your home address.
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How long does it take to get a birth certificate in Washington?
Processing time for a certified copy of a Washington birth certificate can vary:
- Mail-in orders take approximately 6-8 weeks
- In-person applications usually require waiting in line, check the vital records office addresses listed above and enquire about opening hours
To ensure quickest turnaround time and avoid your application being refused:
- Fill out the online birth certificate application (available by clicking button above).
- Our experts will verify your form to make sure it is error-free so your birth certificate can be issued directly
- Follow our personalized instructions to receive your official Washington birth certificate at home
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How much is a birth certificate in Washington?
Obtaining a certified copy of a birth certificate in Washington carries a state fee of $25 .
Birth certificate application fees must be paid when submitting the request.
It is recommendable to order multiple copies of the same birth certificate at once, to keep on file, or for future use.
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What documents do I need to get my birth certificate?
To obtain a certified copy of a birth certificate in Washington, you will need:
- Filled-out birth certificate application form (available by clicking the button above). Our experts will revise your form to ensure it is error-free
- Photocopies of both sides of a government-issued photo ID (see full list of acceptable documents above)
- Fees paid
