How to Find Virginia Birth Records

Finding United States Births Virginia Births

Statewide registration of births began in 1912 in Virginia and was generally complied with by [1925]. The counties have copies of these records.

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Next Step: When did the birth occur?

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 * Choose a time period to search for your ancestor's birth record:


 * Births before 1853
 * Births from 1853 thru 1912
 * Births after 1912
 * I don't know when the birth is


 * }

Births before 1853
Before 1853, no births were recorded by the county or state. You must search substitute records to locate your ancestor’s birth date and place.

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Births from 1853 thru 1912
In 1853, Virginia passed a law requiring counties to record births although not all counties complied or continued to record them on a consistent basis. Statewide registration of births began in 1912. From 1896-1912, births were not recorded. Delayed birth registrations for the years 1896-1912 exist. World War I Draft Registration Cards are also an excellent substitute for birth records during this gap. They identify births of males born between 1872 and 1899. If you cannot locate your ancestor in the databases below, try searching for birth information in other records.

For births that exist during the time period, try the following databases.

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Births after 1912
Currently, there are no online indexes to Virginia births after 1912.

Obtain the Certificate
With full names, dates and places (cities or counties) of an event, you can order a copy of the birth certificate for a fee from the the Virginia Division of Vital Records (PDF file).

If you do not know the exact date or place of birth: For a fee, the Virginia Department of Health office will do a 3 year search.

Restrictions for persons born within the last 100 years: To obtain a copy of the birth certificate for those born within the last 100 years, you must be:


 * The person on the certificate
 * The parent or grandparent of person on the certificate
 * The spouse of the person on the certificate
 * The child of the person on the certificate
 * The sibling of the person on the certificate
 * The legal guardian of the person on the certificate
 * Anyone who has legal interest in the certificate
 * NOTE: A copy of the birth certificate cannot be obtained by anyone except those listed above until 100 years have passed from the date of the birth.

'''If you do not want to order the birth record, there are other records with birth information you can search. ''' Return to top: Choose another birth year

Related Wiki Articles

 * Learn more about U.S. Birth Records
 * United States Record Selection Table
 * U.S. Vital Records Overview
 * United States Vital Records
 * Locating United States Vital Records
 * United States Death Records
 * United States Marriage Records