Idaho Vital Records

Back to Idaho Portal Page►

Births and Deaths
The first government recorded birth records in Idaho were kept in the 1870s by midwives who sent their reports to county clerks. These are very limited in scope and numbers. The counties were officially required to keep registers of births and deaths from 1907 to 1911. The Idaho State Historical Society has some birth and death records from Ada, Canyon and Twin Falls Counties. The Family History Library has acquired microfilm copies of many of the county recordings.

Statewide registration of births and deaths began in 1911, and was generally complied with in the western part of Idaho by the early 1920s. Eastern and northern Idaho were much later in compliance.

Birth records have a 100 year restriction to public viewing. Close family members may obtain copies as per state access restrictions.

A state-wide index to Idaho Deaths, 1911-1956 is available online. This index is being expanded as time and resources allow. The Family History Library has microfilmed the certificates from 1911-1954. Copies of the microfilm are located at the Idaho State Historical Society Library in Boise, the BYU-Idaho University Library in Rexburg and various other locations.

Official copies of these records are available from:

Idaho Department of Vital Statistics and Health Statistics P. O. Box 83720 Boise, Idaho 83720-0036 Telephone: 208-334-5988 Fax: 208-389-9096 Web page: http://www.healthandwelfare.idaho.gov

State your relationship to the individual you want information about and the reason you want the information. Only family members can obtain the information in these files. Fees and restrictions on providing copies are available on their website.

A valuable non-government listing of death related events in eastern Idaho is the Eastern I  daho Deaths (indexed by the Idaho Falls Regional Family History Center and hosted by Brigham Young University-Idaho).

Marriages and Divorces
The county recorders have marriage records since the date each county was organized. In addition to the registers most counties will also have the original marriage applications. These are especially valuable if one or both marriage parties are under legal age as permission from the parent or guardian is included. The Family History Library has microfilmed most of the pre-1950's registers.

Brigham Young University-Idaho McKay Library and the Idaho Falls Regional Family History Center has compiled a Western States Marriage Index which is available online. Marriage records from all counties in Idaho, as well as bordering states, are included in this index. See: Western States Marriage Index Wiki Page.

Divorce records are available from the clerk of the district court in the county where the decree was granted. Degrees may be located in the Judgment or the Miscellaneous register series.

Coeur d'Alene, Kootenai County,Idaho served eloping couples from Idaho, and Great Falls, Cascade County, Montana. In Coeur d'Alene, there was no paper work or waiting period between the time of issuing a license and the performance of the marriage.

Inventory of Vital Records
You can learn more about the history and the availability of vital records in Guide to Public Vital Statistics Records In Idaho, State and County. Boise, Idaho: Historical Records Survey, 1942. (Family History Library book 979.6 V2h; film 1036585 item 8.) or from their website above.