Appendix E: How to Get Out-of-State Birth Certificates

The CAO will help get out-of-state birth certificates for applicants or recipients who need proof of citizenship. This help includes giving applicants or recipients the correct application, help filling out the application form, and paying for the out-of-state birth certificates.

NOTE:  These procedures apply to TANF cash assistance and MA applicants and recipients. CAOs will not get out-of-state birth certificates for GA cash assistance or GA-related MA applicants or recipients.

NOTE:  The CAO will not ask for birth certificates from Puerto Rico’s Vital Records Office, as there are problems with getting birth certificates from Puerto Rico.

The CAO will  take the following steps when getting out-of-state birth certificates:

NOTE:  In some cases, the request for a birth certificate from another state may require more information or a payment. The caseworker may contact the area manager if help is needed getting the birth certificate for the applicant or recipient.

NOTE:  If a state requires a birth certificate application to be notarized, the CAO’s own notary may do it. If the CAO does not have a notary, the CAO may pay to have the form notarized.

NOTE:   The CAO is not to issue an OTI to pay back an applicant or recipient who has paid for an out-of-state birth certificate.

The CAO must not place stop-payment orders on local OTI checks issued for out-of-state birth certificates that are not cashed within 30 days. The time limit has been extended to 180 days, to match the limit for cashing treasury checks. Although a check states that it must be cashed within 30 days, treasury will allow payment on these checks up to the 180-day time limit as long as a stop-payment order has not been placed on them. (This is an exception to the policy about “stale-dated” checks in Cash Assistance Handbook Section 180.54, Replacement of stale-dated checks.)

NOTE:  This relates only to local checks for out-of-state birth certificates using reason code 134.

If the CAO is contacted by a State Vital Records Office about cashing a check that is over 30 days old, the CAO will say it is okay to cash it, if not more than 180 days old. (See the generic OTI insert and the OTI insert for New York at the end of this section. An insert must be enclosed with the OTI check sent to the State Vital Records Office.)

If a stop-payment order has already been placed on an OTI check over 30 days old, the CAO will ask the bank to lift the stop-payment order on the check. The CAO will pay the bank fee for the stopped check, but they can be paid back. When the CAO gets the bank statement that shows the stop-payment charge, the CAO should fill out an STD 152 general invoice and send it with a copy of the statement to:

OIM Bureau of Program Support
Rm. 422 Health and Welfare Building
P.O. Box 2675
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17105

If a stop-payment order has been placed on an OTI check and a State Vital Records Office asks for a new check to be sent, the CAO will issue a new OTI, using reason code 135. They will not lift the stop-payment order on the first check. The CAO will pay the bank fee for the stopped check, but they can be paid back (see the paragraph above).

If a State Vital Records Office returns an uncashed OTI check, the CAO will void the check and issue a new OTI check, using reason code 135.

If a State Vital Records Office asks to be paid back for the fee they had to pay for a bounced check, the CAO will  issue them a nonclient check from EFAA funds. The CAO can be paid back (see the paragraph above).

Fees for Out-of-State Birth Certificates

State

Address

Phone

Fee

Alabama

Alabama Vital Records
PO Box 5625
Montgomery, AL 36103-5625

(334) 206-5418

$15.00

Alaska

Bureau of Vital Statistics
PO Box 110675
Juneau, AK 99801-0675

(907) 465-3391

$30.00

American Samoa

Office of Vital Statistics
Department of Homeland Security
American Samoa Government
PO Box 6894
Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799

(684) 633-1406

$5.00

Arizona

State Office of Vital Records
PO Box 3887
Phoenix, AZ 85030-3887

(602) 364-1300
(888) 816-5907

$20.00

Arkansas

Arkansas Dept. of Health
Vital Records Section - slot 44
4815 W. Markham St.
Little Rock, AR 72205

1-888-209-9482

$12.00

California

Office of Vital Records-M.S. 5103
P.O. Box 997410
Sacramento, CA 95899-7410

(916) 445-2684

$25.00

Canal Zone

Department of State

Passport Services

Vital Records Section

Room 510
1111 19th St. NW

Washington, DC, 20036

(202) 955-0307

$50.00

Colorado

Colorado Dept. of Public Health and Environment
Vital Records Section,
HSVRD -VR-A1
4300 Cherry Creek Dr South

Denver, CO 80246-1530

(303) 692-2200

$17.75

Connecticut

Department of Public Health
Vital Records Section, Customer Service
410 Capitol Ave, MS#11VRS
PO Box 340308
Hartford, CT 06134-0308

(860) 509-7956

$30.00

Delaware

Office of Vital Statistics
Jesse S Cooper Bldg
417 Federal St.
Dover, DE 19901

(302) 744-4549

$25.00

District of Columbia

Department of Health
Vital Records Division
899 N Capitol St. NE,
1st Fl.
Washington, DC 20002

(202) 442-9303

$23.00

Florida

Bureau of Vital Statistics
Attn:Vital Records Section  PO Box 210
Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042

(877) 550-7330
(904) 359-6900

$14.00

Georgia

Vital Records
2600 Skyland Dr. NE
Atlanta, GA 30319-3640

(404) 679-4702

$25.00

Guam

Office of Vital Statistics
123 Chalan Kareta
Mangilao, Guam 96913

(671) 735-7292

$5.00

Hawaii

State Dept. of Health
Office of Health Status Monitoring
Issuance/Vital Statistics Section
PO Box 3378
Honolulu, HI 96801

(808) 586-4542

$10.00

Idaho

Idaho Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics
PO Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720-0036

(208) 334-5988

$13.00

Illinois

Illinois Dept. of Public Health
Division of Vital Records
925 E. Ridgely Avenue
Springfield, IL 62702-2737

(217) 782-6554

$15.00

Indiana

Vital Records Dept.
Indiana State Dept. of Health
PO Box 7125
Indianapolis, IN 46206-7125

(317) 233-2700

$10.00

Iowa

Iowa Dept of Health
Bureau of Health Statistics
Lucas Office Building,
1st Fl
321 E 12th St
Des Moines, IA 50319-0075

(515) 281-4944

$20.00

Kansas

Office of Vital Statistics

Curtis State Office Building

1000 SW Jackson St.
Suite 120
Topeka, KS 66612-2221

(785) 296-1400

$15.00

Kentucky

Office of Vital Statistics
275 E Main St, 1E-A
Frankfort, KY 40621

(502) 564-4212

$10.00

Louisiana

Louisiana Vital Records Registry
PO Box 60630
New Orleans, LA 70160

(504) 593-5100

$15.00

Maine

Office of Vital Records
11 State House Station
220 Capitol St.
Augusta, ME 04333-0011

(207) 287-3181 or 1-888-664-9491

$15.00

Maryland

Division of Vital Records
PO Box 68760
Baltimore, MD 21215-0036

(410) 764-3038
(832) 463-3277

$24.00

Massachusetts

Registry of Vital Records and Statistics
150 Mt. Vernon Street,
1st Floor
Dorchester, MA 02125-3105

(617) 740-2600

$50.00

Michigan

Vital Records Requests
PO Box 30721
Lansing MI 48909

(517) 335-8666

$34.00

Minnesota

Minnesota Department of Health
Central Cashiering Vital Records
PO Box 64499
St. Paul, MN 55164-0499

(651) 201-5970

$26.00

Mississippi

Mississippi Vital Records
PO Box 1700
Jackson, MS 39215-1700

(601) 576-7981

$15.00

Missouri

Bureau of Vital Records
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
PO Box 570
Jefferson City, MO 65102-0570

(573) 751-6387

$15.00

Montana

Office of Vital Statistics

Department of Public Health and Human Services

111 N. Sanders Rm 6
PO Box 4210
Helena, MT 59604-4210

(406) 444-2685

$12.00

Nebraska

Vital Records
PO Box 95065
Lincoln, NE 68509-5065

(402) 471-2871

$17.00

Nevada

Office of Vital Records
4150 Technology Way
Suite 104
Carson City, NV 89706

(775) 684-4242

$20.00

New Hampshire

Division of Vital Records Administration
71 S. Fruit St
Concord, NH 03301-2410

(603) 271-4650

$15.00

New Jersey

Vital Statistics and Registration
PO Box 370
Trenton, NJ 08625-0370

(609) 292-4087
Toll-Free: 1-866-649-8726

$25.00

New Mexico

New Mexico Depart of Health  Bureau of Vital Records and Health Services

PO Box 25767

Albuquerque, NM 87125

(505) 827-0121 or
1-866-534-0051

$10.00

New York

New York State Department of Health
Vital Records Section
Certification Unit
PO Box 2602
Albany, NY 12220-2602

 

$30.00

New York City

NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Office of Vital Records
125 Worth St CN 4,
Rm 133
New York, NY 10013-4090

(212) 639-9675

$15.00

North Carolina

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

(919) 733-3000

$24.00

North Dakota

Division of Vital Records
600 E Boulevard Ave - Dept. 301
Bismarck, ND 58505-0200

(701) 328-2360

$7.00

No. Mariana Isl.

Vital Statistics Office
Division of Public Health
PO Box 500409
Saipan, MP 96950

(670) 236-8717

$20.00

Ohio

Ohio Dept. of Health
Vital Statistics
PO Box 15098
Columbus, Ohio 43215-0098

(614) 466-2531

$21.50

Oklahoma

Vital Records Service

Oklahoma State Department  of Health

1000 Northeast 10th

Oklahoma City, Ok 73117  

(405) 271-4040

$15.00

Oregon

Oregon Vital Records
PO Box 14050
Portland, OR 97293-0050

(971) 673-1190

$20.00

Pennsylvania

Division of Vital Records
(ATTN: Birth Unit)
101 South Mercer St.,
PO Box 1528
New Castle, PA 16103

(724) 656-3100

$20.00

Puerto Rico

Department of Health
Demographic Registry
PO Box 11854
San Juan, PR 00910

(202) 778-0710

$5.00

Rhode Island

Rhode Island Department of Health
Division of Vital Records
3 Capitol Hill, Rm. 101
Providence, RI 02908-5097

(401) 222-2811

$20.00

South Carolina

SC DHEC – Vital Records
2600 Bull St
Columbia, SC 29201

(803) 898-3630

$12.00

South Dakota

South Dakota Vital Records
207 E. Missouri Ave
Ste. #1-A
Pierre, SD 57501

(605) 773-4961

$15.00

Tennessee

Tennessee Vital Records
Central Services Bldg, 1st Fl.
421 5th Ave N
Nashville, TN 37243

(615) 741-1763

$15.00

Texas

Texas Vital Records
Dept of State Health Services
PO Box 12040
Austin, TX 78711-2040

(888) 963-7111

$22.00

Utah

Office of Vital Records and Statistics
Utah Dept. of Health
PO Box 141012
Salt Lake City, UT 84114-1012

(801) 538-6105

$20.00

Vermont

NOTE: older than 5 years contact Public records division at 802-828-3286

For births within the past five years:
Vermont Dept. of Health
Vital Records Section
PO Box 70
Burlington, VT 05402-0070
For births over five years ago:
Vermont State Archives
Office of the Secretary of State
1078 US RTE 2, Middlesex
Montpelier, VT 05633-7701

(802) 863-7275

$10.00

Virginia

VDH, Office of Vital Records
PO Box 1000
Richmond, VA 23218-1000

(804) 662-6200

$12.00

Virgin Islands

See attached form for information

 

$15.00

Washington

Washington State Department of Health
Center for Health Statistics
PO Box 9709
Olympia, WA 98507-9709

(360) 236-4300

$20.00

West Virginia

Vital Registration Office
350 Capitol St Rm 165 Charleston, WV 25301-3701

(304) 558-2931

$12.00

Wisconsin

Wisconsin Vital Records Office, PO Box 309
Madison, WI 53701-0309

(608) 266-1373 or

(608) 266-1371

$20.00

Wyoming

Vital Statistics Services
Hathaway Building
Cheyenne, WY 82002

(307) 777-7591

$13.00

US Citizens Born Abroad

Department of State
Passport Services

Vital Records Services

1150 Passport Services Pl. 6th floor

Dulles, Va 20189-1150

(202) 485-8300

$50.00

Generic OTI Insert

Department of Public Welfare
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Dear Vital Records Office:

Please be advised that the enclosed check indicates it must be cashed within 30 days. However, the Pennsylvania Treasury Department will allow payment on these particular checks for out-of-state birth certificates up to 180 days from the date of the check. Thank you for your cooperation.

If you have questions, please contact:

[Name of CAO contact individual]
[CAO Address]
[CAO phone number]

New York OTI Insert

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Department of Public Welfare

Dear New York State Vital Records Office:

Our County Assistance Office in Pennsylvania is paying the birth certificate fee for the enclosed application. The birth certificate is to be mailed directly to the applicant. It is our understanding that your office is to charge the $30 fee in this situation. This application is NOT to be considered as coming from a Social Service Agency.

Please be advised that the enclosed check indicates it must be cashed within 30 days. However, the Pennsylvania Treasury Department will allow payment on these particular checks for out-of-state birth certificates up to 180-days from the date of the check.

Thank you for your cooperation. If you have any questions, please contact:

[Name of CAO contact individual]

[CAO Address]
[CAO phone number]

Updated July 15, 2014  Replacing February 14, 2012