How to Find Birth Records in Nebraska

There are ways on how to find birth records in Nebraska that you can try. This article will cover them and the places where such birth records can be found.

Nebraska, located in Midwestern part of the United States, has a population of about 2 million. The state began registering births since 1904 and the entire state started complying with it by 1920. Records of these births are also available from the counties.

There are no birth records that were registered before 1869 as only a handful of counties began registering births before statewide registration began. Such records can be obtained from the county clerk in the county where the event took place.

In situations whereby you are not familiar with the exact date and place of birth on the person you want to find, the Nebraska Department of Health can do a 3 year search for you.

Birth Records Restrictions in Nebraska

People that were born more than 50 years ago have their birth records classified as public records. They can be accessed by anyone who wants them. Birth records that are less than 50 years are regarded as confidential. Only a number of individuals are allowed access to them.

The following list shows people that are allowed to obtain a birth certificate copy in the state of Nebraska:

• The person named on the birth certificate
• The parents and grandparents of person named on the birth certificate
• The wife or husband of the person named on the birth certificate
• The children and grandchildren of the person named on the birth certificate
• The brothers or sisters of the person named on the birth certificate
• Any individual who has legal interest in the birth certificate

These are the individuals who are permitted access to birth records that are less than 50 years in Nebraska.

Information Found on a Nebraska Birth Record

As mentioned before, Nebraska started the process of officially recording births in 1904. Birth registered between 1904 and 1911 normally had the father’s name but not the child’s name. They did this only to register births but not to make birth certificates.

Registration of birth certificates began in 1912 in Nebraska. A Nebraska birth certificate normally carry the following details:

• Date of birth
• Time of birth
• Place of birth
• Child’s full name
• Mother’s name
• Father’s name
• Child’s gender
• Type of birth
• Mother’s marital status
• Birth registration number

How to Request for Birth Records in Nebraska

Since birth records that are less 50 years are not made available for public viewing, the state of Nebraska does not allow them to be made available for online lookup. However, the state does have a way for qualified individuals to access these birth records online.

Qualified individuals who are looking to apply for birth records online will need to first download and fill the Nebraska- Born Certified Birth Certificate Application Form. The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is the one that processes applications after it as verified the applicant’s identification documents. This must be a readable copy of the applicant’s recent photo identification document. This document should be in the DHHS’s office within 3 working days after the application has been forwarded.

Applicants have other forms of identification that are accepted when applying for birth records in Nebraska:

• Snapshot of the applicant’s ID using a digital camera or smartphone and mail the copy to VitalRecords@nebraska.gov.
• Scan the ID and send the copy to VitalRecords@nebraska.gov.
• Fax a copy of the applicant’s ID to (402) 742 – 2385.

Image formats that are welcomed include pdf, doc, jpg, bmp and tif. Faxed images should be enlarged by 200 % and lightened a bit. Applicants are also expected to provide the confirmation number that they got when they completed their application as they send the copy of the ID.

Birth records that are more than 50 years, which are considered public records, are accessible from traditional structures, government sources and third party websites. Third party websites come highly recommended for such searches as their scope covers nationwide.

If you are looking to use the services of third party sites, you are expected to provide the name of the person on the record and their last known location (state, county or city).

Since third party sites are not backed by government, their data might be somewhat different from the that offered by government sources.

Birth Records Access Requirements in Nebraska

In Nebraska, applicants are expected to meet certain requirements before certified copies of birth certificates are issued to them:

• Applicants are expected to provide a valid reason as to why they need access to such records. Examples of them can be legal, consensual, media, genealogical, historical, governmental, personal or law enforcement purposes.
• Proof that the person on the record is more than 50 years or a written consent from the person named on the record.
• Provide payment for certified copies or searches for certified copies, found or not, unless stated by law.
• Provide full name, telephone number, current address, proof of identity.

Birth records can be obtained in Nebraska by mail and in person.

Get Birth Records by Mail in Nebraska

Applicants who are looking to obtain birth record by mail need to first fill in the Application for Certified Copy Birth Certificate. The application should then be mailed in an enclosed self-addressed stamped envelope to:

Nebraska Vital Records
P.O. Box 95065,
Lincoln, NE 68509-5065

Get Birth Records in Person in Nebraska

To get birth records in person in Nebraska, applicants need to fill in the Application for Certified Copy Birth Certificate and submit to:

Office of Vital Records
Department of Health & Human Services
Suite 130
1033 O Street
Lincoln, NE 68508-3621

With these ideas, you are a step closer on how to find birth records in Nebraska. These methods will get you any birth record from the time they started registering them in Nebraska until now.