How to Find Birth Records in North Carolina

Vital records help document important events in a person’s life. They start from birth to death. Births are recorded and kept for a number of reasons as birth records. This guide will look at how to find birth records in North Carolina.

North Carolina is found in the South eastern part of the United States. Its population is around 10.4 million people. Birth registration began in the state in 1913. The state began complying with birth registration laws by 1920.

Births that took place before 1913 were either registered by the state or county. The only exception would be cities like Raleigh (with births from 1890) and Wilmington (with births from 1904). The Register of Deeds manages delayed birth records in North Carolina.

Other sources to consider for such records would be:

North Carolina Birth Index (1800 – 2000)

North Carolina Births (1866 – 1964)

To order copies of birth certificates in North Carolina, you will need a full name, date of birth and place of birth. You can place your order with North Carolina Public Health, VitalChek and with the local county register of deeds where the birth took place.

If you are looking to conduct a genealogical research, you will need to consult with the county where the birth took place and consult the North Carolina State Archives or the Genealogy Section of the North Carolina State Library.

North Carolina Birth Records Restrictions

Unlike a lot of state in the United States, vital records instantly become public information in North Carolina. However, there are restrictions to obtaining certified copies of birth certificates in North Carolina. Eligible individuals who can get a certified copy of a birth certificate include:

• The person on the certificate
• The direct descendant of the individual on the birth certificate
• The spouse of the individual on the birth certificate
• The direct ancestor of the individual on the birth certificate
• The sibling of the individual on the birth certificate
• The legal guardian of the individual on the birth certificate
• Any individual who has legal interest in the birth certificate

Only the individuals listed above qualify to obtain a copy of a certified birth certificate in North Carolina.

Information that is normally involved in a North Carolina birth certificate include:

• Date and place of birth
• Full name of child
• Sex
• Name of mother
• Name of father
• Mother’s maiden name
• Color or race of both parents
• The informant’s name
• Parents’ marital status
• Parents’ birthplaces and birthdates.

How to Obtain Birth Records in North Carolina

North Carolina has two major ways you can use to obtain birth records in the state.

Register of Deeds

You can order birth North Carolina birth certificate from the Register of Deeds where the birth took place. There are also genealogical or non-certified copies of birth certificates that the Register of Deeds offer at a lesser price that you can take advantage of. You will need to first find out the options you have before requesting any copy.

Genealogical or non-certified copies of birth certificates are ideal if you want them for genealogical or informational reasons. You can get them directly from the county. These records will come at a cost but you will get them quicker than the certified copies.

North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services

You can also order birth records from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services through VitalChek. In person orders are also welcomed at their location:

North Carolina Vital Records (Cooper Memorial Health Building)

225 N. McDowell St., Raleigh

NC 27603-1382).

There are certain conditions that the North Carolina Vital Records Office needs met before they embark on a search for a record. They suggest that you first try ordering the records from the County Register of Deeds or trying the State Archives of North Carolina or even the Genealogy Section of the State Library of North Carolina.

To order birth records in North Carolina, you will also be needed to provide the full name of the person on the record, date of birth, place of birth (city, county), both parents’ full names and the necessary payment.

When ordering birth records from the North Carolina Vital Records, it is recommended that you use VitalChek as it is much quicker. The North Carolina Vital Records office might take weeks to process your application.

Delayed Registration of Births in North Carolina

As the need for proof of birth increased as result of the Social Security requirements, people saw the need to find their birth records. They then went to the county offices where they were born and file for a delayed birth registration. These are mostly birth around 1870 to 1960. They have the precise date of birth, location (city, town) and at times the full names of the parents. Delayed birth records can also be found from the Register of Deeds.

These are some of the recommended methods on how to find birth records in North Carolina. Unlike most states in the United States, vital records are public records the moment they are registered which makes it easier to obtain them.