How to Find Birth Records in Ohio

The absence of birth records on a person mean that the person does not exist. Birth records are what gives us identity as citizenship. Since births are registered, let’s take look at how to find birth records in Ohio, which is one of the ways on how to find birth records in the United States.

With a population of around 11.8 million, Ohio is located in the Midwestern part of the United States. Ohio began birth records registration in 1908. Records that were registered before 1908 are available in Ohio and can be found in the Probate Court in the county where the birth took place.

Birth Records in Ohio

Counties began registration of births around 1867 and these records are managed by the probate court. These records are incomplete. Some counties have records that date back to the 1840s. information found on these records include the names of parents plus place of residence. The state of Ohio only began compulsory birth registration in 1908.

Birth records in Ohio are open to the public to view them. These records are kept by the Ohio Bureau of Vital Statistics or the clerk’s office at the county level.

In Ohio birth records registration form the fundamental backbone of society as they are essential in observance of public health. The data that is captured from live births help determine health policies, clinical practices and how to effectively allocate resources as a state. Information that an Ohio birth record have include the following:

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

An individual who is looking to get a copy of birth records in Ohio must have the following information at hand:

• The personal and contact details of the applicant
• The full name and personal details of the individual named on the record
• The relationship of the applicant to the named individual in the record
• The motive for requesting the record (personal use, insurance proceeds, authentication, death benefits, and other legal purposes)
• The date the birth took place
• The gender/ sex of the named individual on the record (if applicable)
• The age of the named individual on the record at the time the birth took place (if applicable)
• The location where the birth took place
• Region to search from (statewide or county level)

Ordering Birth Records in Ohio

With these details you can order birth records in Ohio at a fee from the County of Birth and the Ohio Department of Health State Office.

Ordering records from County of Birth is cheaper and faster than from the Department of Health. However, county websites can prove a challenge to use. The Department of Health on the other hand, offers searches from a much bigger scope from the state index but charges on it might be more than from the county charges.

The Ohio Revised Code states that births records fall under public records and are accessible to everyone. Even though there is no way to easily access birth records online in Ohio despite them being freely available, people can obtain them without being close family members with the record owner.

The most efficient way to obtain a certified birth record in Ohio is online. There is an online tool that the Ohio Department of Health made available to the public which they can use to order birth certificates from 1908 until now.

The Ohio Department of Health does not cancelled order placed on its portal nor does it has expedited services on its portal. Applicants will be sent a “No Record Letter’ if the record is unavailable. They will also receive a refund as a check.

Counties such as Montgomery and Clermont struck a deal with third party sites to provide birth records for them online to applicants.

There are other third party websites out there that offer public records searches. The advantage with these sites is that they are not limited as they offer searches on a bigger coverage. Hence, when searching with them you will need to provide the full name of the record owner and their location (city, county, state). With this information you will be able to eliminate unwanted results.

Third party sites also offer results faster and at times instantly on a search.

Ohio Mail Birth Records Requests

Individuals wo are looking to obtain birth records in Ohio through the mail must first complete the Application for Certified Copies form. This form is to be mailed with required payment to:

Ohio Department of Health
Bureau of Vital Statistics
P.O. Box 15098
Columbus, OH 43215-0098

Ohio in Person Birth Records Requests

Individuals who want to obtain birth records in person in Ohio can do so by visiting the Bureau of Vital Statistics at:

Ohio Department of Health
Bureau of Vital Statistics
246 N High Street
Columbus, OH 43215

Applicants can also obtain birth records from their counties by visiting local health departments.

These tips can prove answers on how to find birth records in Ohio if given a chance. Unlike a lot of states in the United States, Ohio has no restriction to its vital records which is an advantage.