by Birth records have become a very important aspect of our lives such that they are made confidential by a lot of states in the US. As confidential as they may be, there are ways on how to find birth records. This article will look at ways to find birth records in Oregon.
Found in the Pacific northwest of the United States, Oregon has a population of about 4,2 million. You can find birth records on all living and non-living people in Oregon with the information on this article. Oregon began statewide birth registration process in 1903 but there are counties and cities who began birth registration as early as 1871.
You can search for birth records that were recorded at that time from the following sources:
Oregon State Births (1842 – 1914)
There are also delayed birth records recorded in Oregon which you can search from Oregon Delayed Births (1868 – 1929).
A large amount of county birth records are kept at the Oregon State Archives whilst delayed records are also held at Oregon Public Health.
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Who can Access Birth Records in Oregon?
Birth records in Oregon are not regarded as public records until 100 years has passed since its registration. The only people allowed to obtain copies of birth records in Oregon within the 100 years are the following:
- The person listed on the birth record (must be 15 years of age or older)
- The parents, legal guardian, or spouse of the person listed on the record
- Immediate family members of the person listed on the record
- Legal representatives of any of the above-mentioned individuals
- A court-approved party
- Government or security agencies performing official duties
There are two forms of birth certificate that eligible individuals can apply for in Oregon. There is the short form certificates and long form certificates.
Short Form Certificates
These types of certificates only have vital details in them and they are computer issued. They have information such as:
- Child’s name
- Gender
- Date of birth
- Place of birth
- Mother’s full name (maiden name included)
- Father’s name
After Oregon started filing electronic filing of birth records in 2008, information such as birth hospital, time of birth, parents’ dates of birth and mother’s address were included on short form certificates, which were not included in the short form before. Short form certificates are used for legal activities such as driver’s license and passport applications.
Long Form Certificates
Long form birth certificates are full image birth certificates. The only available birth records are those before 2008. These certificates are ideal if you are planning to be outside the United States, most importantly if you want to obtain a citizenship in another country as they are detailed.
How to Find Birth Records in Oregon
The following government agencies offer certified birth certificate copies to eligible individuals in Oregon:
- Oregon Vital Records Office, also referred to as the Center for Health Statistics (CHS).
- Local County Health Departments (If the birth event is under six months).
For birth records in Oregon applicants are required to fill in an application form in accordance with the type of certificate they want from the examples above. For short form birth certificates, applicants can use the Oregon Birth Record Order Form and for long form birth certificates, applicants can use the Oregon Birth Record Order Form – Full Image. Applicants must also provide legal photo identification documents plus required payment with the application.
Requesting Birth Records in Oregon Online
Birth records that are over 100 years are available online. One such source is the State Archives where anyone who is interested in them can find them. Since birth records that are less than 100 years are not considered as public records, they cannot be made available online. However, the Oregon Vital Records Office has made it possible for eligible requestors to obtain copies of birth records by partnering with third party vital records vendors.
Third party sites are the recommended option if you are looking for birth records that over 100 years. This is because third party sites have no geographical limitations. They offer searches on a wider region. That is why searches on them need that you provide full name of the record owner and current location (city, county or state). These details will help eliminate unwanted results.
Searches on third party sites are also faster. It is possible to at times get an instant result on a search. Third party site however, are not government sponsored thus their data might differ from those found from government sources.
Requesting Birth Records in Oregon in Person
For in person birth records application in Oregon, applicants are to submit the filled in application form and other required documents to the Center for Health Statistics (CHS) at:
Oregon Vital Records
800 Northeast Oregon Street Suite 205
Portland, OR 97232
There is a self-service kiosk at this location placed by the CHS whereby applicants are required to provide their Social Security Number to be create questionnaires. Walk in are welcomed by the CHS between 9 am to 4 pm.
Requesting Birth Records in Oregon by Mail
Mail applications can be submitted in a stamped self-addressed envelope to:
Oregon Vital Records Office
800 Northeast Oregon Street, Suite 205
P.O. Box 14050
Portland OR 97293-0050
By following these methods on how to find birth records in Oregon, you are on your way to obtaining any birth record in the state as long as it was registered.
