Birth Certificate Information:
To apply for a County certified copy of a birth certificate the charge is $15.00 each. We do not accept personal checks or credit cards. We do accept cash, money orders, or cashier's checks. You must be at least 18 years of age to obtain a birth certificate and have entitlement. You will need the child's complete name at birth, date of birth, place of birth, mother's maiden name, father's complete name. Your relationship to child and purpose for the copy.
Birth records for the year 1921 through the year 1941 are only available at Vital Records in Des Moines, Iowa.
Single parent births prior to July 1, 1995, or if there was an adoption involved, are only available at Vital Records in Des Moines, Iowa.
You may contact the Iowa State Vital Records at 515.281.4944
Effective March 13th, 2006, all mail-in requests require notarized signatures.
To obtain by mail please include a photo copy of your photo ID, your address, your daytime phone number along with your money order. To obtain a copy in person you will need a photo ID, your address, your daytime phone number, and $15.00 in cash, money order or cashier's check.Death Certificate Information:
Death records for the year 1921 through the year 1941 are only available at Vital Records in Des Moines, Iowa.
To apply for a County certified copy of a death certificate the charge is $15.00 each. We do not accept personal checks or credit cards. We do accept cash, money orders, or cashier's checks. You must be entitled to obtain a death certificate. You will need the deceased complete name, date of birth, date of death, place of death, mother's maiden name, father's complete name. Your relationship to deceased and purpose for the copy. To obtain by mail please include a photo copy of your photo ID, your address, your daytime phone number along with your money order. Effective March 13th, 2006, all mail-in requests require notarized signatures.
To obtain a copy in person you will need a photo ID, and $15.00 in cash, money order or cashier's check.
Marriage License Information:
To obtain a Marriage License we do not require a blood test. The cost of the Marriage License is $35.00 and we do not take personal checks. There is a 3 working day waiting period to obtain the license once the application is submitted in good order. The wedding couple needs to be at least 18 years of age. They must have 1 witness that knows the wedding couple at the time of the application and is at least 18 years of age. Everyone needs a state issued valid photo ID. The Iowa Marriage License requires the ceremony to take place in the State of Iowa.
Wedding Ceremonies are performed Monday through Friday at 11:00 a.m. (per judge availability) on the third floor of the court house, except Courthouse holidays. No appointment is necessary. On the day of the ceremony, report to the Clerk's office on the 3rd floor with your marriage license and two witnesses, age 18 or older. There is no fee for this service during regular working hours, however you are free to offer a gratuity if you like.
State of Iowa Marriage Instructions
Marriage License Application
Marriage certificates for the year 1921 through the year 1941 are only available at Vital Records in Des Moines, Iowa.
To apply for a County certified copy, the cost is $15.00 each. Again we do not accept personal checks or credit cards,. we do accept cash, money orders or cashier checks. To obtain a certified copy by mail you will need the bride's name before marriage, groom's name, date of event, place of event, relationship to bride or groom, why you need the copy, a copy of your photo ID, your address, your daytime phone number, along with the money order. Effective March 13th, 2006, all mail-in requests require notarized signatures. To obtain a certified copy in person you will need a photo ID and $15.00 cash, money order or cashiers check. Please no personal Checks.
To Request a Certified Copy of an Iowa Birth, Death, or Marriage Certificate:
In Iowa, official registration of births, deaths, and marriages began July 1, 1880. All original records that have been registered are on file with the Iowa Department of Public Health, Bureau of Vital Records. Statewide record searches are available from the state registrar. Local registrars are located in county recorders offices and maintain records of birth and death that have occurred in that county. Marriage records are maintained in the county from which the license to marry was obtained. County registrars, however, do not have code authority to have on record: single- parent births prior to July 1, 1995; adoptions; any record ordered seal by a court of law; or birth, death, and marriages between the years 1921 to 1941.
All applications for certified copies of vital record events must be in writing and completely identify the record, as well as satisfactorily establish entitlement to the record being requested. Entitled persons include the person named on the record or that person's spouse, children, legal parents, grandparents, grandchildren, siblings, or legal representative or guardian. Legal guardians and representatives must also provide additional proof of guardianship or representation.
Application for a certified copy requires a fee of $15.00 for the record search and includes one certified copy. Each additional copy of the same record is also $15.00. If the record is not located, the applicant receives a notification to that affect. The $15.00 fee is retained for the search. Fees are payable by check or money order made out to the issuing registrar's office (i.e., Iowa Department of Public Health for state-certified, county recorder's office for county-certified).
State Certified Copies:
Certified copies of birth, death, or marriage certificates may be obtained from the state office of vital records by telephone, in-person, or through a postal service. Fees are payable by check or money order made out to the Iowa Department of Public Health. In-person requests may also be paid in cash. Requests for the purpose of family history take at least 60 days due to the intensive search process.
State Telephone:
You may contact the Iowa State Vital Records at 515.281.4944
This telephone number is for general information, or to order a certified copy. An additional $9.00 fee is charged for the expedited process of credit card usage. The state vital record operator lines are available from 7:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., Monday through Friday, except for state-observed holidays. Genealogy requests are not available through the credit card line because of the intensive search process.
State In-Person:
Walk-in service is available for in-person requests at the state vital records office between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except for state-observed holidays. The office is located at the address listed below, just inside the main north entrance and to the left of the main lobby. The Lucas building is the first state office building east of the state Capitol building, on the south side of Grand Avenue. Written applications must be satisfactorily completed and signed. Applicants must also provide photo identification. Copies may either be picked up after two days or mailed to an entitled person. Genealogy requests are not available within the two-day turnaround time due to the intensive search process.
State Postal Service:
Written requests and fees may be mailed to the address below. Requests must state the relationship to the person named on the record and the purpose for the copy. Filled requests may take up to 30-45 days, depending on mail service. Genealogy requests may take over 60 days to fill due to the intensive search process.
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Iowa Department of Public Health
Bureau of Vital Records
Lucas State Office Building, 1st Floor
321 E. 12th Street
Des Moines, Iowa 50319-0075
Please Note the Following:
- This application is for a certified copy of a birth, death or marriage record, if the event occurred in Iowa.
- If requesting a birth record, complete all items except 2(A).
- If requesting a death record, complete all items except 2(A) and 7.
- If requesting a marriage record, complete all items, including 2(A).
Reminder
For County Certified Copies Mail to:
Pottawattamie County Recorder
227 S. 6th St.
Council Bluffs, IA 51501
No checks or credit cards accepted
For State Certified Copies Mail to:
Iowa Department of Public Health
Bureau of Vital Records
Lucas State Office Building, 1st Floor
321 E. 12th Street
Des Moines, IA 50319-0075