Salt Lake City Birth Records

Salt Lake City birth records are held by the Salt Lake County Health Department. The main office sits in downtown Salt Lake City at 610 South 200 East. Records date to 1890. As the state capital and largest city in Utah, this area generates a high volume of birth certificate requests each year. Residents can get certified birth certificates in person, by mail, or through the state online system. Walk-ins are common. Three branch sites across the county also process vital records requests. This guide covers how to find and obtain birth records in Salt Lake City, what forms of ID you need, and where to go for help with your certificate.

Where to Get Salt Lake City Birth Records

The Salt Lake County Health Department handles all birth certificate requests for this area. The main vital records office is the Salt Lake Public Health Center at 610 South 200 East, Salt Lake City, Utah 84111. Call first. Reach them by phone at (385) 468-4230. Hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This office holds birth records from 1890 to the present. It also has Utah birth certificates from 1975 and 1977 to the present. ID is needed. Walk in with valid identification and you can get a certified birth certificate the same day in most cases.

The Salt Lake County Health Department runs the main vital records office for Salt Lake City residents.

This office serves all Salt Lake City residents and accepts walk-in requests during regular business hours.

Three more branch offices issue birth certificates across Salt Lake County. The Ellis R. Shipp Public Health Center is in West Valley City at 4535 South 5600 West. Another vital records branch sits in West Jordan at 7971 South 1825 West. A fourth site is in Sandy. Each branch takes birth certificate requests during the same hours. Fees apply. All four locations accept cash, check, money order, Visa, and Mastercard for payment of birth record orders.

Residents can also use the state office for birth records. The Utah Office of Vital Records and Statistics is at 288 North 1460 West in Salt Lake City. It holds all Utah birth certificates from 1905 to the present. You can order through the state SILVER online system or send a mail request to P.O. Box 141012, Salt Lake City, UT 84114-1012. Both certified and informational copies of birth records are available.

Ordering Birth Certificates in Salt Lake City

Three methods work for obtaining birth records in Salt Lake City. In person is fastest. Walk into the Salt Lake Public Health Center with a filled-out order form, valid photo ID, proof of your relationship to the person on the birth certificate, and payment. The cost is $22. Most birth record requests are done the same day at the downtown office.

Mail requests go to the Salt Lake County Health Department. Write a check or money order payable to the department. Mark the envelope ATTN: VITAL RECORDS. Include a copy of your ID front and back, a completed birth certificate order form, and copies of any proof of relationship. Mail orders take longer. Allow two to three weeks for processing and delivery of birth records by mail.

Online orders go through the SILVER system at the state vital records website. Create an account, fill out the birth certificate form, and pay by credit card. Online orders take 3 to 4 weeks. A small service fee applies on top of the base cost. This method works well if you cannot visit an office in person.

Note: Online birth certificate orders through SILVER take 3 to 4 weeks while in-person vital records requests at the Salt Lake City office are usually done the same day.

Salt Lake City Birth Records ID Requirements

ID is needed for every birth certificate request. You must present a valid photo ID to get a birth record in Salt Lake City. The county vital records office accepts these forms of primary ID:

• Government-issued photo driver's license
• U.S. passport or foreign passport
• U.S. military ID card
• Tribal ID card
• Permanent resident card or alien registration card

Without a photo ID, two forms of secondary ID work instead. Options include a Social Security card, voter registration card, school ID, or a certified copy of a marriage license. Under Utah Code Title 26, Chapter 2, Section 5, every live birth in the state must have a birth certificate filed within 10 days. This law also sets rules for who signs the certificate and how the birth record gets filed with the state.

Proof of relationship is now required at all vital records offices. Only certain people can get a copy of a birth certificate less than 100 years old. The person named on the birth record can request it. So can a parent, sibling, spouse, child, grandchild, or grandparent. Exceptions are rare. If you are not related, you must show direct and legitimate interest in the birth record. Under Utah Code Section 26-2-22, birth records in Salt Lake City become public after 100 years from the date of birth.

Historical Birth Records in Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City has some of the oldest birth records in Utah. Records date to 1890. That is seven years before most other counties started keeping birth ledgers. Early vital records from the 1890s were filed under state law by the county clerk. These old birth certificates are valuable for anyone doing family research in the area.

The Salt Lake County Health Department handles birth certificate orders for Salt Lake City residents.

This page shows how Salt Lake City residents can order birth certificates through the Salt Lake County Health Department health centers.

Utah began statewide birth registration in 1905. Full compliance came by 1917. At the state archives, birth certificates from 1905 to 1914 are available for research. FamilySearch has digitized many Utah birth certificates from 1903 to 1914 with searchable indexes. A birth index covering 1898 to 1905 is also at the Utah State Archives. The Library of Congress guide to Utah vital records provides more details on what birth records exist at each level.

Before 1898, no civil birth records were kept in this area. Church records are the best source for that era. Blessing records from the arrival of pioneers in 1847 through the 1860s document many early births. These vital records can help when no civil certificate exists. The FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City holds microfilm copies of many early Utah county and church birth records.

Note: Birth certificates over 100 years old are public record and can be viewed at the Utah State Archives without proving a family relationship.

Salt Lake City Birth Certificate Fees

The cost is $22 for a certified copy of a birth certificate. Each extra copy ordered at the same time is $10. These fees apply at the Salt Lake Public Health Center and all branch offices for vital records. Rates match at the state office. A credit or debit card adds a $0.75 convenience fee at most locations.

Expedited processing from the state office costs $15 extra. This gives your birth record request first priority. Delayed birth certificates, new certificates after adoption, and paternity adjudications cost $60 in Utah. That price includes one certified copy. Amendments to a birth certificate cost $27, which covers the filing and one corrected copy of the vital record.

The CDC vital records page for Utah lists current contact details and mailing address for the state office that serves Salt Lake City and all other Utah cities.

Correcting a Salt Lake City Birth Certificate

Errors on a birth certificate can be fixed through the amendment process. Residents need an Amendment Application from the Office of Vital Records and Statistics. ID is needed. Bring your photo ID, the original birth certificate, and a court order if the change requires one. Under Utah Code Section 26B-8-101, most amendments need an affidavit signed by two witnesses. Notarization is required. The fee is $27 for the amendment and one corrected copy of the birth record.

A legal name change on a birth certificate requires a court order. File a petition in the local district court, attend a hearing, and serve any required notices. Once the court grants the order, send a certified copy to the Office of Vital Records and Statistics. Utah Code Section 26B-8-111 governs this process for Salt Lake City residents. Gender marker changes follow a separate process. An extra $40 applies if you want to seal the old marker from the public birth record.

Making false statements on a vital records application is a criminal offense. Obtaining a birth certificate through fraud carries serious penalties. Under Utah Code Sections 26-23-5 and 26-23-6, fines reach $5,000 and prison time can reach five years. Accuracy matters. Ensure all information on your birth certificate request is correct before submitting it.

Note: A birth certificate can be replaced within 90 days of issue if errors are found on the vital record document.

Salt Lake City Birth Records Access Rules

Utah protects birth records with a 100-year privacy rule. Under Utah Code Section 26-2-22, birth certificates stay restricted for a full century from the date of birth. Access is limited. Only the person named on the record and close family can get copies during that time. The Salt Lake County Health Department enforces this rule at all its offices serving Salt Lake City. Proof of relationship is required for every birth record request.

After 100 years, birth records transfer to the Utah State Archives. They become fully public at that point. No restrictions apply. Anyone can view and obtain copies of these vital records without proving a family tie. The Utah Vital Statistics Act sets the legal framework for how birth certificates are registered and who can access them in Salt Lake City and across the state.