Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Birth Certificates & Death Certificates

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            Birth certificates:

St. Mary's County Health Department provides same-day service for applicants who need certified copies of birth certificates.  The fee is $35 per certificate. Certificates are available for individuals born after 1940.

Birth certificates may be obtained on a walk-in basis:

                Where - St. Mary's County Health Department
                              21580 Peabody St.
                              Leonardtown, MD 20650

                When -  Monday - Friday
                             8:30 a.m. - 4:15 p.m.

The Health Department is closed
Monday - Friday from 12 pm - 1 pm.
effective March 1, 2010

You are an eligible applicant for walk-in, same-day service if:

  • you are the individual asking for his/her own birth certificate.

  • you are the parent or guardian of the person (a foster care appointment is not acceptable).  Proof of guardianship must be submitted.

  • you are a representative of the person, parent, or guardian, and certified by a notary public saying that you have permission to obtain the birth certificate.

Please bring a valid, unexpired, government-issued photo identification.  Photo ID is mandatory.  Applicants unable to supply valid photo ID must present two pieces of alternative documentation.  Acceptable documents are social security card; pay stub, current car registration, bank statement, letter from government agency, lease/rental agreement, utility bill with current address, or a copy of your income tax return or W-2 return.  At least one of these documents must contain your current mailing address.  Applicants unable to provide valid photo ID will not be able to receive their certificates the same day.  Their certificates will be mailed to the address displayed on the documents provided

We accept Cash, Check, Visa and MasterCard

Birth Certificates by Mail

Applicants may submit a mail-in application to the Division of Vital Records in Baltimore.  The fee is $24 per certificate.  The application will be processed in 2-3 weeks.  Mail-in applications are available at the health department or you may Click here to download a copy.

When ordering by mail, send completed application, legible copy of ID, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and check or money order payable to THE DIVISION OF VITAL RECORDS:

Division of Vital Records
P.O. Box 68760
Baltimore, MD 21215-0036

To Correct a Birth Certificate

To correct a birth certificate, fill out an application, and send two documents with names spelled correctly to the Division of Vital Records in Baltimore. Acceptable documents include Social Security card; voter registration; baptismal certificate; school records; insurance policy; certified marriage certificate; mother or father’s birth certificate.

To Change a Name

A baby’s name may be changed anytime from age one (1) week up until one (1) year of age.  If over a year old, you must have a court order.  Applications are available at the St. Mary’s County Health Department.

Statement of Age Card

The health department issues  Statement of Age Cards. The card verifies that an individual has a birth certificate filed at the Maryland Division of Vital Records.  The fee is $1.00 per card.

Home Births

When a child is born at home, parents must contact the St. Mary’s County Health Department Medical/Vital Records Program. Health Dept staff are available the first Friday of every month at the Charlotte Hall Library from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm to complete the appropriate paperwork and file the birth certificate with the Division of Vital Records in Baltimore.


Death Certificates

Effective September 1, 2011 applications for death certificates received prior to 12:00 p.m. will be processed and ready for pick up after 4:00 p.m. the same business day.  Applications received at 1:00 p.m. or later will be processed and ready for pick up the following business day.

Certified copies of death certificates may be obtained at the health department during the first 30 days after a death. The fee is $20 per certificate.  Click here to download an application.  To correct a death certificate after 30 days, please send application and corresponding documents to:

Maryland Division of Vital Records
6550 Reistertown Rd.
Baltimore, MD 21215


Recording Your Family Tree

People interested in genealogy may obtain an information packet from the health department, but then must work through the Maryland State Archives to search for birth certificates.

Maryland State Archives
350 Rowe Boulevard
Annapolis, MD 21401
410-260-6400
800-235-4045
800-735-2258 (TTY)
e-mail: archives@mdsa.net


Contact:

Donna Bowles
301-475-4427
 

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Send mail to healthdept@smhd.com with any questions or comments about our web site.
St. Mary's County Health Department is the local agency for the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

Copyright 2011 by St. Mary's County Health Department