How to Order an Oregon Birth Certificate: Who Can Order, What ID You Need and Your Options

Who can order an Oregon birth certificate

Oregon access to birth records is restricted for 100 years after the date of the birth under ORS 432.380, and anyone ordering must complete an application and prove their eligibility. According to the Oregon Health Authority (OHA), these people can apply, with the proof listed:

• The person named on the certificate (age 15 or older): nothing more is needed if the name on your ID matches. If your name has changed, you will be asked for a document such as a marriage certificate or court-ordered name change.
• A parent: nothing more is needed if the name on your ID matches a parent named on the certificate.
• A stepparent: if the child is under 18 and you are still married to the parent on the certificate, you need a state-issued marriage or domestic partnership certificate plus another recent document naming both spouses, dated within 30 days of applying.
• A grandparent: a copy of your child's birth certificate naming you as a parent, and showing who is named as a parent on the certificate you are requesting.
• A child, grandchild or sibling: a copy of your own birth certificate showing the family link. For a grandchild, a parent's birth certificate is also needed.
• A spouse or registered domestic partner: a copy of your state-issued marriage or domestic partnership certificate (a commemorative certificate does not count).
• A legal guardian: valid court guardianship papers.
• A legal representative or authorized representative: court records, a statement on company letterhead, a notarized authorization or a power of attorney, depending on the role.
• A government agency: an ID card with name and photo plus a letter on official letterhead or court documentation.

Aunts, uncles, cousins, ex-spouses and partners who are not registered domestic partners are not eligible on their own. Someone who is eligible can sign a notarized permission form that lets another person order or pick up the certificate. OHA says that form can be used only once within a year of being signed.

Which ID Oregon accepts

If you order online or by phone, you answer an identity quiz built from your name and date of birth. If you fail it, or if you order by mail, you must send a copy of acceptable proof of ID. The document must be legible, the photo must be clear, and expired documents are not accepted. Any one of these works:

1. Current, valid driver's license, permit or ID card
2. Current, valid passport or passport card with photo
3. Tribal membership or ID card with photo and address
4. U.S. Armed Services ID card with photo
5. Current student body card with name and photo (high school students only)
6. Consulate card (Matricula Consular) with photo and address
7. Citizen ID with photo
8. Permanent Resident Card with photo

OHA also lists a tribal card without a photo as one of three pieces of ID.

The ways to order

Oregon offers several routes, and the state says it encourages customers to order certified copies from the Oregon Center for Health Statistics, their local county health department, or its contracted vendor VitalChek. Options listed on the state's fee page include:

• Online or by phone through VitalChek, the vendor Oregon uses to take and process internet, telephone and in-person orders and to screen identity.
• By mail to Oregon Vital Records, PO Box 14050, Portland, OR 97293, with your signed order form, fee, copy of ID and any supporting documents.
• By drop box, using the same order form.
• In person by appointment. OHA notes that in-person help to change vital records is not available.

Fees are set by the state and change from time to time, so check the OHA fee page before you order. The state also notes that once a search for a record has started, the order cannot be cancelled and the fee is not refundable.

Ordering through US Records

US Records is a private company, not a government agency and not part of the State of Oregon. We help you complete the application, check that your documents match what Oregon asks for, and submit your order to the issuing office. Oregon's own website tells customers that third-party companies exist and may charge fees for their help, and that you can always order directly from the state, your county or VitalChek. If you prefer to have the paperwork walked through for you, you can start your order with us below. You are free to use either route.

Tips to avoid delays

1. Order from the state where the birth happened. Oregon records are held in Oregon, even if you live elsewhere now.
2. Make sure the name on your ID matches the name you are applying under, or have your name-change document ready.
3. Use a clear, unexpired ID image, with all four corners visible.
4. If you are applying for someone else, gather proof of your relationship before you begin.
5. Double-check the spelling of the name, the date and the place of birth. A search can be charged even when the record is not found.