You must have a relationship to the person whose birth certificate you are ordering. You will need to show proof of your identity and relationship. You will also need to pay any necessary fees. There are no refunds, even if we cannot locate the record or if you are not eligible to receive the birth certificate.
Please follow the steps outlined below before you order.
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Confirm the record is available
King County has birth records for all persons born in Seattle or King County. We also have records for all Washington state births registered from 1907 to present.
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Confirm you are eligible
You can order your own birth certificate, or someone else’s if you are a “qualified applicant.” Qualified applicants are:
- Spouses or domestic partners
- Parents, stepparents, or legal guardians
- Children or stepchildren
- Siblings
- Grandparents or great grandparents
- Legal representatives
- Authorized representatives
- Government agencies
- Courts (if used for official duties)
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Confirm you have the right information
You will need the following information about the subject of the birth certificate:
- First, middle, and last name
- First and last name of all the parents listed
- Date of birth (month, day, year)
- City or county of birth
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Confirm you have documentation to show your identity and eligibility
You must submit documentation to prove your identity and your relationship to the subject of the birth certificate.
- To prove your identity, you will need 1 government issued ID, like a drivers license or passport. The ID must include your photo, full name, and date of birth. The ID cannot be expired by more than 60 days. You can see a full list of acceptable IDs (144 KB) on the state Department of Health’s website.
- To prove your eligibility, you will need to provide 1 of the acceptable documents (207 KB) listed on the state Department of Health’s website.
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Order and pay
Birth certificates are $25 each. There may be extra fees depending on how you order and pay. There are no refunds if a record cannot be located or if you are not eligible to receive the birth certificate.
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Order online
We use an outside service, VitalChek, to process online orders 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. Each birth certificate costs $25. VitalChek charges an extra $15 per order, which includes standard shipping. You can pay with a credit or debit card. You can choose rush shipping for an extra fee.
Start your order here. -
Order by phone
You can order by phone 24 hours, 7 days a week by calling 1-888-273-4623.- To order over the telephone, a credit card is required.
- All telephone orders are processed within 15 to 20 business days and then sent by regular mail, unless you select rush delivery.
- Rush delivery is available via UPS for an additional fee of $18.50.
- UPS rush delivery requires a signature when delivered. UPS will not deliver to PO boxes.
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Order by mail
You can order a birth certificate by mail and pay with a check or money order. You will need to download the birth certificate order form (325 KB) and mail it in. There is a fee of $4 for mail orders. Your certificate will arrive in 3 to 4 weeks.
Instrucciones para el Formulario de solicitud de actas de nacimiento (302 KB, Spanish) -
Order in-person at the Vital Records Office
Our lobby is now opened from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.- King County Vital Records will be using VitalChek kiosks for ordering, and the fee is $28.50.
- Please be aware that the kiosk will close at 4 pm to ensure that all services are completed by the end of the day. If you arrive for service after 4 pm there is a chance that your certificates may not be available until the following business day.
- Valet parking is available in the King Street Garage, and the first hour is free.
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