Are Missouri Vital Records Public?
It depends. Because vital records contain sensitive information, the Missouri Uniform Vital Statistics Law restricts access to vital records until a period of confidentiality elapses. For death records, this confidentiality period is fifty years and up to one hundred years for birth records.
Still, persons who can prove a "direct and tangible interest" in the requested vital record will receive a copy upon request. An example of tangible interest is when releasing for inspection protects the requester's personal or property rights. Other persons must turn to the state archives or obtain an informational list of the vital records that the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) releases every year.
What Information Shows Up in Missouri Vital Records?
A Missouri vital record provides an official account of vital events such as births, deaths, marriages, and divorces within the state’s judicial limit. These records are created per the Missouri Uniform Vital Statistics Law and are useful for the identification of state residents, as well as for research/genealogical purposes.
How Do I Search for Missouri Vital Records Online?
Missouri vital records can be obtained by sending an online request to the appropriate custodian in the county where the event occurred. However, there are limited options for remote search offered by county/state agencies. Generally, persons requesting to obtain vital records in Missouri must provide or submit a request containing the following information:
- The full name of the person named on the record
- Date of the life event
- Location of the life event
- Father's name (if applicable)
- Mother's maiden name (if applicable)
- Relationship to the individual named on the record
- Purpose of request
- Daytime phone number and contact information (of the requester)
Publicly available vital records are managed and disseminated by some third-party aggregate sites. These sites are generally not limited by geographical record availability and may serve as a convenient jump-off point when researching specific or multiple records. However, third-party sites are not government-sponsored. As such, record availability may differ from official channels. To find a record using the search engines on third-party sites, the requesting party will be required to provide:
- The location of the record in question, including the city, county, or state where the case was filed.
- The name of someone involved, provided it is not a juvenile.
Requesters must provide relevant information associated with the record to conduct an online search for vital records. Some of these include:
- The registrant's name
- Date of the event
- Place of the event
- City or county where the life event occurred
- First and last name of parents
- Presiding judge (for marriage or divorce records)
How Do I Obtain Missouri Vital Records?
Certified copies of vital records in Missouri can only be obtained on request by eligible persons, including the persons named on the document, immediate family members, and legal representatives. Generally, the requester must complete the appropriate application form, especially if the request goes to the Missouri DHSS. Submissions can be made online, in person, or by sending a mail request.
As part of the documentation process needed to obtain Missouri vital records, applicants must provide a signed application form or request form for the type of record they seek. Applicants must also provide a search fee, one identification document showing their name and photograph, or two acceptable alternative forms of identification. The applicant may need to provide proof of substantial interest, evidence of relationship, or an official authorization letter.
Certified Copy vs. Informational Copy: Understanding the Difference
Certified copies of vital records are short-form (abstracts) or long-form documents issued on security paper and embossed with an official seal. They are issued by the DHSS and are valid for all identification and legal purposes. Other parties may issue informational copies, typically the state archives. However, these copies are unfit for legal purposes or identification.
Are Missouri Marriage Records Public Information?
Yes. Certified copies of Missouri marriage records are open to the persons named on the document as well as persons who provide evidence of eligibility. Meanwhile, more than 3 million indexed public marriage records, created from the territorial period through December 31, 1969, are available for free in the Missouri state archives.
Third-party sites and libraries are another way to find public marriage records in Missouri.
How Do I Obtain Missouri Marriage Records?
Persons requesting certified marriage records in Missouri may submit a request to the Bureau of Vital Records. This agency maintains a central registry of marriages that have occurred in Missouri since July 1948. Records of marriages before this date are only available at the Recorder of Deeds' office that issued the marriage license. To find marriage records via in-person and mail requests, interested persons must complete and send the application for marriage records to:
Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services
Bureau of Vital Records
930 Wildwood Drive
P.O. Box 570
Jefferson City, MO 65102-0570
Phone: (573) 751-6387
Each copy of a marriage certificate costs $15.00 per search, and this fee is non-refundable. Note that the record custodian only processes walk-in services during business hours: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. CST on Monday to Friday (except holidays). Same-day requests are possible if the requester submits the required documents before 3:00 p.m., including a valid photo ID. Mail-in requests go to the same address, but this time, the requester must complete an application for a vital record and enclose the form in a self-addressed, legal-size envelope. Furthermore, requests sent by mail must be notarized by a notary public on the same date as the application.
How to Get a Missouri Marriage Certificate
Missouri issues two kinds of marriage-related records: marriage certificates and marriage statements.
Certified marriage statements: These show the spouses' names, the marriage date, and the county office recording the wedding. Certified marriage statements are helpful in cases where a searcher needs clarification on the county where the marriage registration occurred. To get a certified marriage statement, one must forward their request to the Missouri Bureau of Vital Records.
Certified Marriage Certificates: Per Chapter 193 of Missouri State Statutes, persons who want to get a certified marriage report in Missouri should obtain their marriage license first. Copies of original marriage certificates are obtainable by requesting the Recorder of Deeds of the county where the couple got their marriage license.
Are Missouri Divorce Records Public Information?
No. Missouri divorce records are available to individuals named on the record and entities who can demonstrate tangible evidence of interest. This latter group of requesters must provide supporting documentation.
How Do I Obtain Missouri Divorce Records?
Eligible persons can obtain a Missouri divorce record from the circuit clerk's office in the county where the divorce decree was issued. The document obtained from this local record custodian is the actual certified copy of the original divorce decree.
Likewise, the Bureau of Vital Records has maintained a statewide registry of certified statements of divorce records in Missouri since July 1948. Interested persons may obtain either of these documents - that is, certified divorce record or statement of divorce - online, by mail, or in person. Note that the certified statement of divorce contains limited information about the divorce. Generally, divorce records cost $15 per copy.
Interested persons must complete the application for a marriage/divorce record form. Next, the requester must attach a check or money order for applicable fees as well as a copy of a valid photo ID. Enclose the application packet in a legal-size, self-addressed, stamped envelope and mail it to:
Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services
Bureau of Vital Records
930 Wildwood Drive
P.O. Box 570
Jefferson City, MO 65102-0570
Phone: (573) 751-6387
Note that an approved notary public must notarize all mail requests on the same date as the application. Furthermore, in-person requests for divorce records are processed during business hours: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. CST on Monday through Friday. Same-day processing is possible for applications received before 3:00 p.m. CST.
How to Get a Certified Divorce Certificate in Missouri
Certified divorce statements are obtainable from the state's Bureau of Vital Statistics under the Department of Health and Senior Services in Jefferson City. These requests are acceptable via mail, in-person, phone requests, or online. Missouri Certified divorce statements often only include the issued by the usually show only the spouses' names, the county that recorded the divorce, and the divorce date.
To request a certified divorce certificate, persons involved must download and fill out the divorce statement form. Then, depending on their preferred channel, they should forward the completed form and applicable fees to the Bureau of Vital Statistics Office. Divorce record is $15 per record and $15 per additional record.
On the other hand, certified copies of an original divorce decree are obtainable by notifying the circuit clerk of the county that granted the divorce.
Are Missouri Birth Records Public Information?
No. Certified birth records are only available to the persons named on the birth record and other persons as determined by statute. Also, interested members of the public may obtain an annual list of persons born in Missouri counties from the DHSS. This list generally contains the persons' names, dates of birth, and mothers' names.
How Do I Obtain Missouri Birth Records?
Persons who wish to order a birth certificate in Missouri must contact the Bureau of Vital Records, the state agency that maintains a statewide registry of births in Missouri. Note that birth records before 1909 are only available through the county clerk's office and via the state archives. Generally, persons who wish to obtain certified birth certificates or birth certificate replacements from the Bureau of Vital Records must complete an application for birth/death records. Each search costs a non-refundable $15.00 fee. Send mail requests in a self-addressed stamped envelope to:
Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services
Bureau of Vital Records
930 Wildwood Drive
Jefferson City,
Zip Code: 65102-0570
Phone: (573) 751-6387
Meanwhile, persons who wish to obtain public birth records may visit or send a written request to the state archives at:
Records Management & Archives Service
600 West Main Street
P.O. Box 778
Jefferson City,
Zip Code: 65201
Phone: (573) 751-3280
All requesters must provide a valid, state-approved photo ID and pay the application fees before the record custodian processes the application. Furthermore, walk-in service is only between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (CST) Monday to Friday, except for state and federal holidays. Applications submitted before 3:00 p.m. are eligible for same-day processing. Also, written requests must describe the record of interest in detail with information such as the registrant's full name, birth date, and location of birth. The requester must get an approved notary public to notarize all mail requests on the same day of the application.
Is a Birth Certificate Public Record in Missouri?
No. To prevent fraud and protect identities, vital records in Missouri, including birth certificates, are only issued to specifically defined individuals or entities. Such eligible persons include the individual named on the certificate, their family members listed on the certificate, siblings, legal guardians, or other constitutionally or legally allowed persons. However, older birth records stored at the Missouri State Archives may be considered public birth records.
To obtain certified or original birth certificates, one must request the Missouri Health Department's Vital Records Bureau in Jefferson City, Missouri. The state's Health Department's Vital Records Bureau also handles requests for replacement birth certificates.
Are Missouri Death Records Open to the Public?
No. Missouri death records become open to the public fifty years after the death. In the meantime, certified death records in Missouri are restricted to the deceased's immediate family, legal representatives, and requesters who can demonstrate personal or property interests or affiliations with the deceased.
How Do I Obtain Missouri Death Records?
Certified death records in Missouri are available through the Bureau of Vital Records, which maintains a statewide registry of Missouri death records less than fifty years old. Public death records older than fifty years are maintained by the Missouri State Archives. Interested persons who wish to obtain copies of certified death records must submit an application for birth/death records. This application is possible online, by mail, or in person. Attach the completed form with a check or money order for the appropriate fees and a valid photo ID. Enclose this application form in a legal-size, self-addressed envelope and mail it to:
Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services
Bureau of Vital Records
930 Wildwood Drive
P.O. Box 570
Jefferson City, MO 65102-0570
Phone: (573) 751-6387
Is a Death Certificate Public Record in Missouri?
No. Missouri death certificates are not public records. Missouri’s Bureau of Vital Statistics does not issue certified copies of death certificates to anyone. The only persons eligible to access death certificates in Missouri are relatives of the deceased or those who can provide proof of substantial interest in acquiring the death certificate. Such persons include their family members, genealogists, official representatives, or others whose interests and identities are verified.
The death records of persons who passed over fifty (50) years ago up until 1910 are public records. Interested persons may search for these records using the Secretary of State’s Missouri Digital Heritage website.
How Do I Obtain Sealed Vital Records?
Persons who wish to obtain sealed vital records must obtain a court order allowing access to that vital record. This process involves petitioning the court with legitimate, tangible reasons for granting the court order. For example, providing a document showing the requester has a personal or property interest can only be protected by obtaining a copy of the sealed vital record. If successful, the court of competent jurisdiction shall unseal the vital record for the individual's access. The person may then apply for the vital record by attaching a certified court order with other application requirements.
What are Vital Statistics in Missouri?
Per Missouri Revised Statute, Chapter 193, Section 015, vital statistics in Missouri consist of all information obtained from certificates and reports of birth, death, spontaneous fetal death, marriage, dissolution of marriage, and related reports. It includes all notices of live births, fetal deaths, deaths, weddings, and dissolutions of marriages (divorce, annulment & legal separation) collated by Missouri’s Bureau of Vital Statistics under the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.
Persons seeking additional information on accessing Missouri vital statistics should Phone: (573) 751-6387 The Missouri Code of State Regulations provides additional information guiding vital records in Missouri.
