Maryland Vital Records

Maryland's vital records are official documents that detail life-changing events within the state. These include births, deaths, fetal deaths, marriages, divorces, adoptions, and adjudication of paternity. Unlike some other jurisdictions, Maryland's public records law does not establish access to the state's vital records. The legal framework for Maryland vital records is set by Maryland Code, Health-General Article, Title 4, Subtitle 2, § 4-201. Section 9-1015 of Maryland's State Government Code addresses restrictions, definitions, and archival transfer of vital records. Furthermore, the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) limits disclosure of these documents to individuals with direct and tangible interests.

In Maryland, the Department of Health (MDH) is the custodian of vital records at the state level, while health officers typically serve as county registrars. Once a vital is registered in the state, it is maintained by the Division of Vital Records (DVR), under Maryland's Vital Statistics Administration, which is part of the Maryland Department of Health.

Public Access to Maryland Vital Records

Maryland treats most vital records as confidential documents. Under Section 4-217 of the Maryland Health-General Code, access to recent birth, death, fetal death, and marriage certificates is restricted to:

• The person named on the record
• Immediate family members, including parents, spouse, and children
• Legal representatives or authorized agents.

Are vital records public in Maryland?

No, there is restricted access to Maryland's vital records. Although the Maryland Public Information Act (Maryland Open Records Law) grants public access to government records, it exempts vital records from disclosure to protect individual privacy. Access to Maryland's vital records is governed by Section 9-1015 of Maryland's State Government Code and COMAR.

Under Maryland law, there are time restrictions of 100 years for birth records and 10 years for death records. Although access to recent vital records is restricted, older versions may be available through the Maryland State Archives. Typically, these records become publicly accessible for genealogical or historical research.

Types of Vital Records Available in Maryland

There are several types of vital records in Maryland: These documents include:

• Birth records, including:
  • Birth certificates of live births for individuals born in Maryland and
  • Delayed birth registrations for births not registered promptly
  • Original and new birth certificates for adoptees (depending on the adoption status)
• Death records, which include:
  • Standard death certificates for individuals who died in Maryland
  • Fetal death certificates
  • Amended death certificates
  • Marriage records
  • Divorce (or annulment) records
  • Adoption records
  • Adjudication of paternity.

Maryland does not explicitly offer informational copies or short-form versions of its vital records; instead, it provides certified copies that are legally recognized for official use. The state also provides extracts which may include only names, parental birthplaces, and the date/place of birth or death.

Maryland Birth Records

A Maryland birth certificate typically records:

• The child's full name, date, and place of birth
• The Parents' names. Maryland requires parents to provide their Social Security numbers on the registration form. However, the Social Security Numbers are not included on the publicly issued certificate
• Medical/clinical information.

Under Maryland's law, institutional births must be filed by the institution's administrative head (or designee) within 72 hours after birth. For home births, local health officers or designees are required to verify the facts of the birth, sign the birth record, and file it.

Section 4-208 of the Maryland General Health Code requires all births within the state to be registered with the Secretary of the Maryland Department of Health, while Title 10, Subtitle 01, Chapter 01 of the Code of Maryland Regulations governs the registration and maintenance of birth records.

In Maryland, the Health Department's Division of Vital Records is the custodian of vital records and issues certified birth certificates. Individuals can also get birth certificates in Maryland through local health departments. These agencies issue certificates of birth within their jurisdictions.

Maryland Death Records

A typical Maryland death certificate contains:

• The deceased's full name, date of death, and county or city of death
• information: age, sex, marital status, and residence
• Medical cause of death
• Manner of death (if determined)
• Date and place of death
• Parents' names (often included)
• The certifier's information (doctor, coroner, or medical examiner
• Certificate number, registration date, and other administrative information.

In Maryland, certified death certificates are issued by the Maryland Department of Health's Division of Vital Records for deaths occurring from 2012 onward. Individuals seeking copies of Maryland death records older than 2012 can request them from the Maryland State Archives. Eligible individuals may also find death records in Maryland through some local health departments (this does not apply to all death records).

Under Maryland's law, death records are confidential for the first 10 years after the demise of the subject. During this period, these documents are only accessible to relatives, authorized legal representatives, and individuals who prove direct and tangible interests.

Maryland Marriage Records

A marriage certificate in Maryland is an official document that details the legal union between two individuals. The purpose of Maryland's marriage records (marriage certificates) includes:

• Prove marital status (for instance, for Social Security, insurance, and immigration)
• Resolve legal and estate matters
• Provide data for genealogical and historical research.

In Maryland, the Department of Health's Division of Vital Records maintains marriage records at the state level. This agency issues certificates for marriages that occurred within the state after January 1, 2007. For Maryland marriage records that predate January 2007, interested individuals can request them at the county level through Circuit Courts Clerk's Offices.

Maryland designates marriage records as unrestricted vital records. Hence, they are public documents. However, only the spouses named on a marriage record, their attorneys, or representatives (with notarized letters of permission) can access certified copies of recent marriage records. Certified copies of archival marriage records are available for public access through the Maryland State Archives.

Maryland Divorce Records

Maryland divorce records are official documents that detail the dissolution of marriages within Maryland. These are court case files that encompass pleadings, motions, orders, financial documents, custody agreements, and other filings related to marriage dissolution in Maryland. A divorce decree/judgment is the formal court order that ends the marriage; it is just one document in the broader case record.

Divorce records are generally public under Maryland court rules. However, sensitive documents in Maryland records, including financial statements, custody plans, or medical reports, will be redacted. In Maryland, Circuit Court Clerk's Offices in the counties where the divorces were granted are the custodians of these documents. These documents may be accessible online through the Maryland Judiciary Case Search Portal, or by mail-in requests or in-person visits to the relevant Circuit Court Clerk's Office. Additionally, older Maryland divorce decrees/case files may be accessible through the Maryland State Archives.

How to Order Vital Records in Maryland

In Maryland, the Vital Statistics Administration (VSA)/Division of Vital Records (DVR) is the issuer of vital records at the state level. Interested individuals can order Maryland Vital records online through the DVR Request Certificates Webpage. Record seekers can also call the Maryland DVR at (410) 764-3038 (local) or 1-800-832-3277 (toll-free) for information or to place an order. Alternatively, send mail requests to:

Division of Vital Records

For in-person requests, visit local health departments, or the Maryland Department of Health's Division of Vital Records during office hours at:

Who Can Request Maryland Vital Records?

Maryland vital records eligibility is limited to protect the privacy of the record owners. Who can access Maryland vital records depends on the age of the documents. In Maryland, access to recent vital records is restricted to the individuals whose names are on the documents (excluding death records), parents and immediate family members, and authorized representatives with notarized permission or court orders.

Record Type	Eligible Requestors	Required Documents	Official Source Link
Birth Certificate	Registrant (if adult) Parents/Legal Guardians Immediate family (varies by state) Legal representatives Individuals with a court order	Valid Government-Issued Photo ID; this includes driver's license, state-issued ID card, passport, and military ID Two documents showing the requester's current address (if it is not on the identification documents). For instance, a utility bill, a bank statement, a rental agreement, or a pay stub Documents showing the requester's relationship with the subject of the document. For example, a decree of adoption or custody order (if applicable), Certified court-appointed guardianship papers, a notarized authorization letter from the eligible individual, or proof of legal authorization or court order	Maryland Department of Health's Division of Vital Records
Death Certificate	Immediate family of the deceased Legal representatives, executors, or administrators acting on behalf of the family Individuals with a notarized authorization from an eligible family member Government agencies that need it for official purposes, such as law enforcement, public health, or vital statistics research	Valid Government-Issued Photo ID Proof of relationship to the deceased or authorization Government agencies are required to provide official agency credentials or request documents	Maryland Department of Health's Division of Vital Records (DVR Maryland State Archives
Marriage Record	Either spouse named on the marriage record Authorized representatives acting on behalf of a spouse, with a notarized authorization Government agencies for official purposes, such as law enforcement or public health research Attorneys or legal representatives with proper authorization or a court order	Valid Government-issued photo identification documents Any two of the utility bill, bank statement, pay stub, or rental agreement, if the identification document does not include the requester's resident address	Maryland Department of Health's Division of Vital Records Maryland Circuit Courts (county clerk of court offices)
Divorce Record	Either party to the divorce record Authorized representatives acting on behalf of a former spouse, with a notarized authorization Government agencies that need the divorce record for official purposes, such as law enforcement, legal research, or public health statistics. Attorneys or legal representatives with proper authorization or a court order	Valid driver's license, state ID card, passport, or military ID Proof of eligibility or authorization	Maryland Circuit Courts (clerk of court offices) Maryland State Archives.

Processing Times for Maryland Vital Records Requests

Several factors may impact the timeline for delivering a Maryland vital record after a request. Most times, in-person requests may be quickest if they are made by appointment. Likewise, online ordering is also quick if it involves expedited delivery, while mail orders take the longest due to the need to manually handle applications.

Generally, Maryland vital records processing time depends on:

• Request method (mail, online, or in-person)
• Type of records (standard certified copies or more complex services)
• How fast the DVR can process the request
• Shipping/delivery method (regular or expedited)

How long does it take to get an order for Maryland vital records delivered?

Based on official estimates from the Maryland Vital Statistics Administration, the following processing timeline applies to the delivery of vital records in the state:

• DVR lobby orders - same day
• Mail orders - 6 weeks
• Online orders - 5 weeks with regular shipping and 3 weeks with expedited shipping
• Commemorative birth certificate - 8 to 12 weeks
• Corrections to records - 10 weeks.

Record Type	Factors That Influence Processing Time	Considerations
Birth Certificate	Request method (online, mail, in-person) Verification of eligibility Volume of requests Completeness and accuracy of the application Shipping and delivery time	Online requests may be faster Restricted access records require additional review
Death Certificate	Inclusion of cause-of-death information Registration and certification process DVR backlog/workload Shipping method Method of submission of the request	The DVR may be experiencing backlogs Some counties have longer retrieval times Processing of orders may require additional documentation
Marriage Record	Backlog/operational delays Request method Record Registration/certification process Request at the state or local level County of record	Clerk's offices workloads vary across counties Certified copies may take longer than informational copies
Divorce Record	Locating the record/filing details Court administrative workload/backlog Record storage location Court retrieval procedures Delivery/pickup options	Timelines across counties, some Circuit Court Clerk's Offices may offer expedited processing to speed up delivery.

Fees for Obtaining Vital Records in Maryland

Vital records fees in Maryland vary by document type and the method of service. The amount the Maryland Department of Health charges for copies of these documents is based on the type of vital record requested and the method of delivery. For instance, a certified copy of a Maryland birth certificate costs a bit more if it is a stillbirth. Furthermore, there are additional processing costs for adoption records, as well as extra costs for expedited delivery. The table below summarizes the fees for obtaining vital records in the state of Maryland.

Certificate Type	Fee for Certificate	Additional Processing Fee	Surcharges
			Online	Expedited Shipping (applicable to online orders)
Domestic Adoption	$10.00	$12.00
Foreign Adoption	$12.00	$12.00
Birth	$10.00		$13.00	$20.00
Stillbirth	$12.00			$20.00
Commemorative Birth	$50.00
Corrections (birth or death certificate)	$10.00
Additional Copy of Death Certificate (same transaction)	$12.00
Fetal Death	$12.00			$20.00
Divorce Verification	$12.00		$13.00	$20.00
Legitimization	$10.00	$12.00
Marriage	$12.00		$13.00	$20.00.

Data Source: Maryland Vital Statistics Administration.

How to Search Vital Records Online in Maryland

In Maryland, the Division of Vital Records (DVR) under the Maryland Department of Health is the primary source for certified copies of vital records. To search vital records online in Maryland, visit the Maryland Vital Records Official Webpage.

Individuals who prefer in-person access to Marriage vital records can schedule appointments online and visit the Division of Vital Records' lobby at:

For Maryland divorce records, log in to the Maryland Judiciary Case Search Portal. This portal provides access to basic information about divorce. Individuals who seek access to Maryland genealogy records should visit the Maryland State Archives website or email them at msa.helpdesk@maryland.gov.