Vital Records

Birth, Death, Marriage and Divorce Information

Missouri birth, death, marriage and divorce records are maintained by the Department of Health and Senior Services Bureau of Vital Records.

Services include:

• Maintaining a central registry of Missouri births, deaths and fetal deaths reported from January 1, 1910 to the present (some delayed filings from births and deaths prior to 1910 are available)
• Preparing new certificates for adoptions and legitimations
• Maintaining a central registry of Missouri marriages and divorces (since July 1, 1948)
• Correcting vital records as authorized by state law
• Issuing certified copies of vital records
• Maintaining the Putative Father Registry

Note: In the State of Missouri, vital records are not open to the general public and can only be obtained by the individual, guardian or other legal party.

Obtaining Vital Records Locally
Many Missouri residents can obtain their birth, marriage and divorce records locally. People born in Missouri can obtain a copy of their birth certificate from any local public health department.

Please note: Vital Records are not available at the St. Louis City Health Department. Missouri born citizens can obtain records in the St. Louis City area at the Recorder of Deeds office at:

Recorder of Deeds Office
City Hall
1200 Market Street, Room 127
St. Louis, MO 63103

Call (314) 613-3016 to speak to them by phone.

Certified copies of marriage licenses are available from the Recorder of Deeds in the county where the license was obtained. Certified copies of divorce decrees are available from the Circuit Clerk in the county where the decree was granted.

For more information about obtaining these records locally, contact the offices directly. Contact information can be found on the following web pages:

Local Health Agencies
Recorder of Deeds
Circuit Clerks
Circuit Clerks ex-officio Recorder

Fees for copies of vital records will be collected by the local agency providing the document. Fees for birth and death records are the same as those charged by the Bureau of Vital Records. The fee for marriage and divorce records are set by the agency issuing the documents, so the cost may vary.

For expedited service, contact Vital Chek at the toll-free phone number, 1-877-817-7363, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Documents can be requested by phone and charged to a major credit card; however, there is an additional $9.95 charge for the use of this service. To further expedite the request, overnight services are offered. Applications can also be placed on-line at www.vitalchek.com.