VITAL RECORDS DIVISION


     Birth and death records are available  beginning with the year 1882.   These records may be obtained through the mail, over the internet or by walk-in service (see Obtaining Vital Records).            Death records are $10.75 per copy.  Birth records are $10.00 per copy.  There is a limit of 5 certificates per name.

     For Genealogy searches, there is a 5 name limit & a $5.00 charge per name researched.  There is also a limit of 5 certificates per name.

    Identity theft is a growing concern in the U.S.A.   A Birth Certificate is a prime piece of documentation used to establish  false identities. For your Protection, the Vital Records Division of the Lawrence County Health Department & the Indiana State Department of Health make the following recommendations:

  •   Do Not keep your Birth Certificate on your person unless needed for a specific purpose.

  •   Do Not carry your Social Security Card  on your person unless needed for a specific purpose.

  •   Remove your Social Security Number from your Driver's License, checks, etc.

  •   If your wallet or purse is stolen with these pieces of identification, check your credit ratings at  least every  6  months.

  •    Keep these pieces of I.D. (along with all legal documents) stored in a safe place when not in use.

For more information regarding identity theft, consult the following web sites:

www.ftc.gov          

www.irs.gov                 Phone (800) 829-0433

www.ssa.gov/pubs       Phone (800) 269-0271

www.consumer.gov/idtheft

 

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Birth certificate request form
Death certificate request form

Identification is REQUIRED when obtaining a birth or death record.  To request a certified copy of a VITAL record you MUST be 18 years of age or older.

For information regarding births or deaths which occurred in other counties within Indiana, please go to the Indiana State Department of Health website and click on Birth & Death Certificates.



 OBTAINING VITAL RECORDS

  • BY MAIL:   Complete the necessary form application (link above) and mail it with the proper fee* and I.D. to the Lawrence County Health Department, 2419 Mitchell Rd., Bedford, IN 47421.           WE DO NOT ACCEPT PERSONAL CHECKS.

  • OVER THE INTERNET:  For your convenience, you can process online requests through an independent company that Lawrence County Health Department has partnered with to provide you this service; VitalChek Network, Inc.  VitalChek can be reached through their website; (**vitalchek URL).  An additional fee is charged by VitalChek for this service, and all major credit cards are accepted, including American Express, Discover, MasterCard or Visa   www.vitalchek.com 

  • ACCEPTABLE FORMS OF IDENTIFICATION:   a valid, current driver's license;  social security card;  valid, current State issued identification card; or military identification card.  Identification MUST contain your signature.  If you are making a request via mail, please photocopy your identification; do NOT send the original document.

  • For more information, contact the Lawrence County Health Department @ (812)275-3234.

AMENDING VITAL RECORDS

The following options are available to amend a Vital Record, if ALL necessary criteria are met:

  • Court Order Change of Name

  • Court Order Determining Parentage

  • Correction Affidavit

  • Paternity Affidavit

  • Paternity Affidavit Upon Marriage

Please DO NOT make any assumptions based on this list.   Call the Lawrence County Health Department for detailed information regarding ANY of these procedures.