Birth certificates for births that occurred in Newark, New Jersey are managed by Newark Vital Statistics. To get a copy of your birth certificate, submit a request form to the Newark Bureau of Vital Statistics. Because birth certificates are public records, anyone can request a copy. But to get a certified copy that you can use legally, like for a passport application, you must first prove that you are the person on the certificate, an authorized relative or a legal representative.
Filling Out the Request Form
Download a birth certificate request form from the Newark Bureau of Vital Statistics website. If you don't have a printer, you can get a form at the bureau's office at 394 University Avenue in Newark. Fill out the form with your full name and confirm that the birth occurred in Newark. Include your date of birth, sex, your father's full name and mother's full maiden name at birth.
A request for one birth certificate costs $25. Additional copies in the same request cost $4 each. If you are sending your request by mail, enclose a money order payable to City of Newark and a self-addressed stamped envelope. The address on the envelope must match the address on your photo ID. Personal checks are not accepted.
Required Identification
To request a copy of a birth certificate, you need to provide identification proving you are at least 18, with your photo and current address, like a driver’s license. If you are mailing your request, a photocopy of your identification is required.
Certified Birth Certificates
Certified copies of a birth certificate are only available to the person who the certificate is for, authorized relatives and legal representatives. Authorized relatives include a parent or guardian; a spouse, or domestic or civil union partner; a child; a grandchild; or a sibling.
If the certificate is for you, and your name has changed, you'll need proof of your name change in addition to your photo ID with your address. Acceptable proof includes a marriage or civil union certificate, or a certificate of a legal name change.
If you are the relative of the person on the certificate, you must also prove your relationship to that person. If the certificate is for your child, your photo ID is acceptable if your name is on the birth record. If the certificate is for a parent's birth, your own birth certificate showing your parent's name is required. A grandchild would require her own birth certificate and her parent's birth certificate, which will show the lineage from grandparent to parent to grandchild. In any of these cases, if a name has been changed since the certificates were issued, you will need proof of the name change as well.
Anyone legally representing the person on the birth certificate can also get a certified copy, however they must prove that they are authorized. This can include an executor of an estate, a lawyer, or anyone with a notarized letter or notarized power of attorney from the person on the certificate, giving them the authority to make the request.
Ordering a Birth Certificate Online
If it's more convenient, you can always order a Newark, New Jersey birth certificate online through the State of New Jersey Vital Records Online Service. To do so, you'll need:
- A valid driver’s license or two forms of alternate identification
- Proof of relationship, change of name and/or address, if applicable
- Credit card
The online portal walks you through the information you'll need to enter, which includes your name, residence and information on the birth certificate you're ordering, including the birth hospital name.
A request for one birth certificate ordered online is $25. Additional copies in the same request cost $2 each. When ordering online, there is also a $5 processing fee and a $5 identity verification fee.
Birth certificate requests made online take an estimated two to three weeks to process once they are approved. That does not take shipping time into account.
Read More: How to Read a Birth Certificate
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Writer Bio
A published author and professional speaker, David Weedmark has worked as a consultant for many small businesses and non-governmental organizations, including several law firms and bar associations. David has also has written hundreds of articles on legal matters and small business trends for newspapers, magazines and online publications including About.com and American Express.