Birth Records
Research Guides
About the Records
Information in birth records at the Utah State Archives commonly include name, date and place of birth, parent's names and birthplace. Often the individual's name is not included so the parent's names may need to be known. Record types include certificates, registers, and reports.
Before 1898
No governmental agencies in Utah were required by law to record births prior to 1898. Though not required to do so, Salt Lake City and Ogden began registering births in 1890 and Park City began registering births in 1892.
| Agency | Title | Links | Series | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake County Vital Records | Birth certificates, 1890-present | Contact Agency | ||||||
| Salt Lake County Archives | Birth records, 1890-1915 | View Online | ||||||
| Ogden (Utah). City Recorder | Birth register, 1890-1905 | index-ogden-birth | ogden-city-vital | Series 27190 | Y | https://archives.utah.gov/research/inventories/series/27190/ | Series 27190 | |
| Park City (Utah). City Recorder | Birth register, 1892-1897 | park-city-vital | Series 85147 | Y | https://archives.utah.gov/research/inventories/series/85147/ | Series 85147 |
1898-1905
County clerks became responsible for recording births beginning in 1898.
1905-1924
In 1905, the Utah Department of Health assumed responsibility for creating birth certificates for all individuals who were born in Utah. The Soundex birth certificate index is a useful tool created in 1934 in that it is an index of all births in Utah up until that point.
| Agency | Title | Links | Series | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Office of Vital Records and Statistics | Birth certificates, 1905-[ongoing] | index-birth | birth-certificates | Series 81443 | Y | https://archives.utah.gov/research/inventories/series/81443/ | Series 81443 | |
| Vital Statistics Section | Soundex birth certificate index, 1904-1924 | soundex-birth | Series 81437 | Y | https://archives.utah.gov/research/inventories/series/81437/ | Series 81437 | ||
| Office of Vital Records and Statistics | Delayed birth certificates, 1905-[ongoing] | Series 81445 | Y | https://archives.utah.gov/research/inventories/series/81445/ | Series 81445 | |||
| Office of Vital Records and Statistics | Native American birth certificates, 1916-1952. | Series 81444 | Y | https://archives.utah.gov/research/inventories/series/81444/ | Series 81444 |
Delayed Birth Certificates
People who were born before statewide birth registration and people whose births were not registered within the legal time limit lacked birth certificates. Informally around 1916 and codified into Utah law in 1941, delayed birth certificates are issued a year or more after the birth, and provide all the same rights as a birth certificate. The earliest birth in Utah in this series is from 1862.
1925-present
Birth certificates are private for 100 years from the date of birth (Utah Code 26B-8-125 “Inspection of vital records”). To access a more recent birth record, contact the Utah Office of Vital Records and Statistics or most local health districts for a certified copy.
Utah Office of Vital Records and Statistics
PO Box 141012
Salt Lake City UT 84114-1012
Phone Number 801-538-6105
Email vrequest@utah.gov