State Certified Vital Records

State Certified Copies

Certified copies of birth, death, or marriage certificates may be obtained from the Iowa Department of Public Health by telephone, in-person, or through a postal service. Fees are payable by check or money order made out to the Iowa Department of Public Health. In-person requests may also be paid in cash. Requests for the purpose of family history take at least 60 days, regardless of the method of request.

VitalChek

Certified copies may also be ordered using the VitalChek website or by calling Vitalchek at 866-809-0290. There is an additional fee involved for using this service. There is also an option available to expedite the request for an additional charge.

In-Person

Walk-in service is available for in-persons at the Iowa Department of Public Health between the hours of 7 AM and 5 PM, Monday through Friday, except for state-observed holidays. The office is located at the address listed below.  Written applications must be satisfactorily completed and signed. Applicants must also provide photo identification. Copies may either be picked up after two days or mailed to an entitled person.  For information regarding this service, please call the Iowa Department of Public Health as this option is subject to change.

Postal Service

Written requests and fees may be mailed to the Iowa Department of Public Health. Requests must state the relationship to the person named on the record and the purpose of the copy. Filled requests may take up to 30 to 45 days, depending on mail service. 

Iowa Department of Public Health
Bureau of Vital Records
321 E 12th Street
1st Floor, Lucas State Office Building
Des Moines, Iowa 50319-0075