How to Find Oklahoma Birth Records

Are Birth Records Public in Oklahoma?

No, except for Oklahoma birth records older than 125 years. Birth records above 125 years are considered open records. Vital records in Oklahoma are protected by state law, 63 O.S. Sec. 1-323 and are considered private. Eligible members of the public seeking public birth records, birth certificates, or any vital record can obtain information about the desired records from the website maintained by the office of vital statistics, Oklahoma.

What are Birth Records in Oklahoma?

An Oklahoma birth record is proof of the subject's identity and an official document that serves as evidence that the individual's birth occurred in Oklahoma. It is considered a vital document that establishes a person's age and citizenship status.

Birth records are essential for the administration of state laws and the protection of individual rights. In addition, the statistical data from birth records are of great value to public health and other agencies. Birth records are typically required for:

Passports
School enrollment
Employment
Governmental benefits
Insurance

Historically, birth records were registered using paper and were often incomplete and error-strewn. In certain situations, births remained unregistered for years due to records not being submitted. However, in 2009, the Oklahoma State Department of Health launched ROVER; a web-based system for registering births. ROVER is an acronym for Registering Oklahoma Vital Event Records. Oklahoma birth records are now filed faster, more completely, and more accurately.

An Oklahoma birth record contains:

Date of birth
Time of birth
Place of birth
Child's full name
Mother's name
Father's name
Child's gender
Type of birth
Mother's marital status
Birth registration number

Where to Find Public Birth Records in Oklahoma

The Oklahoma Department of Health, Division of Vital Records, is the government agency responsible for maintaining all birth records and other vital records in Oklahoma including issuing certified copies. Those seeking Oklahoma birth records can access the Oklahoma birth registry maintained by the Bureau of Vital Statistics, Oklahoma.

Eligible requesters can also send a request via the following methods:

Mail

Vital Records Service
Oklahoma State Department of Health
P.O. Box 248964
Oklahoma City, OK 73124-8964

Oklahoma State Department of Health
123 Robert S. Kerr Avenue, Suite 1702
Oklahoma City, OK 73102-6406

In Person

Oklahoma State Department of Health
123 Robert S. Kerr Avenue
Oklahoma City, OK
Phone: (405) 426-8880
Email: AskVR@health.ok.gov.

Note that Oklahoma no longer offers walk-in services for obtaining a birth certificate.

Oklahoma public birth records can also be found on third-party sites.

How to Find and Request Birth Records Online in Oklahoma?

Oklahoma provides access to a free searchable index of births that occurred in the state through the Ok2Explore web portal. Therefore, requesters can quickly look up Oklahoma birth records. Note that the Ok2Explore portal only includes limited information on births occurring more than 20 years ago. Users of the portal may search the Oklahoma birth index using any combination of the subject's name, date of birth, the county where the birth occurred, and the gender of the subject. The Ok2Explore indexes are updated monthly with new records and corrections.

However, online orders cannot be placed directly to the issuing authority in the state. For convenience, the Oklahoma Department of Health has partnered with an independent company to process online requests for birth records. Therefore, requesters can obtain birth records by providing acceptable identification and paying the appropriate fees. The company charges an additional fee for its service. All major credit cards are accepted by the company, including Discover, MasterCard, American Express, and Visa.

Considered open to citizens of the United States, public records are available through both traditional, government sources, and through third-party websites and organizations. In many cases, third-party websites make the search easier as they are not limited geographically or by technological limitations. They are considered a good place to start when looking for a specific record or multiple records. In order to gain access to these records, interested parties must typically provide:

The name of the person listed in the record. Juveniles are typically exempt from this search method.
The last known or assumed location of the person listed in the record. This includes cities, counties, and states.

While third-party sites offer such services, they are not government-sponsored entities, and record availability may vary on these sites when compared to government sources.

How to Get Birth Records in Oklahoma?

Eligible persons can apply to obtain birth records by mail or in person. However, an application is not complete without paying the appropriate fees and providing proper identification. Each applicant must provide one form of Primary ID or two forms of Secondary IDs. Any Primary ID document used must not have expired beyond three years. If secondary IDs are used in an application, at least one of the documents must show a current address. Birth records issued based on Secondary IDs will be mailed to the current address shown on the identification provided.

The Primary ID list comprises:

U.S. Issued Driver’s license or Identification card
Foreign Issued Passport with Visa (I-94)
United States of America B1/B2 Visa/Border Crossing Card – Form DSP-150
Government-issued Military photo ID (VA photo ID included)
Tribal Photo Identification Card containing the bearer’s signature
Oklahoma Self-Defense Act (SDA) License or OK Concealed Carry permit
Resident Alien Card (Form I-551)
Employment Authorization Card (Form I-766)
Employment Authorization Card (Form I-688A)
Temporary Resident Card (Form I-688)
Oklahoma Dept of Corrections Consolidated Record Card (CRC) – must be presented in person
Oklahoma public, private, or parochial secondary school (subject must be age 19 or younger)
Oklahoma institute of higher education
Oklahoma technology center school
The Secondary ID list comprises:
Pay stub or W2
Bank statement or utility bill with name and current address
Social Security card (must be signed) or SSA record earnings statement with current address
US Selective Service Card
Copy of official police report related to the theft of ID with name and current address
School photo identification along with a report card or other proof of current enrollment
Oklahoma lifetime hunting or fishing license
Marriage certificate (Certified English Translation, if applicable)
Separation or divorce judgment
Car registration, title, or security verification form issued to the applicant with current address
Benefit statements from DHS, WIC, or SSA that show name and current address
Non-Oklahoma DOC ID cards IF also provide release/discharge papers showing name and current address
Official Change of Address Notice letters from United States Postal Service (USPS)
Voter’s Registration Card that shows a current name and address
Oklahoma Department of Corrections Consolidated Record Card (CRC) – if not presented in person (If the subject of the record is currently incarcerated, the application should be made through the DOC Case Manager.)

It is also possible to obtain an heirloom birth certificate in Oklahoma. A requester who is the subject of the record or a named parent can obtain an heirloom birth certificate by completing the Oklahoma Birth Certificate Form. Include a copy of a photo ID and the appropriate fee along with the completed form in a mail to:

Vital Records
Oklahoma State Department of Health
P.O. Box 53551
Oklahoma City, OK 73152-3551

Note that the heirloom birth certificate is a commemorative certificate and cannot be used for proof of birth or other legal purposes.

Persons who need an apostille on a certified copy of a birth record can obtain such from the Oklahoma Secretary of State. An apostille is issued for documents meant for use in certain foreign countries. Upon obtaining the certified birth record from the Vital Records Office, enclose it along with the appropriate fee and identification by mail to:

Secretary of State
Certification Department
421 NW 13th St, Suite 210
Oklahoma City, OK 73103
Phone: (405) 521-4211

The documents may also be submitted in person at the office of the Oklahoma Secretary of State. Their hours of operations are between 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Note that documents sent by mail must include a cover letter specifying the country requiring the document, a daytime telephone number or email address, and the address for return.

How to Get Oklahoma Birth Records in Person?

To obtain an Oklahoma birth record in person:

Download the Birth Certificate Request Form
Complete the application form in full
Provide photo identification
Pay correct fees
Take the completed application, photo identification, and appropriate fees to a Vital Record Office location. The Oklahoma Vital Records Division is located at:

Oklahoma State Department of Health
1000 Northeast 10th Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73105

In order to reduce the risk of exposure due to increasing COVID-19 cases in Oklahoma, Vital Record Lobbies are currently closed to walk-in requests.

How to Get Oklahoma Birth Records by Mail?

To obtain an Oklahoma birth record by mail:

Download the Application for an Oklahoma Copy of a Birth Certificate
Complete the application in full
Enclose a photocopy of acceptable ID
Enclose the appropriate fees
Mail the documents to:

Vital Records Service
Oklahoma State Department of Health
P.O. Box 53551
Oklahoma City, OK 73152

Where Can I Find Birth Records in Oklahoma?

The Division of Vital Records, Department of Health is responsible for registering births that occurred in Oklahoma as well as preserving and issuing certified copies of birth records in line with state law. Hence, anyone interested in obtaining certified copies of Oklahoma birth records can get them from the Vital Records division.

Can Anyone Get a Copy of a Birth Certificate in Oklahoma?

Per Oklahoma law, birth records filed in the state are not open for public inspection. It is a crime to obtain a birth record for fraudulent purposes or under false pretenses in Oklahoma. The following persons are eligible to obtain a birth record:

The subject of the record
The parent of the subject of the record
Spouse, step-parent, grandparent, or adult child/grandchild of the subject of the record. Persons in this category must present a signed authorization from the subject and a copy of the subject's ID if the subject is age 18 or older
An attorney for the subject, adoptive parents, representative with power of attorney document, legal guardian, or a person who has obtained a court order. A legal representative can also access this record.
A genealogist

The Oklahoma State Department of Health lists specific forms of identification that must be provided by each category of persons listed above. Visit the birth certificate eligibility page of the Oklahoma State Department of Health to view the appropriate IDs.

Effective from November 2014, any birth record older than 125 years is now considered publicly available and accessible to anyone.

How Much Does a Birth Certificate Cost in Oklahoma?

A non-refundable search fee of $15 per record is required to conduct a search for an Oklahoma birth record. This fee is inclusive of the cost of issuing one certified copy of a birth record. Additional copies are charged at $15 each. Mail order payments can be made by check or money order made payable to the "Vital Records Service".

A $12.95 processing fee is charged for online orders made through the third-party vendor providing online order services. Expedited requests will attract additional fees too

Special commemorative heirloom birth certificates cost $35 per copy.

How Long Does It Take to Get a Birth Certificate in Oklahoma?

Complete mail orders for birth records are processed within 4 weeks. Note that missing items or information will delay responses to requests. Online orders take between 1-2 business days to complete. Walk-in requests are attended to on the same day of requests, sometimes within 2 hours.

How to Get a New Birth Certificate in Oklahoma

To get a new birth certificate in Oklahoma; either to replace a lost certificate or get the birth certificate for the first time, a requester can send a request to the Oklahoma Department of Health, either online, via mail, or in person. One would need to fill out an application form providing all necessary details including a valid ID. Some private online vendors also offer this service.

Can You Find Oklahoma Birth Certificates Online?

Yes, eligible members of the public seeking to find Oklahoma birth certificates online can do so by visiting the database maintained by the Department of Health, Oklahoma to request a copy.

How to Expunge Your Birth Records in Oklahoma?

Expunging a birth record means deleting some or all of the information contained in the document. Oklahoma does not allow the expungement of birth records.

How to Seal Your Birth Records in Oklahoma?

Under Title 63 Section 1-316 of the Oklahoma Statutes, a new birth certificate must be issued following the presentation of an adoption certificate, or a certified copy of the adoption decree. The previous birth certificate, that is the original birth certificate, must be sealed and filed away before the amended birth certificate is issued. Therefore, birth parents do not need to petition the court separately for sealing birth records.

Note that Oklahoma adoption records are generally sealed.

How to Unseal Your Birth Records in Oklahoma?

Prior to 1939, all adoption records including original birth certificates were open in Oklahoma. However, in 1939, adoption records were sealed to protect adoptive families. Currently, nearly all adult adoptees born in Oklahoma must obtain a court order and present a good reason for the release of original birth certificates.

An adoptee born in Oklahoma whose adoption was finalized after November 1, 1997, may obtain a non-certified copy of their original birth certificates without a court order if certain conditions are met. These include:

The adoptee must be age 18 or older
Complete an application
Pay a $15 search fee. This fee is inclusive of the cost of the issuance of one uncertified copy
Provide valid, legal photo ID
Provide a signed affidavit
Confirm that the birth parents did not both sign Affidavits of Nondisclosure. If an affidavit has been signed, the information for that parent will be redacted before the release of the birth certificate.

In all other instances, a certified copy of the original birth record may be issued if all the under-listed conditions are satisfied:

Provide a certified copy of a court order
Complete an application
Pay a $40 search fee. This fee is inclusive of the cost of the issuance of one certified copy.
Provide valid, legal photo ID
Confirm that the birth parents did not both sign Affidavits of Nondisclosure. If an affidavit has been signed by only one parent, then that parent's information will be redacted before the original birth certificate is released. Submit all documents in a mail request to:

Vital Records
Oklahoma State Department of Health
P.O. Box 53551
Oklahoma City, OK 73152-3551

Who Signs Birth and Death Certificates in Oklahoma?

One or both birth parents of the person whose name is on the certificate and the medical personnel in charge of the delivery of the baby whose name is on the certificate. Meanwhile, A death certificate is signed by either the hospital, a coroner, a physician certifier, or a funeral director.

What is an Oklahoma Birth Index?

The Oklahoma birth index is an online database of Oklahoma birth records. These records contain all registered births in Oklahoma. Information in the records includes details of the person whose name appears on the certificate or record. Oklahoma makes available a free searchable index of births and deaths that happened in the state if one is eligible to access records. The Center for Health Statistics has birth records dating as far back as 1908.