Vital Records Administration
Welcome to the
Division of Vital Records Administration
VITAL RECORDS IMPROVEMENT FUND ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Public Meeting Notice
New Web Site for Querying Vital Records Statistical Data
Genealogical & Vital Records are not available online.
This is statistical information only. Individual vital records data
CANNOT be accessed using this tool.
The Division of Vital Records Administration has released new, web-based software that anyone can use to look at Vital Records statistical information ONLY (derived from records of birth, death, marriage and divorce). The "New Hampshire Vital Records Information Network web" (NHVRINweb), is a real-time web-based data query system for accessing Vital Records statistical data. This web-based tool allows access to de-identified Vital Records that date back to 1995. You can also produce data reports in either a spreadsheet format or as a document, so that you can include this data in your own reports if desired.
Here is a link to our new software tool: http://nhvrinweb.sos.nh.gov/. Once you get into the site, you will be prompted to register yourself in order to look at the data in the birth, death, marriage and divorce tables. The site also has the ability for you to provide feedback if you have any questions or comments. Enjoy! Please Note: this is statistical information only. Individual vital records data cannot be accessed using this tool.
Now Being Offered
The New Hampshire Heirloom Birth Certificate is 11 x 14 inches (pictured above, suitable for framing) and is created from the original artwork of NH artist Karen Holman and is now being offered at a cost of $25.00 through the New Hampshire Division of Vital Records Administration. The Heirloom Birth Certificate is available to all New Hampshire-born citizens that were born between the years of 1948 to the present. The recipient of the certificate must be able to meet New Hampshire’s access requirements. If you are not eligible to obtain a record for a friend or loved one, you may purchase a gift certificate entitling the eligible recipient to receive a copy.
We are located at:
9 Ratification Way (formerly 71 South Fruit Street)
Concord, NH 03301-2455
(603) 271-4650
You may request an Heirloom Birth Certificate or Heirloom Gift Certificate by submitting the application by mail at the address above, or in person between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Click here to fill out and print the application for an Heirloom Birth Certificate or Gift Certificate.
This certificate would make a great gift for many occasions such as:
- Birthdays
- Holidays
- Family Celebrations
Vital Records Preservation
Could Your Vital Records Use Some Help?
Best Practice Guidelines for Vital Records Preservation
Suggested Guidelines for Use of City or Town Records
[To help ensure long term records preservation, it is recommended that
every city and town have a records use policy. We have provided a
generic records use guidelines document and suggest that you modify it
to meet your situation and then post it and/or make copies available
for people using your records.]
Conservation License Plate Program (Moose Plate) Grants
Federal Grant Opportunities to Preserve City and Town Records
Vital Records Division Forms
Birth Parent Medical History Form (1)
City and Town Clerk Adoption Form VS37
Contact Preference Form For Birth Parents Of Adopted Children (1)
Non-certified Pre-Adoption Birth Record
VR201-Certificate Application
VR206-Documentation Evidence for Individuals Not Possessing An Acceptable Picture Identification
About Vital Records
The New Hampshire Division of Vital Records Administration is the state resource for residents who wish to obtain records of birth, marriage, divorce and death events. DVRA also has a genealogical research vault that is open to the public containing records that date back to the year 1640.
DVRA issues certified copies of birth, death, marriage and divorce certificates and provides aggregated data files to qualified individuals and agencies that demonstrate a "direct and tangible" interest in obtaining vital records. Click here to obtain the application and find out about your ability to access records. Various documents and information are available on this website about how to access vital records and who may access these records.
If you are a town clerk, hospital, funeral director, researcher or member of the general public, this website will help you obtain the information you need to remain up-to-date on vital records in New Hampshire.
Contact
Kristin M. Kenniston
State Director of Vital Records
Send Mail to:
Division of Vital Records Administration
N.H. Department of State
9 Ratification Way
Concord, NH 03301-2410
Physical Address:
Lobby hours by Appt: Monday - Friday 8:30am - 3:30pm
9 Ratification Way [for GPS, use 71 South Fruit Street (former address)]
Concord, NH 03301
Telephone Numbers:
Main Number - 603-271-4650 (8:00am-4:30pm)
TDD Number - 1-800-735-2964 (8:00am-4:30pm)
Fax Number - 603-271-3447 (8:00am-4:30pm)
DVRA Reception - 603-271-4650 (8:30am-3:30pm)
Genealogy Vault - 603-271-4650 (8:30am-3:30pm
Division of Vital Records Administration Email Address: vitalrecords@sos.nh.gov
Directions to Vital Records Administration
Press Releases
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April 29, 2020 |
NH’s Groundbreaking NeCOD App Assists Healthcare Workers on the Frontlines of COVID-19 Crisis |
Effective January 1, 2005 all individuals requesting a certified copy of a record (pursuant to RSA 5-C:102,VI) must present positive identification, including, but not limited to, a driver's license, passport or other government issued picture identification. New Hampshire vital records are considered to be private and New Hampshire Statute restricts access to them to only those individuals who can demonstrate a "direct and tangible interest" in the record. Certain older records are exempt from these access restrictions. Birth records prior to 1911 and death, marriage and divorce records prior to 1961 are available with unrestricted access. Individuals wishing to research these genealogical records may do so by visiting our Genealogical Research Center. Alternatively, a completed application, identification and fee may be mailed to the Division of Vital Records Administration and staff will perform research for you.
Sometimes a person finds that the information on the official record is not complete or that some item of information on the certificate does not agree with what he or she believes to be the facts. When this is the case, it is possible to have missing information added, or to have errors on the certificate corrected. Any person may apply for completion or correction of any certificate in which he or she is directly interested. Ordinarily, this will be the person whose certificate needs to be completed or corrected, one of the parents or the legal representative of the individual. If a registrant is 18 years of age or older, he or she must approve the requested change when the application is submitted by anyone other than themselves.
New Hampshire statute requires that the Registrar of Vital Records will, upon request, issue a birth certificate when a foreign born person has been adopted in a NH court. Contact DVRA staff for a Form VS 37 FB. By filling out and returning this form, you will supply DVRA with the information needed to prepare a new birth certificate. The form needs to be signed by the adoptive parent(s) and the signature(s) must be notarized. The fee for preparing the birth certificate will be $25.00 which includes issuing a certified copy of the record.
New Hampshire statutes allow general public access to birth records prior to 1911; deaths, marriages and divorces prior to 1961 for genealogical research. These records can be found in our Research Room located in the Records & Archives Building at 9 Ratification Way (formerly 71 South Fruit Street) in Concord. The Research Room is open to the public from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Volunteer genealogists are available to assist you in researching records.
If you are an immediate legal family member you are considered to have a "direct and tangible interest" and are eligible to request and receive certified copies of vital records that remain restricted due to their age.
The cost of a search for a vital record is $15.00. If DVRA staff find a record after the search, a certified copy will be issued free of charge. Additional certified copies of the same record are available at a cost o $10.00 each.
Using a major credit card, there are several third-party vendors that can provide expedited vital record service. They are: VitalChek and EB2Gov. In addition to our $15.00 search fee, your credit card will be charged additional processing and shipping fees; these fees are charged by the vendor for the services they are providing, they are not charged by our office.
These credit card processors have no affiliation with the State of New Hampshire and we cannot mediate any dispute that may arise between you. Until your order is complete with the credit card processor and they have forwarded it to our staff, we have no record of it and cannot assist you. To further expedite your order, you may call VitalChek direct at 877-878-8007. Since EB2Gov works directly with local clerks, please contact the city or town clerk where the record you seek originated.
If you visit our office in person, we can usually issue the certificate while you wait. If you mail in a request, please allow 20 business days from receipt for your request to be processed although we endeavor to complete the requests as soon as possible.
Archives Vital Records Records Management Divisions