Quick Facts
Order Birth Certificates
We print certified copies of birth certificates at JCPH. For your convenience, we offer express pickup and delivery options. Applying for a newborn? Please wait 2-3 weeks for processing before completing an application.
Apply Online for Express Pickup
Step 1: Complete Online Application Form
Complete and sign the online application. For express pickup service, payment is due when you submit your application.
Step 2: Allow Time for Processing
After submitting your application, allow one to two hours for processing, then pick up any time from 8 a.m. — 4 p.m. at our location in Lee’s Summit (3651 NE Ralph Powell Rd).
Step 3: Provide a Form of ID
When you pick up your certificate, provide one identity document that displays your name and photograph, such as a driver’s license, passport, or school, work, or military identification is required. This type of identification is preferred and must include the applicant’s name and the name of the company or organization issuing the document.
If you do not have a photo ID, at least two alternative forms of identification must be presented as follows:
- Two pieces of mail with your name and current address from two different sources (such as both an electric bill and a water bill)
OR - One piece of mail with your name and current address + your social security card
Physical (printed) documents are required for identification. We cannot accept digital documents or photos displayed on your phone. Mail must include your first name, last name, and current address. Information must be consistent between pieces of mail (if applicable).
Step 4: Review Certificate
Review the certificate for accuracy.
Walk-In Services
We offer walk-in services from Monday — Friday, 8 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.
When you walk in for a birth certificate, please provide one identity document that displays your name and photograph, such as a driver’s license, passport, or school, work, or military identification is required. This type of identification is preferred and must include the applicant’s name and the name of the company or organization issuing the document.
If you do not have a photo ID, at least two alternative forms of identification must be presented as follows:
- Two pieces of mail with your name and current address from two different sources (such as both an electric bill and a water bill)
OR - One piece of mail with your name and current address + your social security card
Physical (printed) documents are required for identification. We cannot accept digital documents or photos displayed on your phone. Mail must include your first name, last name, and current address. Information must be consistent between pieces of mail (if applicable).
Birth certificates are $15 per certified copy. We accept debit, credit, or cash. Note: We cannot accept American Express.
How to Apply by Mail
Step 1: Complete Application Form
Complete and sign the birth certificate and death certificate application form.
Step 2: Notarize Form
You must have your Birth Certificate or Death Certificate Application notarized before sending.
Step 3: Prepare Mail
Prepare the following items to mail:
- Include a self-addressed stamped envelope. This will be used to send your birth certificate to you.
- Your payment by money order (payable to Jackson County Public Health).
We cannot accept personal checks. We can only accept money orders.
- Notarized completed birth certificate application.
Step 4: Mail Items
Mail all of the above to:
Jackson County Public Health
Vital Records
3651 NE Ralph Powell Rd
Lee’s Summit, MO 64064
Step 5: Receive Certificate Back
You will receive the certificate back in the envelope that was provided to us. We process applications and mail them to you within 48 hours (excluding weekends) of receiving them.
Out of State Certificates
Born in a U.S. State
For a certified copy of your birth certificate, contact the vital records office in the state you were born for instructions on how to request a copy and information on any fees.
If you need to get a coy of your birth certificate quickly, ask the vital records office at the time you place your order about getting expedited service or shipping.
Born Abroad
If you were born to American parents abroad, they should have registered your birth with the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in that country, and received a Consular Report of Birth Abroad. You can get a copy of this report from the U.S. Department of State (DOS). Depending on the country, a vital records office in the nation may also list the birth.
If you were born on a military base abroad, and your parents did not register your birth with the U.S. Embassy, you may have to contact the hospital where the birth took place. You may also try contacting the base operator or public affairs office for the appropriate military branch.
Adopted by U.S. Citizen
The country in which you were born issued your birth certificate. If you need a replacement, you must contact the nearest foreign embassy or consulate from that country. A child born in a foreign country and adopted by a U.S. citizen will not receive a U.S. birth certificate. If the document is in a language other than English, you should also seek the embassy’s help in getting the document translated if you require authenticated documents.