Order a Vital Record

Appointments are not required to order a vital record in person, but it is highly recommended
that you call 973-270-2040 prior to visiting the health department to confirm someone will be available to help you when walking in for a certified copy.  

Certified copy fees are $15 each. Corrections to a record are $10. Certified copies can be ordered by mail or in person.

You apply for a record in the town the event took place.

***** Please note *****

When clicking on application link, you may get a box that requests a password. Click cancel and application will open. You can type and print out application. 

Certified Copy Applications

  1. Authorization for Release of Cause of Death
  2. Geneological Certified Copy Application
  3. Geneological Certified Copy Application Spanish
  4. Non-Geneological Certified Copy Application
  5. Non-Geneological Certified Copy Application Spanish

Getting Copies of  Non-Genealogical Records
Birth, Death , Marriage, Civil Union, Domestic Partnership

 (current events) are:

  • Births occurring within the last 80 years
  • Marriages occurring within the last 50 years
  • Deaths occurring within the last 40 years
  • All domestic partnerships and civil unions.

For all orders, the following must be sent with your application:

  • All required copies of ID for proof of identity
  • The correct fees
  • Copies of documents proving your relationship to the person named on the record, if requesting a certified copy.     Failure to provide proof of relationship is the number one reason certified copy  applications must be rejected. 

Your application will be returned if you do not send in all required documentation. 


Identify the Non-Genealogical Record

You must be able to fully identify the record by providing all of the information listed below on the application form. Your request cannot be accepted unless you provide the all information below, if any information is missing the request will be denied.

  • Full name on the record
  • City where the event occurred
  • Exact date of the event  (month, day and year)
  • Mother’s maiden name
  • Father’s name (if recorded on the record)
  • For Marriage, Civil Union or Domestic Partnership -- Instead of parents’ names, you must provide the name of the spouse/partner.

Provide Acceptable Identification

You must provide acceptable ID in order to get a copy of any vital record.  Copies of vital records must be mailed to the address listed on your identification. The following are acceptable forms of ID:


  • A current, valid photo driver's license or photo non-driver's license 
    OR
  • A current, valid driver’s license without photo and one alternate form of ID 
    OR
  • Two alternate forms of ID, one of which must have current address.

Alternate forms of ID are:

  • Vehicle registration
  • Vehicle insurance card
  • Voter registration
  • US/Foreign Passport
  • Immigrant Visa
  • Permanent Resident Card (Green card)
  • Federal/State ID
  • County ID
  • School ID
  • Bank Statement (within previous 90 days)
  • Utility bill(within the previous 90 days)
  • W-2 or tax return for current/previous tax year  
People who are homeless can have a social worker or the coordinator of the homeless shelter where they are temporarily residing submit a request on behalf of the homeless person. The request must be on their agency letterhead and provide the identifying information on the homeless person's vital record. The request must be accompanied by proof of employment by the agency and valid identification. The resulting copy of the vital record will be mailed to the agency.

People who are incarcerated can provide legal imprisonment, conviction papers or release documents that include the name, social security number and all possible aliases used in the past or identification from a prison/probation official.

Please do not send in original ID documents. Only copies are required.

Payment of Fees

Certified copies cost $15 each
Cash, money order or check made out to the Borough of Lincoln Park. Do not send cash through the mail.

Proof of Relationship 

Proof of relationship is not required if you are asking for a certification, which is an non-certified informational copy of the vital record not valid for establishing identity or legal purposes.  However, you must still provide proof of identity when requesting a certification.

To get a certified copy of a person’s vital record, you must provide proof of your relationship to the person listed on the record and the proof must establish you are one of the following:

  • The subject of the record
  • The subject’s parent, legal guardian or legal representative
  • The subject’s spouse/civil union partner; child, grandchild or sibling, if of legal age
  • A state or federal agency for official purposes
  • Pursuant to court order

If you are requesting a certification (an informational copy of a vital record not valid for legal purposes), you do not need to provide proof of relationship.

How to Prove Relationship for Non-Genealogical Records

If you are looking for a certified copy of


  • your own birth certificate and you have assumed your spouse’s/civil union partner’s surname

    • you must provide a copy of the certified copy of your marriage/civil union certificate to link the name on your current ID to the name on your birth certificate.  

  • your child’s birth certificate

    you don’t need any additional documents.

  • your spouse’s/civil union partner’s birth certificate

    you must provide a copy of your marriage/civil union certificate.

  • your parent’s or sibling’s vital record

    you must provide a copy of your birth certificate.

    if you have assumed your spouse's/civil union partner's last name you must also provide a copy of your marriage/civil union certificate to link the name on your current ID to the name on your birth certificate.

  • your grandparent’s vital record

    you must establish that you are the person’s grandchild by providing proof that links the name on your ID to the name of the grandparent.    

    For example, if you changed your last name after marriage/civil union and want a grandparent’s vital record, you must:

    1. Provide your marriage/civil union certificate to show your name at birth,
    2. provide your birth certificate to identify your parent, and
    3. provide the parent’s birth certificate to identify the grandparent.

If you are not a person qualified to get a certified copy of a record

  • but you are helping a person receive a certified copy of a vital record they are eligible to receive 
     
    you must show your valid ID and a notarized, written release authorizing you to get the record on that person’s behalf OR, you can supply a written release from the person you are helping along with a copy of that person’s valid photo ID.

If you are an attorney

  • who is executor of an estate

    • you must supply proof of appointment as the executor.

  • who is the legal representative of the executor of an estate

    • you must supply proof of legal retainer by the executor and proof of the appointment of the individual as the executor.

  • who is the legal representative of an individual that is eligible to receive a certified copy of a vital record

    • you must supply proof of legal retainer by the eligible individual and their proof of relationship.

  • who needs a certified copy of a vital record and you are not the legal representative of an eligible person

you must obtain a court order directing the State Registrar to issue a certified copy of the record. A subpoena is not sufficient to issue a copy of a vital record.

Failure to provide proof of relationship is the number one reason certified copy applications must be rejected.

Getting Copies of  Genealogical Records Birth, Death , Marriage


Genealogical Records (family history research) are:
  • Birth, death and marriage records for people who are deceased 

    AND where
  • the birth occurred more than 80 years ago
  • the marriage occurred more than 50 years ago
  • the death occurred more than 40 years ago

The following must be sent with your application:

  • all required copies of ID for proof of identity
  • the correct fees
  • copies of documents proving your relationship to the person named on the record, if you are ordering a certified copy

Your application will be returned if you do not send in all required documentation.


Identify the Genealogical Record

You must identify the record by providing the following required information, if you provide the optional information it may assist us in locating the record.


Required Information:

  • Full name on the record
  • City or county where the event occurred
  • Year the event occurred

Optional Information:

  • Exact Date of Event
  • Mother’s maiden Name
  • Father’s Name
  • Social security Number (deaths only)

Provide Acceptable Identification

You must provide acceptable ID in order to get a copy of any vital record.  Copies of vital records must be mailed to the address listed on your identification. The following are acceptable forms of ID:


  • A current, valid photo driver's license or photo non-driver's license 
    OR
  • A current, valid driver’s license without photo and one alternate form of ID 
    OR
  • Two alternate forms of ID, one of which must have current address.

Alternate forms of ID are:

  • Vehicle registration
  • Vehicle insurance card
  • Voter registration
  • US/Foreign Passport
  • Immigrant Visa
  • Permanent Resident Card (Green card)
  • Federal/State ID
  • County ID
  • School ID
  • Bank Statement (within previous 90 days)
  • Utility bill(within the previous 90 days)
  • W-2 or tax return for current/previous tax year  

Please do not send in original ID documents. Only copies are required.

Payment of Fees

Certified copies cost $15 each
Cash, money order or check made out to the Borough of Lincoln Park. Do not send cash through the mail.

Proof of Relationship 

(only required for certified copies of a vital record)                                                                                                             
If you are requesting a certification (an informational copy of a vital record not valid for legal purposes), you do not need to provide proof of relationship.

If you are requesting a certified copy of
  • your parent’s or sibling’s vital record
    you must provide a copy of your birth certificate to show you are the child or sibling of the person whose record you are requesting.
     
    •
  • your grandparent’s vital record
    you must establish that you are the person’s grandchild by providing proof that links the name on your ID to the name     of the grandparent.    

    For example, if you changed your last name after marriage/civil union and want a grandparent’s vital record, you must:
    1. Provide your marriage/civil union certificate to show your name at birth,
    2. Provide your birth certificate to identify your parent, and
    3. Provide the parent’s birth certificate to identify the grandparent.

If you are not a person qualified to get a certified copy of a record

  • but you are helping a person eligible to receive a vital record obtain a copy of a record they are eligible to receive
    you must show your valid ID and a notarized, written release authorizing you to get the record on that person’s behalf OR, you can supply a written release from the person you are helping along with a copy of that person’s valid photo ID.
Failure to provide proof of relationship is the number one reason certified copy applications are rejected.