In obtaining vital records in the State of Iowa, there are two agencies where you can go. You can request access of vital records either from the Department of Public Health specifically the Vital Records Division or from the District Clerk's office where the vital event transpired. All state agencies and institutions are held responsible for the public according to the Public Records law This means that records made and maintained by such agencies are public and are accessible by any member of the public in need. Free Iowa public records include births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths that are recorded on registers, certificates, and documents.
In obtaining a copy of a vital record through the Vital Records Section, an application form must be filled out and submitted along with a personal check or money order made payable to the Iowa Department of Public Health. The request form can be downloaded from the website of the Vital Statistics Division or obtained directly from such office. Written requests for certified copies of birth, death, fetal death, marriage, and all vital records will not be accepted if they do not include the applicant's current government-issued photo identification; except if by mail, a clear photocopy of the I.D.; and the applicant's signature signed in front of a notary public or in the presence of an Iowa Registrar of Vital Records.
Government records only available from such agencies are those that cover the years 1880 to present. The processing fee for birth, marriage, and death records is around $15 for each vital record stated. Deaths that are recorded prior to 1904 do not include the parent's name of the decedent though. Divorce decrees, on the other hand, require a processing fee of $6 but such fee varies from county to county. Divorce records should be obtained from the office of the county clerk in the county where the divorce was file and ratified. Bear in mind that the state's law limits access of such records to the registrants and family members only, genealogists representing the family, or others with a tangible interests such as those conducting background checks.
The processing time for records requests is 4 to 6 weeks depending on what method is utilized. There are several ways on how you can obtain vital records. You can get a copy of vital records in the State of Iowa in person, via phone, mail, or online. If you want to apply for a copy in person, you can go to their office directly along with the aforementioned requirements and the results will be mailed to you the following business day.
Further, you can also obtain records via phone. The Vital Statistics phone number can be obtained from their website. The processing time for such requests is about 7 to 21 days. For mail requests, on the other hand, the usual turnaround time takes as much as to 20 days depending on the volume of requests in the Vital Statistics Office. Mail orders take 5 business days to reach such office, and another 5 business days to be returned to you. For genealogy requests, the processing time takes a minimum of 30 days or 1 month processing.
If you want to acquire vital records fast, then you can choose the online method. For the public's convenience, Iowa Department of Public Health Bureau of Vital Records has partnered with an independent company called VitalChek. An additional fee is charged by VitalChek for this service though, and all major credit cards are accepted. But if you wish to obtain government records for free, you can resort to other independent online records providers available all over the web. Like VitalCheck, these online service providers also have their own database containing all government records in the state. However, in lieu of the usual days to weeks processing fee, such records providers can give you the results in just a matter of minutes. With such, you get to save time, money, and effort.
In obtaining a copy of a vital record through the Vital Records Section, an application form must be filled out and submitted along with a personal check or money order made payable to the Iowa Department of Public Health. The request form can be downloaded from the website of the Vital Statistics Division or obtained directly from such office. Written requests for certified copies of birth, death, fetal death, marriage, and all vital records will not be accepted if they do not include the applicant's current government-issued photo identification; except if by mail, a clear photocopy of the I.D.; and the applicant's signature signed in front of a notary public or in the presence of an Iowa Registrar of Vital Records.
Government records only available from such agencies are those that cover the years 1880 to present. The processing fee for birth, marriage, and death records is around $15 for each vital record stated. Deaths that are recorded prior to 1904 do not include the parent's name of the decedent though. Divorce decrees, on the other hand, require a processing fee of $6 but such fee varies from county to county. Divorce records should be obtained from the office of the county clerk in the county where the divorce was file and ratified. Bear in mind that the state's law limits access of such records to the registrants and family members only, genealogists representing the family, or others with a tangible interests such as those conducting background checks.
The processing time for records requests is 4 to 6 weeks depending on what method is utilized. There are several ways on how you can obtain vital records. You can get a copy of vital records in the State of Iowa in person, via phone, mail, or online. If you want to apply for a copy in person, you can go to their office directly along with the aforementioned requirements and the results will be mailed to you the following business day.
Further, you can also obtain records via phone. The Vital Statistics phone number can be obtained from their website. The processing time for such requests is about 7 to 21 days. For mail requests, on the other hand, the usual turnaround time takes as much as to 20 days depending on the volume of requests in the Vital Statistics Office. Mail orders take 5 business days to reach such office, and another 5 business days to be returned to you. For genealogy requests, the processing time takes a minimum of 30 days or 1 month processing.
If you want to acquire vital records fast, then you can choose the online method. For the public's convenience, Iowa Department of Public Health Bureau of Vital Records has partnered with an independent company called VitalChek. An additional fee is charged by VitalChek for this service though, and all major credit cards are accepted. But if you wish to obtain government records for free, you can resort to other independent online records providers available all over the web. Like VitalCheck, these online service providers also have their own database containing all government records in the state. However, in lieu of the usual days to weeks processing fee, such records providers can give you the results in just a matter of minutes. With such, you get to save time, money, and effort.
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