Massachusetts Vital Records Search

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What are Massachusetts Vital Records?

The Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics (RVRS) is the government agency in Mass that handles all vital records for the state. Those include birth, death, fetal death, marriages, and divorces. They began keeping records in 1926, and they have them all the way to the present day. This agency is also in charge of health and wellness statistics regarding Massachusetts residents. The RVRS issues copies of vital records upon request for a fee. The state allows you to order records through the mail or in-person, but they also partner with VitalChek so you can order online, by phone or fax. If they cannot find your birth records, you will receive a "Negative Statement" saying so. Vital records in Massachusetts are unrestricted, so anyone may request copies.

Massachusetts Birth Records

The Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics has been keeping birth records since 1926. However, the State Archies has birth records, even older covering (1841-1925). Some individual town halls even have records going back to 1635. Birth records are necessary when you apply for a passport or driver's license, compete for a government job, receive benefits, attend school, sign up for sports, and other instances where you need to verify your identity. The RVRS issues certified copies of birth records upon request. You can get them through the mail or in person at their offices located in Dorchester, MA, or online and phone using the VitalChek service.

Frequently Asked Questions About Massachusetts Birth Records

If the records you need are from 1926 until now, you can contact the Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics. The State Archives has records from 1841-1925. You can also contact the town hall where the person was born and get records going back to 1635.

The state of Massachusetts allows you to get a certified copy through the mail, in person at their offices, or online using the VitalChek service. The fees will vary based on how you choose to get yours.

If you order your copy online, the charge is $51 for the first copy and 42 for each additional copy. If you order through the mail, you will pay $32, and if you visit them in person, the cost is only $20.

Birth records in Massachusetts are open records, and anyone may get a copy. Except for sealed, impounded, or restricted records, anyone can request birth records.

When you apply for a Massachusetts birth record, you will need the following information:

  1. The subject's name.
  2. Date of the event.
  3. Place of the event.
  4. Proof of your identification (ID).
  5. Acceptable forms of ID: Preferably a driver's license (even expired) or Government issued Photo ID.

As the requestor, you must also provide proof of your relationship to the party named on the birth record.

The Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics has birth records going back to 1926. If you need older records, the State Archives has records from 1841-1925, and some town offices have records even older dating back to 1635.

The Registry of Vital Records and Statistics (RVRS) is also in charge of amending errors on birth records. To make a change, you must set up an appointment with the Registry of Vital Records and Statistics and fill out an application. You must also pay a $50 fee, and the process may take 3-4 months.

No. Birth certificate search fees are not refundable. However, if they do not find your birth record, you will get a Negative Result statement instead.

Massachusetts Death Records

The state of Massachusetts has been officially keeping death records since 1841; however, some towns may even have death records older than that going back to 1635. The Registry of Vital Records and Statistics (RVRS) is the government agency that keeps records from 1926 to the present day, and they issue death certificates upon request. You must apply and pay a fee. Death records are public records, and anyone may request a copy. The RVRS allows you to order copies through the mail, in person at their office, or by phone or online using the VitalChek network. If they cannot find your records, you will receive a Negative Statement instead.

Frequently Asked Questions About Massachusetts Death Records

If the death records are from 1926 to present, contact the Registry of Vital Records and Statistics. If the records are between 1841-1925, you can contact the State Archives. If you need death records older than that, you can try the town offices; some have records dating back to 1635.

Yes. Death records, like most other vital records in the state of Massachusetts, are public records. This is highly unusual, and most states keep them restricted for a number of years.

The fee for getting a certified copy of a death certificate online or by phone is $51 for the first copy and $42 for each additional copy. If you order by mail, the fee drops to $32 and $20 if you pick it up in person.

If you visit the office in person, you can get a copy instantly. If you order through VitalChek, your wait time will be 5-7 working days. If you order through the mail, your order will be processed within 30 days, or you can pay extra to get it in 7-10 days.

Anyone. Death records are open records in the state of Massachusetts.

When you request a copy of a death certificate, you must supply the following information:

  1. The subject's name.
  2. Date of the event.
  3. Place of the event.
  4. Proof of your identification (ID).
  5. Acceptable forms of ID: Preferably a driver's license (even expired) or Government issued Photo ID.

As the requestor, you may also be asked to supply additional information.

The Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics has records going back to 1926. If you need records from 1841-1925, contact the State Archives and if you need them older, visit the town hall where the person was born, some have records as old as 1635.

To correct an error on someone's death record, you must set up an appointment to meet with someone at the Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics. The process may take 3-4 months, and the cost is $50.

No, all death certificate searches are non-refundable. However, if they cannot find your death record, you will get a Negative Statement instead.

Massachusetts Marriage Records

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has been keeping vital records such as marriage records since 1926. The Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics  is the government agency in charge of marriage records for the state. They issue copies of marriage certificates upon request if you fill out an application and pay the fee. They allow anyone to request copies of anyone's marriage record through the mail, in person, and by phone and online through the VitalChek service. Depending on the method you choose, the wait times and fees vary.

Frequently Asked Questions About Massachusetts Marriage Records

Yes. Most vital records in the state of Massachusetts are considered public records and anyone can get a copy.

Some towns have records as old as 1635. The State Archives keeps marriage records from 1841-1925, and the Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics has records from 1926 to the present day.

It depends on the method you choose. If you visit in person, you can get a copy instantly. If you order through the mail, it may take 30 days unless you pay for expedited shipping, then you can get a copy in 7-10 business days. If you order online, you can get one in 5-7 business days.

The cost for the first marriage certificate is $51 and $42 for each additional copy if you order by phone or online. If you order through the mail, the cost is only $32 and $20 if you get it in person.

When requesting copies of vital records, including marriage certificates, you need to provide the following information:

  1. The subject's name.
  2. Date of the event.
  3. Place of the event.
  4. Proof of your identification (ID).
  5. Acceptable forms of ID: Preferably a driver's license (even expired) or Government issued Photo ID.

To get a copy of a marriage record in Massachusetts, you can visit the Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics website. You can download the form and visit in person, mail it in with your payment or go online and order through VitalChek.

If you did not get married in Massachusetts, you should contact the vital records office in the state where you were married.

Anyone. Marriage records in Massachusetts are open records available to the general public.

You must make an appointment with the Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics to get a vital record amended. The process can take up to 3-4 months, and it costs $50.

Massachusetts Divorce Records

Massachusetts divorce records are created, stored, and maintained by the court system. Therefore the Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics cannot get you a copy of a divorce record, but they can give you the name of the probate court where the divorce was granted and the docket number so you can contact the court and request a copy. If you do not have the name of the court or docket number, you must fill out an Application of Divorce Inquiry and what you will get back is a "Certificate of Divorce Absolute." If you have the probate court and docket number, you can request a divorce certificate directly from there.

Frequently Asked Questions About Massachusetts Divorce Records

You can look up the probate court and docket number, but you cannot view public records like divorces online through Mass.gov.

To find historical divorce records, you can use the tool on the Mass.gov website where you can search for a historical court document by filling in a form and looking for what you need. They allow you to look for your own or someone else's record.

First, you must locate the probate court where the divorce was granted, and the docket number. Once you have those, you can fill out a form and pay the fee to get a copy. It will cost you $20 to get a certified copy.

When searching for a Massachusetts divorce record, you will need both parties' names, the place of divorce, and the date of divorce. Then when requesting a copy, you need the probate court name and docket number.

No, all search fees are non-refundable.

If you were divorced in another state, you must contact the clerk of the court where your divorce was granted to ask about copies.

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