Rhode Island Birth Records Search
The Rhode Island Department of Health records and maintains all birth records and issues birth certificates upon request.
Birth records are kept private until 100 years old. Therefore, only the following people can get a copy of your Rhode Island birth record: you, if you are a legal adult, your spouse, child, grandchild, lawyer, granchildren, siblings, parents and a legal guardian.
Table of Contents
You must also verify your identity using one of the following forms of valid, photo ID: driver’s license, alien registration card, military ID, passport, certificate of naturalization and a government-issued ID.
If you cannot supply one of the above, you can submit two alternative documents like a tax return, utility bill, pay stub or another form of identification.
Types of Rhode Island Birth Records
The Department of Health can issue birth certificates in two flavors, certified or non-certified.
- Non-Certified - a non-certified copy is not a legal document and cannot be used to verify your identity. It is for informational purposes only or to be used in genealogical research.
- Certified - a certified copy is a legal document that can be used to verify your identity and to apply for a driver’s license, passport, to the military, school or for other government benefits or permits.
Rhode Island also offers services to correct birth records and issue Foreign birth certificates.
Rhode Island Population
Although Rhode Island is the smallest state in the country, it has 1.06 million people living there. Rhode Island continues to see a slight decrease in population every year.
Rhode Island is only 1,545 square miles of landmass but has over 1,018.1 people per square mile making it the 2nd largest in the country regarding population density. New Jersey is number one.
Rhode Island’s largest city is Providence with more than 100,000 inhabitants living there.
Rhode Island was one of the original 13 States.
Population change from 2010-2016
Population by Gender
There are more women than men in Rhode Island. The total population of Rhode Island is estimated at 1,057,566 people with 513,805 male and 543,761 female. There are 29,956 more more women than men in the state, which is 51.42% of the total population.
The Rhode Island Gender Ratio is 94 men to 100 women (99:100) or 0.94. State’s gender ratio is lower than the national average of 97 men to 100 women (97:100) or 0.97.
Gender ratio in 2016
Total population in 2016
Timeline of male/female population from 2010-2016
Rhode Island Birth Statistics
The state's birth rate decreased to 9.04 births per 1,000 population in 2016 with 10,798 total births making it lower than the national birth rate - 11.95 births per 1000 women. The total number of births for 2016 was 10,798, 0.27% of the number of nationwide registered births.
State Birth Rate
Top 5 States with Lower/Higher Birth Rates than Rhode Island
| There are no states with a lower birth rate than Rhode Island | Top 5 states with a higher birth rate than Rhode Island |
|---|---|
| Connecticut - 9.29 | |
| Kentucky - 13.09 | |
| Indiana - 12.17 | |
| Vermont - 9.35 | |
| District Of Columbia - 14.47 |
Top 5 Counties in Rhode Island with the lowest/highest Birth Rate
| Top 5 counties in Rhode Island with the lowest birth rate | Top 5 counties in Rhode Island with the highest birth rate |
|---|---|
| Kent County - 9.51 | Providence County - 11.48 |
| Providence County - 11.48 | Kent County - 9.51 |
| Washington County - 7.36 | |
Rhode Island Fertility Rate
In Rhode Island the fertility rate based on historical data went from 48.63 to 48.15 from 2010-2016, and currently is lower than the crude fertility rate of the US - 51.79 births per 1000 women. The state reproductive age of the mother has seen an increase during the last 6 years, going from 29.19 to 30.11.
State fertility rate timeline with the average age of mother
Fertility Rate By County
The top reproductive counties of Rhode Island are Providence - 54.8, Kent - 53.82 . For the fertility rates of the rest of the counties, please see the table below:
| County | Fertility rate |
|---|
State Average Birth Weight and LMP Gestational Age
Where to Obtain a Rhode Island Birth Certificate
To request a Rhode Island birth records search and certificate, you can visit any city or town clerk’s office if you were born after 1960. You can only get a non-certified copy from the Department of Health office.
For same-day service the non-refundable fee is $22, for mail-in copies, you have to pay $25. For each additional copy, it is another $18. Make checks out to the General Treasurer, State of Rhode Island.
If you visit in person, you can pay with cash, check or money order. If applying by mail, only checks and money orders will be accepted.
If your Rhode Island birth record search is null, you will receive a notice that they could not find your birth certificate.
The Vital Records office is open from 7:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. weekdays and you can reach them at 401-222-2811 for more information.
You may also use the VitalChek system to order your copy online.