Birth Certificates
Background
Prior to December 20, 1908, all birth registrations were recorded in the Probate Court of the
county where the birth occurred. On that date, the Ohio Department of Health, Division of Vital Statistics, established health
districts in which all live births are now recorded.
Obtaining Copies of Birth Certificates
BIRTHS OCCURRING BEFORE DECEMBER 20, 1908, contact the Probate Court
in the county where the birth occurred.
BIRTHS OCCURRING AFTER DECEMBER 20, 1908, contact the Health Department in the area where the birth occurred
or the Ohio Department of Health, Division of Vital Statistics.
See the section below titled Addresses for address and phone numbers.
Requirements for Unrecorded and Corrected Birth Certificates
Ohio law provides that whoever claims to have
been born in this State, and whose registration of birth was not recorded, or has been lost or destroyed, or has not been
properly and accurately recorded, may file an application to register or correct their birth record.
Where to File
1. The Probate Court of the county of birth.
2. The Probate Court of the county of residence.
3. The Probate Court of the county in which the mother resided at the time of birth.
Procedure for Recording Unrecorded or Missing Birth Certificates
1. Submit to Probate Court an application
for birth registration.
2. Attach a letter indicating that a search has been made and no evidence can be found of a birth registration.
If the birth occurred prior to December 20, 1908, the letter must be from Probate Court of the county where the birth occurred.
If the birth occurred after December 20, 1908, the letter must be from the Ohio Department of Health, Division of Vital Statistics.
3. Attach a letter of verification of birth, such as an affidavit of the attending physician, affidavits of
two (2) persons older than the applicant acquainted with facts concerning the birth, and certain other items (such as school
records, church records, social security records, military records, employment records, and insurance records), any three
(3) or more of which will verify the facts set forth in the application.
Procedure for Correcting Birth Certificates
1. Submit to Probate Court an application to correct birth
certificate.
2. Attach a certified copy of birth certificate to be corrected.
3. Attach evidence to verify correction - similar to items submitted with application for birth registration
listed in procedure for recording birth certificate (3).
Addresses
City of Akron Health Department
368 S. Main St.
Akron, OH 44311
(330) 375-2976
http://www.vitalchek.com
City of Barberton Health Department
571 W. Tuscarawas Ave.
Barberton, OH 44203
(330) 745-6067
www.barbertonhealth.org
Summit County Health Department
(for persons born outside of Akron and Barberton)
1100 Graham Circle
Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44221
(330) 923-4891
http://www.schd.org
Bureau of Vital Statistics
Ohio Department of Health
35 E. Chestnut St., 6th Floor
P.O. Box 15098
Columbus, OH 43215-0098
(614) 466-2531
http://www.odh.state.oh.us
Summit County Probate Court
Records Division - Birth Registration
209 S. High St.
Akron, OH 44308-1668
(330) 643-2352
Application Forms
Applications for registering and correcting birth certificates may be obtained from
the Probate Court.
