As one of the original Confederate states, most people think of the Civil War when it comes to history and genealogy. You will find loads of resources for that, but if you are searching for relatives that aren't involved in the Civil War, you may have some trouble.
Those researching their ancestors from Georgia may have some difficulty locating their Georgia birth records. Though the state has records that date back to 1919, they will only issue copies of birth certificates to immediate relatives of the person on the record. There is no time or date limit to this restriction at this time, so even very old records are considered private in this way.
So you will only be able to make a request if you are the person on the certificate yourself, their parents, grandparents, sibling or their adult child. Spouses are also permitted to request records.
In order to prove your relationship, you will be required to submit a photocopy of your own identification along with your completed application form. The form is available online at the Georgia Department of Community Health website (http://health.state.ga.us/programs/vitalrecords/birthform.asp). They use an interactive form that you actually fill out on the site, then print out for mailing.
You need to supply the name, birth date and the county of birth along with the parent's names.
The cost for each Georgia birth record is $25 USD and you'll need to include a certified check or money order for that amount when you mail this in. It needs to be made out to "Vital Records Services". Just because it is an online form, doesn't mean it accepts the orders online. You are to print out the form and mail it in.
The mailing address is Vital Records, 2600 Skyland Drive NE, Atlanta GA, 30319 USA. You can also visit the office in person if you prefer not to wait for the mail. Your local county records office should also be able to handle your request. You can find a full list of office and contact information at the state website (http://www.georgia.gov/00/topic_index_channel/0,2092,4802_5083,00.html).
Birth records will vary in their information, and it also depends on the county where it was recorded. You will certainly get the name, birth date, birth place and parents names on nearly any record you find.
As mentioned, the state collection goes back to 1919 but there are a few county offices that have older Georgia birth records than that. Fulton County goes back to 1887, and Bibb county has some to 1891. But since only immediate relatives may make a request, they may not be much use to you.
You may have to resort to other sources to find Georgia birth records, such as church records and old newspaper archives (for their birth announcements). The Augusta Chronicle has archives that go back to 1792 for example, though you won't be able to search that far back on the Internet.
Follow these steps to access Georgia birth certificates:
Step 1.
Fill out the Georgia Birth Certificate request form. The form can be filled out online and printed, or it can be printed and filled out by hand. You can also write out all of the information included in the form and return it with your request.
Step 2.
Obtain a legible photocopy of your valid photo ID.
Step 3.
Send the application along with a certified check or money order for the $15 fee to Vital Records.
For more information or additional help on accessing Georgia birth records, you can contact Vital Records at:
Georgia Department of Health
Vital Records
2600 Skyland Drive, NE
Atlanta, GA 30319
(404) 679-4702
How to Gain Access to Georgia Birth Records
The Georgia Department of Health has provided access to Georgia birth records since 1919. With the appropriate fee and photo ID, certain people are able to access these birth records by contacting the Department.
How to Request Georgia Birth Records
Georgia birth records can be accessed in person and by mail. Online records are also available through an independent company, but keep in mind that extra charges will be applicable for that service.
Restrictions to Accessing Georgia Birth Records
Since Georgia birth records are considered to be confidential data, they can only be accessed by certain people. In order to access a record, you must be either the person named, the parents or legal guardian of the person named, the grandparents of the person named, or the adult child, sibling, or spouse of the person named.
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