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Basic restrictions for acquiring Mississippi birth records are that you must be an immediate relative in order to request the records. That means the birth record either has to be for yourself, or you are the parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, spouse or sibling of the person on the certificate.
There is an exception for birth records that are 100 years or older. These copies are considered to be genealogical and can be issued to anyone of any relation to the person of record, but proof will have to be given that such a relationship does exist. These copies are printed on plain paper and are not certified.
But since the state of Mississippi didn't start collecting birth registrations until around the end of 1912, and complete compliance from all the counties didn't happen until 1921, there may not be very many 100-year old records available anyway.
The best place to make a request for a Mississippi birth record is the central state office for vital records. They have a complete collection of registrations from 1921, and is the easiest place to make a request. If you are looking for records prior to 1921, you can also contact each county's own registrar's office and make a records request with them. Some counties do have records from earlier than 1912.
The office is in Jackson, and you an either mail your application or take in personally. The mailing address is Mississippi Vital Records, PO Box 1700, Jackson MS, 39215-1700 USA. For an in-person visit, their actual address is 571 Stadium Drive in the Underwood Building.
An in-person visit can sometimes mean you get your records while you wait, but by mail it will be at least 3 weeks.
You'll need the proper forms, which you can get from the Department of Health website (http://msdh.ms.gov/phs/forms/form522e_20090529.pdf). Fill out the applicable information on the Mississippi birth record you are looking for (name, place of birth, date of birth, parent's names) and also identify yourself by name and address. You will need to include copies of your own ID, and proof of your relationship to the person on record.
Also, there is the matter of the search fee. For each record you request, you have to pay $15 USD which can be a check or money order made out to Mississippi Vital Records. There are no refunds should they be unable to find your record, though they will search for a 5 year period around the dates you provide.
For searches of older records, you can also contact the Mississippi Department of Archives and History (http://mdah.state.ms.us/). They have multiple collections of records from various sources in Mississippi history, including many birth records that are not in the state collection. Some of their holdings can be searched online, though only the indexes. In most cases, you will have to visit the archive yourself in order to retrieve the actual record. You can make a request for them to do this for you, costing $27 per hour of time. Their website has details.
How to request Mississippi birth certificates:
Step 1.
Fill out a Mississippi Birth Certificate form to start your request.
Step 2.
Make sure that the form is fully completed and signed. Include a copy of your accepted photo ID.
Step 3.
Mail in your application and ID, along with a check or money order in the amount of $15. Allow at least three weeks for delivery of your record if using standard mail.
If you have any additional questions regarding accessing Mississippi birth records, you can contact the Department below:
Mississippi State Department of Health
Mississippi Vital Records
P.O. Box 1700
Jackson, MS 39215-1700
(601) 576-7981
Ordering Mississippi Birth Records
The Mississippi State Department of Health is responsible for handling all requests for Mississippi birth records. Records from 1912 until present day can be requested from the Department directly. Older records will need to be requested from the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.
Ordering Methods That Are Available
To make accessing your Mississippi birth records easier, there are several ordering methods that are available. You can make a request by mail or in person at the office. Internet and phone orders are also available through a private vital records service.
Persons Able To Access Records
Mississippi birth records are considered confidential, and therefore can only be accessed by certain parties. In order to make a request, you must be the person listed on the record, a direct relative of the person, or a legal representative. A copy of your photo ID will be required with your request.
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