What Information Is Actually on a Birth Certificate?

The information recorded on a U.S. birth certificate is fairly standardized and is also similar to most foreign countries that issue official records of births. Here in the United States, there can be two different types of birth certificates parents will receive after the birth of their child: information and certified.

What Is an Informational Birth Certificate?

An information birth certificate is one that the hospital makes for the new parents. It often includes details such as:

• The Baby’s Name
• The Name of the Parents
• The Time and Date of Birth
• The City, County, and State of Birth
• The Footprints and/or Handprints of the Baby

These types of birth certificates are not considered “official” or “certified” because they are not filed with the state’s records office. Instead, they are typically printed by the hospital with a fancy background and are meant to be used by the parents in the baby book they create for their new infant or as a keepsake to be hung the wall or put in a scrapbook. In addition, they cannot be used for legal purposes, like to obtain a social security card, driver license, or passport.

What Is a Certified Birth Certificate?

A certified birth certificate is an official record of the birth that is issued by your state’s records office. It is considered a legal document and is an acceptable form of identification that can be used to obtain a driver license, passport, and social security card. In order for a birth certificate to be considered an “official” birth record, it must contain the following:

• The baby’s name fully spelled out, including the first, middle, and last names.
• The baby’s place of birth, including the city, county, and state.
• The date of birth, which can sometimes also include the time.
• Details about whether the birth was a single birth, twins, triplets, etc.
• The full name of the father.
• The birth location of the father.
• The birth date of the father.
• The full name of the mother, along with her maiden (unmarried) name.
• The birth location of the mother.
• The birth date of the mother.
• The baby’s sex/gender.
• The city, county, and state of residence of the birth parents.

The official seal of the issuing city, county, or state.

Depending upon each state’s requirements, the birth certificate may not always contain all of the above details, but it must, at a minimum, have:

• The Baby’s Full Name
• The Date of Birth
• The Sex/Gender of the Baby
• The Place of Birth
• Names of Both Parents
• The Official City, County, or State Seal

Furthermore, the registration for an official birth certificate must be submitted within one year of the birth. However, the issuance date of the birth certificate can be any date, like the date a replacement certificate is issued after you order a new birth certificate online from us, here at FastBirthCertificates.com. For assistance in placing an order, or for any other questions, we highly recommend using our online form for the fastest response—or you can call us at (415) 528-2585.