Vital Records
CERTIFIED COPIES OF BIRTH & DEATH RECORDS
Certified copies of Missouri birth and death certificates can be obtained at the Knox County Health Department’s office. The certificates are computer generated and are available for Missouri births and deaths only. In order to obtain a copy or copies of a birth or death certificate, you will be required to complete an application and produce a “picture ID” or another acceptable form of identification. Certificates are printed in the office while you wait.
BIRTH CERTIFICATES
Cost: $15 per certificate
Computer generated Missouri birth certificates are available for births from 1920 to present. In the case of newborns, the Bureau of Vital Records in Jefferson City, must enter the birth information into their computer system. For this reason, it will be approximately six weeks after a child is born before we can print a birth certificate in our office. Occasionally, certificates cannot be printed due to circumstances such as delayed filing of the birth, too many characters in a name, etc. In these instances, certificates must be requested directly from the Bureau of Vital Records office in Jefferson City.
Effective August 28th, 2020, with the Governor’s recent signing of HB 1414 and HB 2046, the following provisions apply to vital records in Missouri:
Homeless Youth Fee Exempt Birth Certificate (HB 1414)
An eligible homeless or unaccompanied youth, under twenty-one (21) years of age, may receive one fee exempt copy of a birth record from the Bureau of Vital Records in Jefferson City or a local public health agency/local registrar.
- A youth may only receive one fee exempt birth record. For the issuance of any additional certificates, the statutory fee shall be paid.
- Requests for fee exempt copies are still subject to all other requirements outlined inthe application for obtaining copies of birth records.
- In response to this new law, the Department of Health & Senior Services (DHSS) has created an “Affidavit of Homeless or Unaccompanied Youth Status for Fee Exempt Certified Copy of Birth Certificate”, which shall accompany an application for a birth certificate.
- When made available later this week, the form will contain additional applicable information and be located at: https://health.mo.gov/IVrecords/
- If the Bureau of Vital Records in Jefferson City has already issued one fee exempt copy of a birth certificate, a flag will be placed on the record to alert all LPHAs that one fee exempt copy has already been issued. Therefore, if additional copies are printed, applicable fees shall be collected.
- If an LPHA issues one fee exempt copy, the following steps must be completed to ensure the record is flagged appropriately at the state level:
- Send an email to VitalRecordsSupport@health.mo.gov with the subject line “Homeless/Unaccompanied Youth Birth Certificate”
- In the body of the email, state that one free copy was issued and include the registrant’s name, date of birth, and the names of the registrant’s parents.
Who may receive copies of birth certificates?
- Registrant (the person whose certificate is filed)
- A member of the registrant’s immediate family including in-laws in a direct line of descent up to, but not including cousins. Those relatives include: wife, husband, son, daughter, mother, father, brother, sister, grandmother, grandfather, grandchildren, aunt, uncle, niece, or nephew
- A guardian may receive a copy of the birth certificate of a child who is under their care or custody by showing guardianship papers
- Foster parents may receive a copy of a birth certificate of a child who is under their care and custody by showing a copy of their custody papers
- A step-parent may receive a copy of a birth record by stating that relationship
- A physician acting on behalf of the registrant or their family
- An authorized agent acting on behalf of the registrant or their family. The authorized agent must produce a signed, notarized statement from the registrant or a member of their family authorizing the release of the record to the applicant.
- Others who demonstrate a direct and tangible interest when the information is needed for determination or protection of personal or property rights.
- Representative of heir-tracing companies under certain circumstances
- News media staff under certain circumstances
DEATH CERTIFICATES
Cost: $14 for the first copy and $11 for each additional copy of the same certificate ordered at the same time.
(New price, as listed, is effective August 28th, 2020 in compliance with provisions made to vital records in Missouri with the Governor’s signing of HB 1414 and HB 2046).
Computer generated Missouri death certificates are available for deaths that occurred from 1980 to present. Our office can provide certified copies of death certificates to funeral directors for the deceased’s family when a death occurs in Missouri.
Who may receive copies of death certificates?
- All family members
- Genealogists representing family members
- Professionally recognized genealogists
- An attorney acting on behalf of the registrant or their family
- A physician acting on behalf of the registrant or their family
- An authorized agent acting on behalf of the registrant or their family. The authorized agent must produce a signed, notarized statement from the registrant or a member of their family authorizing the release of a record to the applicant
- A funeral director acting as the official representative of a family
- Others who demonstrate a direct and tangible interest when information is needed for determination or protection of personal or property rights
- Representatives of heir-tracing companies under certain circumstances
- News media staff under certain circumstances
QUESTIONS?
If you have questions regarding birth and death records, you may call our office at (660) 727-2356. To contact the Missouri Department of Health Bureau of Vital Records, you can telephone 660.397.3396; or click (http://health.mo.gov/data/vitalrecords/). For out-of-state birth, death, marriage, or divorce certificates, you may visit the National Center for Health Statistics site on “ Where to Write For Vital Records” by clicking here (http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/howto/w2w/w2welcom.htm).
