New York Vital Records: The Complete 2025 Guide
New York has a critical split that causes more wasted requests than any other state: New York City (the five boroughs) and New York State are completely separate vital records jurisdictions with different offices, different forms, and different fees. Sending a request to the wrong office causes a 3–6 month delay. This guide tells you exactly which office to contact based on where the event occurred.
Know which NY office you need before doing anything else. If the birth, death, or marriage occurred in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, or Staten Island — that is New York City, handled by NYC DOHMH. Everything else in New York State is handled by the NYS Department of Health in Albany. These are completely different government agencies.
The Two New York Vital Records Offices
| New York State (Albany) | New York City (DOHMH) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jurisdiction | All counties EXCEPT the five NYC boroughs | Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, Staten Island only |
| Office name | NYS Dept. of Health — Vital Records Section | NYC Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene — Office of Vital Records |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 2602, Albany, NY 12220-2602 | 125 Worth Street, CN-4, New York, NY 10013 |
| Phone | 518-474-3077 | 311 (NYC residents) / 212-788-4520 |
| Birth cert fee | $30 | $15 (online) / $15 (in-person) |
| Death cert fee | $30 | $15 |
| Mail processing | 8–14 weeks | 15–20 business days |
| Online ordering | VitalChek only (no state portal) | nyc.gov/vitalrecords — own portal |
| In-person service | Limited walk-in at Albany office | Walk-in at 125 Worth St. — arrive early, lines form |
New York State (Albany) — Births Outside NYC
Form DOH-296
For births, deaths, and marriages registered outside New York City, use form DOH-296 ("Application for a Copy of a Vital Record") from health.ny.gov. This single form covers all record types — check the appropriate box for birth, death, or marriage.
DOH-296 requirements:
- Full name at birth (and current name if different)
- Date of birth
- City/town and county of birth (must be outside NYC)
- Parents' full names and mother's maiden name
- Your name, address, relationship to registrant
- Number of copies requested
- Photocopy of government-issued ID
- Check or money order payable to "NYS Department of Health" — $30 per copy
Town and City Clerk Alternative
This is New York State's biggest shortcut that most people don't know about: vital records in New York State are registered at the town or city level, not at the county level. The town or city clerk where the event occurred holds the original record and can issue certified copies — often with shorter wait times than the Albany state office.
To use this shortcut: identify the specific town or city where the event occurred, search "[town name] NY town clerk," and contact them directly. Many New York towns can process certified copy requests in 1–3 weeks. This is the fastest mail option and rivals the county office shortcut used in other states.
NYS Expedited Processing
New York State offers expedited processing through Albany:
- Standard expedited: $45 total (includes one copy) — approximately 5 business days
- Same-day (walk-in only): Walk-in service available at the NYS Department of Health, Empire State Plaza, Albany — call 518-474-3077 ahead to confirm availability. Not all requests qualify; bring documentation
New York City (DOHMH) — Births in the Five Boroughs
NYC Online Portal: nyc.gov/vitalrecords
NYC operates its own online vital records portal — much faster and more reliable than mailing to DOHMH. Online orders process in approximately 15 business days. The portal accepts major credit cards and costs $15 per copy plus a small service fee.
In-Person at NYC DOHMH Vital Records
Walk-in service is available at 125 Worth Street, Manhattan (access via the Worth Street entrance, Room CN-4). Hours: Monday–Friday 9am–3:30pm. Arrive early — lines can be significant, especially Monday mornings and around holidays. In-person requests are typically processed within a few hours or next business day.
What to bring: completed NYC vital record application (download from nyc.gov/vitalrecords), valid government-issued photo ID, and $15 cash or money order per copy. Credit cards are now accepted at the walk-in counter as of 2024.
NYC Borough Notes
- Manhattan: All Manhattan births/deaths go to DOHMH at 125 Worth St.
- Brooklyn/Queens/Bronx/Staten Island: Also handled by DOHMH at the same address — there is no separate borough office for vital records
- Pre-1910 NYC records: Older records may be accessible through the NYC Municipal Archives, 31 Chambers St., Manhattan — 212-788-8580
Death Certificates in New York
Same office split applies — NYC deaths to DOHMH, upstate deaths to NYS Albany (or town/city clerk). Fee: $30 for NYS, $15 for NYC. For estates, order 10–15 certified copies.
New York City processes death certificate requests noticeably faster than the Albany office for mail-in requests. NYC DOHMH online: ~15 business days. NYS Albany mail: 8–14 weeks.
Marriage Records in New York
Marriage licenses in New York State (outside NYC) are issued by the town or city clerk where the license was applied for. Contact that town/city clerk directly for certified copies. NYS Albany holds a statewide marriage index for marriages from 1880 onward but does not always issue copies — the town/city clerk is the primary source.
NYC marriages: contact NYC DOHMH for marriages registered in the five boroughs. Form: nyc.gov/vitalrecords has NYC-specific marriage certificate request forms.
Divorce Records in New York
Divorce decrees are held by the County Clerk in the county where the divorce was filed (Supreme Court Civil Branch). NYS Dept. of Health maintains a divorce index from 1963 onward but does not issue copies of decrees — go to the county clerk.
For NYC divorces: contact the County Clerk in the relevant borough (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, or Staten Island — each has its own County Clerk office). Fees: typically $5–10 per page plus certification fee.
New York Genealogy: Public Access Rules
New York State:
- Birth records: Closed for 75 years. After 75 years from the birth year, accessible to the public
- Death records: Closed for 50 years. After 50 years, publicly accessible
- Marriage records: Closed for 50 years from marriage date
New York City maintains a separate archive for older records at the NYC Municipal Archives. NYC birth records from 1866–1909 and death records from 1795–1948 are available through the Municipal Archives and partially digitized on Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Albany office will return your request (and your payment) with instructions to contact NYC DOHMH instead. This round-trip typically adds 4–8 weeks to your timeline. Always identify the correct office before submitting. If your birth was in any of the five NYC boroughs — even if it happened 50 years ago — the request must go to DOHMH, not Albany.
Online at nyc.gov/vitalrecords — processes in approximately 15 business days at $15 per copy plus service fee. If you need it faster than that, walk-in service at 125 Worth Street in Manhattan is typically same-day or next-day. Arrive before the office opens at 9am to minimize wait time. Bring completed application, photo ID, and $15 per copy.
Yonkers is in Westchester County — New York State, not New York City. Despite being adjacent to the Bronx, it is outside the five boroughs and therefore uses the NYS Albany office. The same applies to all of Long Island (Nassau and Suffolk counties), the Hudson Valley, and all other New York counties outside the five boroughs of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, and Staten Island.
Yes — town and city clerks in New York State are the original registrars of vital events and issue certified copies with full legal standing identical to those from Albany. The town clerk's certified copy is accepted by the passport agency, SSA, USCIS, and all other agencies. For upstate New York births, the town clerk is often the fastest option with the shortest processing time.