Vital Records in Alabama
Keeping close track of all of the vital records of yourself and of your family is very important. Vital Records comprise of four different types of certificate: Birth, Death, Marriage, and Divorce. These records are used to determine a wide variety of things, like health insurance rates, tax rates, social security income, and the status of your marriage. Perhaps more importantly, they can also be used as part of an admissions process for a variety of different functions.
However, many people do not keep copies of their Vital Records on hand, whether in home or in a safe, secure location. This is often because these documents are only rarely needed. Unfortunately, this can create a great deal of hassle when an individual needs access to them! With this in mind, we have created a brief guide to help you and your family access your Vital Records when necessary.
Obtaining Vital Records in Alabama
There are two avenues through which you can obtain copies of your Vital Records, and those of your family: the official route, and the commercial route. While the official route tends to be more inexpensive, it can also be more slow, and often delivered via postal mail. Alternatively, commercial Vital Records vendors can deliver electronic copies of your Vital Records, and can often do so very quickly.
Official Vital Records
One of the best resources for learning about Vital Records in an official capacity is the website for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The section relating to Alabama Vital Records can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w/alabama.htm.
You can obtain a copy of any of these records by sending a letter to the Alabama Center for Health Statistics, as well as $6.00 per record. Make all checks payable to the Center for Health Statistics. Their mailing address is:
Alabama Center for Health Statistics
Alabama Department of Public Health
P.O. Box 5625
Montgomery, AL 36103-5625
Obtaining Vital Records through commercial routes
As said above, obtaining records through governmental authorities is a guaranteed, but slow process. While inexpensive, it is often necessary to have on hand copies of your Vital Records before the Alabama Department of Public Health is able to respond. Because of this, it is often worth the extra charges that private, commercial providers will charge to get you your Vital Records faster.
Because listing the names or websites of commercial Vital Records providers is considered an endorsement, and we do not officially endorse any specific commercial provider of Vital Records, we cannot provide you with the names or websites of any one group.
However, the best place is to simply begin with an Internet search engine. Simply search for “Alabama Vital Records,” and make note of several different providers. Take the time to visit their website, examine how much they charge, and what services they are able to provide. After that, run a few Internet searches for that specific company to see what other people have said about them. Assuming that they are both legitimate and effective, begin by placing your order.
No matter which avenue you choose, it is important to at least have a plan of action for how to obtain your Vital Records.
