If you are interested in obtaining public documents in Washington DC, there are specific steps you need to take in order to access the District of Columbia public records you want without difficulties. There are procedures that every individual requesting a certified copy of a public document must observe. Like in every state in the country, Washington DC deals with vital documents, such as birth certificates, death reports, marriage licenses and divorce decrees, with great care and consideration. And although these types of data are generally accessible by any member of the public, thanks to the Freedom of Information Act, policies must still be put in place to protect the well being of every citizen.
Washington DC's Vital Records Division is the main agency that has the capacity to disseminate birth and death certificates to the public. If you wish to acquire your own records, this is the office where you will submit your request. Under the DC Department of Health, the Vital Records Division maintains a huge database of births and death reports from August of 1874 up to the present. But agency policy prevents any individual from accessing third party birth certificates that are less than a hundred years old. Death reports filed within the last fifty years are also closed to the general public. Only the next of kin and authorized individuals have access to these documents.
In order for you to access your own birth certificate or an open death report of another individual, you will need to pick up the appropriate request form at the Vital Records Division office or download a PDF file from the agency's official website. You fill up the form accordingly and you submit it in person or by mail. The District of Columbia Department of Health website contains the link that will direct you to the Vital Records Division page. You should refer to this page for more information regarding the mailing address, contact numbers and the current processing fees.
When it comes to marriage and divorce certificates, on the other hand, they will require a different source. If you want to get a hold of a certified copy of your marriage certificate or divorce decree, you need to submit your application at the DC Superior Court. The Clerk of Superior Court in the District of Columbia handles all public marital documents in Washington DC. Request forms are available at the district court office or at the official website of the District of Columbia Courts. In this website, you will find portals to pages relating to the process of accessing marriage licenses, certificates, and divorce decrees.
Of all those mentioned sources of vital documents, there is an easier and more practical source that you may want to consider, especially if you frequently conduct background searches. For those who run a public records search regularly, there are independent record retrieval services that provide its clients unlimited access to a comprehensive database of public documents, from birth certificates to divorce decrees. All the service requires is a one-time payment, and the customer is free to run vital record searches from every state in the country, including its territories.
Washington DC's Vital Records Division is the main agency that has the capacity to disseminate birth and death certificates to the public. If you wish to acquire your own records, this is the office where you will submit your request. Under the DC Department of Health, the Vital Records Division maintains a huge database of births and death reports from August of 1874 up to the present. But agency policy prevents any individual from accessing third party birth certificates that are less than a hundred years old. Death reports filed within the last fifty years are also closed to the general public. Only the next of kin and authorized individuals have access to these documents.
In order for you to access your own birth certificate or an open death report of another individual, you will need to pick up the appropriate request form at the Vital Records Division office or download a PDF file from the agency's official website. You fill up the form accordingly and you submit it in person or by mail. The District of Columbia Department of Health website contains the link that will direct you to the Vital Records Division page. You should refer to this page for more information regarding the mailing address, contact numbers and the current processing fees.
When it comes to marriage and divorce certificates, on the other hand, they will require a different source. If you want to get a hold of a certified copy of your marriage certificate or divorce decree, you need to submit your application at the DC Superior Court. The Clerk of Superior Court in the District of Columbia handles all public marital documents in Washington DC. Request forms are available at the district court office or at the official website of the District of Columbia Courts. In this website, you will find portals to pages relating to the process of accessing marriage licenses, certificates, and divorce decrees.
Of all those mentioned sources of vital documents, there is an easier and more practical source that you may want to consider, especially if you frequently conduct background searches. For those who run a public records search regularly, there are independent record retrieval services that provide its clients unlimited access to a comprehensive database of public documents, from birth certificates to divorce decrees. All the service requires is a one-time payment, and the customer is free to run vital record searches from every state in the country, including its territories.
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