Vital records, as their name suggests, are connected with central life events: birth, marriage, and death. Maintained by civil authorities, they are prime sources of genealogical information; but, unfortunately, official vital records are available only for relatively recent periods. These records, despite their recent creation in the United States, are critically important in genealogical research, often supplying details on family members well back into the nineteenth century. The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy, by Loretto Szucs and Sandra Luebking.
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Division of Vital Records
600 East Boulevard Avenue Dept. 301
Bismarck, ND 58505
(701) 328-2360
Make check or money order payable to Division of Vital Records. Copies of certificates may also be ordered online using:
- Download and completely fill out request form (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)
- Make checks and/or money order payable to: ND Department of Health
- If you would like to use a credit card, please include your credit card number, expiration date and card type.
Birth
$7.00 Since 1870
Records from 1894 to 1920 are incomplete. Request Form
Death
$5.00 Since 1881
Records from 1894 to 1920 are incomplete. Request Form
Marriage
$5.00 Since July 1925
Requests for earlier records will be forwarded to the appropriate County Judge in the
county where the license was issued. Fees vary.
Divorce
Index since July 1949
Certified copies are not available from the State Health Department. Inquiries will be forwarded to the appropriate Clerk of District Court in the county where the divorce was granted. Fees vary.