Vital Records – Birth & Death Certificates

Table of Contents

About Vital Records

TThe Administration division is open and able to process vital records Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., at 1005 W. Worley St Columbia, Missouri 65203, except on all observed City Holidays. Vital records includes the following:

  • Certified copies of Missouri birth and death certificates 
  • A domestic partnership registry
  • Annual Registration of Automated External Defibrillator (AED) devices per County Ordinance.  

Certified copies of Missouri Birth and Death Certificates

Certified copies of Missouri birth and death certificates are available from Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services. 

Who can request a copy of a Missouri birth or death certificate?

For privacy purposes, the only persons that are able to request a certified copy of a Missouri birth or death certificate are:

    • Registrant
    • Immediate family member
    • Legal guardian (Please provide your guardianship papers)
    • Legal representative

Please note

  • Birth certificates are available for any person born in Missouri since 1920.
  • Death certificates are available for any death that occurred in Missouri since 1980.
  • Not all records will be available for printing for various reasons.
  • For long (more detailed) certificates, or information used for genealogical purposes, please contact the Missouri Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Records or call 573.751.6387.

How to make a request:

Request by mail

To order by mail, please print, fill out an application (see below), notarize and mail it to us with the appropriate payment. 

Applications

Cost

  • Birth certificates: $15 per copy
  • Death certificates: $14 for the first copy, and $11 for each additional copy. 
  • We accept checks, money orders, credit and debit cards (made out to City of Columbia).

Please note all mailed applications must be notarized and include a self-addressed stamped envelope.

Completed applications, with appropriate payment, can be sent by mail to:

Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services
Registrar’s Office
P.O. Box 6015
Columbia, MO 65205-6015

Request in person

You may come in person to our office 1005 W. Worley St Columbia, Missouri 65203 to fill out the application. You need to provide proof of identification (a photo ID or two different items with your name on them). We are able to process payments in the form of cash, check (made ou to City of Columbia), money order, debit or credit card (Visa, Mastercard or Discover).

Request online

You may pay for and receive the certificate online using our secure partnership with VitalChek (additional fees will apply)

Birth certificates ordered online through VitalChek are $26.25 ($15 for the birth certificate and $11.25 for VitalChek’s handling fee).

Death certificates ordered online through VitalChek are $24.25 ($13 for the death certificate and $11.25 for VitalChek’s handling fee).

Please note: Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services does not accept online orders; however, for your convenience, you can process online requests through an independent company that we have partnered with to provide you this service; VitalChek Network Inc.  An additional fee is charged by VitalChek for using this service, and all major credit cards are accepted, including American Express®, Discover®, MasterCard®, or Visa®. Other internet vendors are not authorized by Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services and may charge additional fees without providing state-approved services. Neither Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services nor VitalChek have control over the services and fees other Internet vendors offer and charge, nor can we guarantee the confidentiality of any vital record data provided to vendors other than VitalChek.

If you have other questions, please contact the Registrar’s Office at 573.817.6441 between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Monday-Friday, except on all observed City Holidays.

Domestic Partnership Registry 

The City of Columbia maintains a domestic partnership registry for the purposes of allowing persons to declare a domestic partnership. The information on this page is intended to provide an overview of the City of Columbia Domestic Partnership Registry. For more detailed information about the registry, please refer to the City Code of Ordinance creating the registry and/or the Policy Guidanceopens PDF file .

Location

The registry is located at and maintained by Public Health and Human Services:

Address:
1005 W. Worley St
Columbia, Missouri 65203

Eligibility

To establish a domestic partnership, two individuals must affirm that they:

  • have resided together for at least six months,
  • each intends to reside with the other and share the common necessities of life,
  • are each 18 years of age or older,
  • are mentally competent to contract,
  • are not related by blood closer than would bar marriage in the State of Missouri,
  • are not married to any person other than their domestic partner,
  • are each other’s sole domestic partner, and
  • neither has a current declaration of domestic partnership on file in this city.

Declaring or Terminating a Domestic Partnership

Persons wishing to declare or terminate domestic partnership should print and complete the corresponding form below:

Completed forms should be submitted by mail to the Department of Public Health and Human Services. We cannot accept faxed copies of either from as we must retain an original copy of the form for our records.

There is a fee of $25.00 for each declaration and termination, payable by money order or check to the City of Columbia.

Upon receipt of completed forms and payment, the city will register the declaration or termination of domestic partnership submitted by the partners and provide or mail a copy of the declaration or termination from to the domestic partners.

Rights of Registered Domestic Partnership

All facilities owned and operated by the city, including but not limited to recreational facilities, shall allow the registered domestic partner of a user, and his or her dependents, to be included in any rights and privileges accorded a spouse and children for purposes of use and access to city facilities.

Potential Uses of the Registry

The ordinance does not impose any obligations on employers or businesses but does state that employers may use the registry as proof of relationship for benefit plans and health care and nursing home facilities may use the registry as proof of relationship for their visitation policies:

  • Employer benefit plans.  Employers of registered domestic partners may use the registry as proof of relationship for their employee benefit plans.
  • Health care visitation.  Operators of health care facilities may use the registry as proof of relationship for their visitation policies.
  • Nursing homes.  Operators of nursing  home facilities may use the registry as proof of relationship for their visitation policies.

AED Devices