BIRTH AND DEATH CERTIFICATES
The purpose of Vital Records is to maintain complete and accurate records of all births, deaths, burials and disinterments within the city of Detroit. 
The Health Department's Vital Records Division is responsible for managing birth and death records of individuals that were born or died in the city of Detroit ONLY.
Services Offered:
The Detroit Vital Records Division have all wedded births for the city of Detroit and all unwed births after October 1, 1978. All unwed births and adoptions before October 1, 1978 are only available from the State of Michigan Vital Records Office. The State of Michigan Vital Records Office can be reached at 517-335-8666, P.O. Box 30721, Lansing, MI 48909 or you may click here for more information.
Hours:
8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday - Friday. Additional hours are added during the last week in August and the first week in September for school enrollment.
Location:
Herman Kiefer Health Complex
1151 Taylor Street-Room 104B
Detroit, MI 48202
Telephone:
(313)-876-4049 or (313)-876-0417
Fax:
313.876.0090
Price:
Birth and Death Records: $20.00 (1st Copy) | $5.00 (2nd Copy)
Seniors (Birth): $7.00 (1st Copy) | $5.00 (2nd Copy)
ALL RECORDS ARE CERTIFIED WITH AN EMBOSSED SEAL
What You Should Know in Advance
- Walk-in requests are processed and issued while you are present,
- For your convenience, you can process online requests through an independent company that City of Detroit vital records has partnered with to provide you this service; VitalChek Network, Inc. VitalChek can be reached through their website; www.vitalchek.com or by phone at 877-891-6594. An additional fee is charged by VitalChek for this service, and all major credit cards are accepted, including American Express®, Discover®, MasterCard® or Visa®.
- Mail in requests are processed and mailed within a three-week period, (please call to verify time for mail-in request). Full sized certificates (81/2 X 11) ONLY, wallet sized records are no longer available for purchase.
When downloading mail-in application (download forms below), please read the instruction section and follow the directions listed. Forms for Correcting a Birth certificate, adding a fathers name, out of state applications, and Lansing Birth or Death Certificate are available on a walk-in basis or by calling the Michigan Department of Community Health at 517.335.8666 or log on on to its Web site at www.michigan.gov/mdch to request forms or for information.
Genealogical Research
- When making a request for death certificate for genealogical research the name of the decedent and the date of death are necessary for any search to be conducted (mail-in or walk-in ONLY)
- You may contact the Burton Historical Collection at the main branch of the Detroit Public Library located at 5201 Woodward Avenue at 313.833.1480, www.detroit.lib.mi.us.