Vital Records Online (VRO) is a trusted, US-based service that lets you quickly and easily order your Arkansas birth, death, divorce, and marriage certificates online. Your documents will be delivered securely, and your data will be kept confidential.
Summary:
Arkansas, known as the Nature State since 1995, has a population of just over 3 million. The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH), formed on February 25th, 1913, is a unified health department, with the main office in Little Rock and 94 local health units in each state’s 75 counties.
The Arkansas Department of Health – Bureau of Vital Statistics (VR) is responsible for maintaining and issuing certified copies of vital records, including birth, death, fetal death certificates, divorce, and certificates of birth resulting in stillbirth events. Statewide birth records in Arkansas did not begin until February 1st, 1914. Copies of pre-1914 birth records may be obtained by contacting the county clerk’s office of the county of birth.
Arkansas vital records are confidential; only family members and authorized individuals are allowed access. If you’re doing an ancestry search, the Bureau of Vital Statistics can help, or try the many available public archives.
Learn to obtain certified copies of official Arkansas vital records, including birth, death, marriage, and divorce. Find out what information they contain, where to acquire them, how they are used, and how to get certified copies.
Start Your Application Online for AR Vital Records
Request a certified copy of live birth for your baby or child.
Obtain marriage records for yourself or a family member.
Get an original copy of a death certificate replacement for a lost record.
Birth, death, divorce, and marriage certificates are fundamental documents. These vital records assist in proving identity, citizenship, and family ties. They can also help resolve legal conflicts, claim an inheritance, and reveal family history. Through vital records, we can discover valuable information about our forebears, including full names, birth and death dates, and places of residence. If you’ve lost a birth marriage, divorce, or death certificate, it is critical to file a police report and promptly request a certified replacement.
The Arkansas Department of Health certifies and issues vital records for all Arkansas births, deaths, marriages, and divorces. These certificates are also distributed through each county’s local health unit. Search the complete list below of Arkansas counties’ vital record issuing agencies from which you can request a certified replacement of your vital records. The list includes locations, contact details, and access to online applications for ordering Arkansas birth, death, divorce, and marriage certificates.
❗️If you’re seeking ancestral records for genealogy research in Arkansas, they are freely available from various public archives.
Visiting the Vital Records Office
Ordering Vital Records Online
Arkansas residents can obtain vital records through various methods, including in-person, mail-in, telephone, and online requests. Online requests are often the most efficient and reliable option. To order certified copies of vital records such as birth, death, divorce, and marriage certificates, individuals must meet the eligibility requirements outlined by the Arkansas Department of Health. Each type of vital record has specific requirements. Once these requirements are understood, obtaining vital records is straightforward.
The associated costs, eligibility, required documents, and waiting times for requesting vital records copies depend on various factors such as order method and certificate type.
Ordering Arkansas vital records online with VRO is quick and involves two simple steps:
To apply for an Arkansas birth, death, divorce, or marriage certificate online, confirm that you are authorized by checking the eligibility requirements. Confirm that you possess all the required documents before beginning the application. You will be prompted to upload copies of these documents during the secure online application process.
VRO simplifies the tasks involving collecting and generating the required documents for your application packet and guides you on how and where to submit them. The entire process can be completed in as little as five minutes on any device with an internet connection. When making your request with VRO, you don’t have to worry about your application getting rejected due to a missing document or a common mistake.
✔︎ Additional copies of your certified vital records can be purchased during the online application to save future processing costs.
✔︎ Learn more about how the online ordering and premium handling process works.
If you live near the Arkansas Department of Health or a vital records-issuing county health office, you can make an in-person request. Be sure to check the office’s opening hours, and be aware that you may find long lines when you arrive. You can avoid these inconveniences by applying online, by mail, or by telephone.
The procedure for ordering vital records varies slightly by order method. If you apply in person, you must complete the following steps:
Additionally, to apply by mail, you will need the following:
You can rely on mail or order online if the local vital records office is closed or you prefer to avoid potentially long wait times. Mail is also available for those living out-of-state, while online ordering is typically the most convenient method for residents living abroad.
❗️ To avoid your application being denied due to mistakes or incomplete information, review the requirements for each vital record before mailing it.
❗️ Ensure that your documents, application, and payment are submitted to the correct health department that issues certified copies of the preserved original record.
❗️ If you mail your application and documents manually, it is recommended to purchase mail tracking to confirm their arrival at the correct office.
Understanding the terms and requirements of your vital records application before gathering the required documents is crucial.
Proof of Identity for Verifying Authorization
The information and documents you must provide are listed in the table below. If you cannot provide a valid primary ID, you must provide two forms of secondary identification.
The Arkansas Department of Health requires you to verify your identity by presenting a photocopy of your valid, government-issued ID, such as a driver’s license, a state photo ID, or two copies of accepted secondary IDs.
What Documents Are Required to Order Vital Records in Arkansas?
The Arkansas Department of Health provides a guide to gathering the required identification documents. Refer to the Department of Health’s website for complete details regarding eligibility terms and requirements for obtaining Arkansas birth, death, divorce, and marriage certificates.
What Information is Required to Apply for Vital Records in Arkansas?
When applying for a vital record in Arkansas, applicants must provide key identifying information related to the record type. This may include names, dates, locations, and other relevant details to ensure accurate identification and processing of the request.
Who can request vital records in Arkansas?
The individual on record can acquire a certified copy of their vital records. They must provide an accepted form of ID when applying to verify their identity.
If you are ordering a certificate for vital records that is not your own, you must verify that you are eligible and authorized to apply. The Arkansas Department of Health defines eligible individuals for each type of certificate, which varies between birth, death, divorce, and marriage certificates. You may be asked for additional documentation proving your eligibility as a third-party applicant. If your relationship with the individual on record does not qualify you as an eligible individual, it is still possible to obtain the certificate. However, you must have the Vital Records Authorization Form signed by the eligible requester to request the record, and you must present copies of the person on record’s primary ID and your ID.
Do I need a notary with my application?
In Arkansas, notarized statements or signatures are generally not required when requesting certified copies of vital records. Notarized statements are not accepted as proof of identity.
The total cost of your vital records will depend on the Department of Health’s fees for each type of certificate and the order method you choose.
When requesting birth, marriage, divorce, or death certificates through VRO, the online Application Assistant starts at $29. The ADH Vital Records will charge a $12.00 fee for a certified copy of a birth record, $10.00 for additional birth certificate copies a $10.00 per copy of a certified marriage certificate, and $10.00 for a death certificate copy, and $8.00 for additional death certificate copies.
✔︎ Additional copies can be requested during the same order to save future costs in case your vital records are lost, destroyed, or stolen.
❗️ If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep $10.00 for a search fee. The processing fee for online orders is also non-refundable. However, you will receive a refund of any amount you paid apart from these fees. (source)
VitalRecordsOnline.com processing fee is $29.
How long will it take to receive my vital records from Arkansas?
Processing and replacement times for Arkansas birth, death, divorce, or marriage certificates may vary. Please refer to the chart below for the current delivery and processing timelines. You can speed up the document generation and application packet process by choosing expedited options when ordering through VRO. The delivery time of your vital records may be affected by your chosen submission method.
❗️ A simple error, typo, or missing document can cause wait times to double, repeat shipping costs, or expose personal information.
When you make your vital records request through VRO, you can view your order status to monitor the processing of your application. Once the application packet has shipped, you can track its journey to the Arkansas Department of Health with first-class mail tracking.
If you mail your application packet manually to the Arkansas Department of Health, purchase first-class mail tracking to confirm its successful delivery. The Arkansas Department of Health ships all documents to the requester’s home address using first-class mail services for extra security. However, in the event of a lost or misdirected certificate, the health department cannot be held responsible. If you lose your birth certificate, you must file a report immediately.
❓ Find more frequently asked questions below the Arkansas counties office locations directory.
Apostilles for Arkansas vital records can be obtained online through VRO or the Secretary of State’s office.
Apostilles are required to submit vital records to a foreign government. Documents initially filed with the Arkansas Department of Health, such as birth, death, divorce, and marriage certificates, can all be authenticated with an Apostille.
How can I get an apostille for vital records?
VRO provides apostille services for all 50 US states, is recognized by governments and organizations, and is legally valid in over 100 countries. VRO provides apostille services for birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates. The apostille service costs $149 (plus government fees) and can be completed in three steps.
Once your apostille document is ready, we will mail it to you via FedEx or DHL. It doesn’t matter if you live in the U.S. or not—we use recognized shipping companies to deliver your documents anywhere in the world.
If you are manually sending your certificates, you will need to provide the following information:
You only need to provide a self-addressed envelope if you need the documents to be returned by express mail.
Requests for vital records apostilles can be submitted in person or by mail to the Secretary of State’s Business and Commercial Services Division at the following address:
Arkansas Secretary of State 1401 W. Capitol, Suite 250 Little Rock, AR 72201
The only way to obtain an apostille for Arkansas vital records is through the Secretary of State. For more information, contact their office at (501) 682-3409 or https://www.sos.arkansas.gov/business-commercial-services-bcs/for-apostille-certification.
The Arkansas Department of Health website provides examples of common circumstances necessitating an amendment to a vital record certificate.
The ADH has established procedures for amending birth, marriage, divorce, and death certificates. Different forms must be filled out depending on the certificate type and what needs modification. Any corrections to vital records become addendums to the original records, as no entity can alter the original documents.
The requirements for requesting the changes or amendments vary depending on the specific circumstances of the amendment. In Arkansas, many amendments require a court order, typically requiring an attorney.
Minor changes usually do not require a court order. Typically, requests to correct or amend vital records will need the following:
Learn more about correcting or amending birth, death, divorce, and marriage certificates.
Where can I search for free public records?
In Arkansas, all birth certificates become publicly available 100 years after birth. Marriage, divorce, and death certificates are made public after 50 years. It can be arduous to find free public records, but many Arkansas vital records are freely and readily accessible to the public. You can search Arkansas’s birth, death, divorce, or marriage certificate archives to find the necessary information, but be aware that it will likely be time-consuming.
Are Arkansas Vital Records Open to the Public?
In Arkansas, most state records are unrestricted to the public, though whether or not you can access them depends on the record type and year the event occurred.
You can also utilize various third-party websites that facilitate vital records research. These websites are often not limited by your geographic location, allowing you to search records from other states or countries. However, though these websites can serve as good points of reference, the information in their databases may differ from official government records. To locate a record on a third-party website, you must provide the following information:
Arkansas residents have the legal right to inspect or obtain copies of public vital records under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
Each state has distinct vital records; sometimes, the certificates may vary by county or municipality. The appearance of your birth, death, divorce, or marriage certificate can vary based on the issuing municipality or agency. One way to recognize whether or not your certificate is an informational copy is to look for stamps or large prints across the document stating “Informational, Not a Valid Document to Establish Identity.”
Authorized Copy:
Certified copies constitute legal documents that can be used for official identification, while parties cannot use informational copies to establish identity. As a result, certified copies of vital records are only issued to individuals with a “direct and tangible interest” in the document.
A certified copy of vital records is a form of legal documentation that can be used for official identification. In contrast, an informational copy is purely for personal reference and cannot be used as official identification. Therefore, only individuals with a “direct and tangible interest” in the document can be issued certified copies of vital records.
To receive an authorized birth, death, divorce, or marriage certificate, you must submit proof of identity to attest that you are legally entitled to the authorized copy. If an accepted form of identification is not provided, your request will be rejected and returned to you, causing further delays in your application procedure.
Informational Copy:
Informational copies in Arkansas are sometimes referred to as “informational,” “genealogical,” or “short form.” These are primarily used for research purposes and cannot be used for legal identification or proof of identity.
If you request an informational copy, you do not need to provide a notarized statement. No documentation is required to obtain informational copies of public vital records. In compliance with the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), citizens have the legal right to inspect or obtain copies of public records.
Find more references regarding birth, death, divorce, and marriage certificates in the resources section.
Visit the official Arkansas government website at https://www.healthy.arkansas.gov/
