People for Better Pennsylvania Historical Records Access  (PaHR-Access)

   accessibility and availability of birth and death records and indexes for every state

 (as best as we can determine)

 

State

State Records Begin

Accessibility

State Data Base / Other Accessible Viewing

Other Data Base

Alabama

Births 1908

Open after 125 years

State Archives has index

None

Deaths 1908

Open after 25 years

State Archives has index

www.familysearch.org

1908-1974 – extracted data from death certificates

Alaska

Births 1890’s

Open after 100 years

State Archives has records up to 1998,

but only allows access to records more than 100 years old

 

Deaths 1890’s

Open after 50 years

State Archives has records up to 1998,

but only allows access to records more than 50 years old

 

Arizona

Births 1909

Open after 75 years

State Archives has online database of birth certificates 1855-1939

http://genealogy.az.gov/ 

 

Deaths 1909

Open after 50 years

State Archives has online database of death certificates 1870-1964

http://genealogy.az.gov/ 

www.familysearch.org 

1870-1951 – images of death certificates

Arkansas

Births 1914

Open after 100 years

None

 

Deaths 1914

Open after 50 years

None

www.ancestry.com – paid site

1914-1950 – death index

California

Births 1905

Only certified copies are restricted to certain persons

None

www.familysearch.org

1849-1994 – index of county birth and death records

www.familysearch.org

1905-1995 – extracted data of birth records

www.ancestry.com – paid site

1905-1995 – extracted data of birth records

Deaths 1905

Only certified copies are restricted to certain persons

None

www.familysearch.org

1849-1994 – index of county birth and death records

www.familysearch.org

1905-1939 – partially extracted data of death records

www.familysearch.org

1940-1997 – partially extracted data of death records

Colorado

Births 1910

Restricted to certain persons

None

 

Deaths 1910

Restricted to certain persons

None

 

Connecticut

Births 1897

Open after 100 years

None

 

Deaths 1897

Open immediately

None

www.ancestry.com – paid site

1949-2001 – death index

Delaware

Births 1913

Open after 72 years

Open records available at State Archives

www.familysearch.org

1861-1922 – images of birth records

Deaths 1913

Open after 40 years

Open records available at State Archives

www.familysearch.org 

1855-1961 – images of death records

Florida

Birth 1917

Open after 100 years

None

 

Death 1917

After 50 years public record. Prior to 50 years anyone can order a death certificate, but cause of death is redacted

None

www.familysearch.org 

1877-1939 – extracted data from death certificates

www.familysearch.org 

1877-1998 – death index

www.ancestry.com – paid site

1877-1998 – death index

Georgia

Births 1919

Restricted to certain persons

 

 

Deaths 1919

Open immediately

State Archives has online database of death certificates 1914-1927

http://cdm.georgiaarchives.org:2011/cdm/landingpage/collection/gadeaths

www.familysearch.org

1914-1927 – images of death certificates

www.familysearch.org

1928-1939 – images of death certificates

www.familysearch.org 

1933-1998 – death index

www.ancestry.com – paid site

1919-1998 – death index

Hawaii

Births

Restricted, however allow genealogical requests after 75 years

State Archives has some birth and death records up to 1929

 

Deaths

Restricted, however allow genealogical requests after 75 years

State Archives has some birth and death records up to 1929

 

Idaho

Births 1911

Open after 100 years

None

www.familysearch.org

1883-1929 – images of county birth and  death records

Deaths 1911

Open after 50 years

None

www.familysearch.org

1883-1929 – images of county birth and  death records

www.familysearch.org

1911-1937 – extracted data from death certificates

www.ancestry.com – paid site

1890-1963 – death index

Illinois

Births 1916

After 75 years can obtained an uncertified birth certificate

None

www.familysearch.org 

1878-1922 – Cook Co, IL, including Chicago – images of birth & death records

Deaths 1916

After 20 years can obtained an uncertified death certificate

State Archives has microfilm copies of death records over

50 years and an online index 1916-1950

http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/idphdeathindex.html

www.familysearch.org 

1916-1947 – extracted data from death certificates

Indiana

Births 1907

Restricted to certain persons

None

www.ancestry.com – paid site

1907-1940 – birth records

Deaths 1900

Restricted, however allow requests by distant relatives 75 years after event

None

www.ancestry.com – paid site

1899-2011 – death records

Iowa

Births 1880

Restricted to certain persons

None

www.familysearch.org

1880-1935 – images of county birth records

Deaths 1880

Restricted to certain persons

None

www.familysearch.org

1889-1992 – images of county death records

Kansas

Births 1911

Restricted to certain persons

None

 

Deaths 1911

Restricted, however allow requests for genealogical purposes by close relatives

None

 

Kentucky

Births 1911

Open immediately

CD index of births and deaths 1911-1999 available for sale from State Archives (index available online at www.familysearch.org),

 

Deaths 1911

Open immediately

Microfilm copies of death certificates 1911-1959 and CD index of births and deaths 1911-1999 available for sale from State Archives (index available online at www.familysearch.org)

www.familysearch.org

1911-1961 – extracted data from certificates

www.ancestry.com – paid site

1852-1953 – images of death records

Louisiana

Births 1907

Open after 100 years

None

 

Deaths 1907

Open after 50 years

State Archives has records over 50 years with online index: http://www.sos.louisiana.gov/Home/Archives/Research

Library/VitalRecords/LouisianaDeaths/tabid/640/Default.aspx 

www.familysearch.org

1894-1956 – extracted data from certificates

Maine

Births 1892

Open after 75 years

State Archives has records up to 1922, no restrictions

www.ancestry.com – paid site

1617-1922 – images of death records

Deaths 1892

Open after 25 years

Fetal deaths after 50 years

State Archives has records up to 1922, no restrictions

www.ancestry.com – paid site

1617-1922 – images of death records

1960-1996 – death index

Maryland

Births 1898

Open after 100 years or death of the individual

State Archives has records up to 1924,

but only allows access to records more than 100 years old

 

Deaths 1898

Open after 10 years

State Archives has records up to 2001 with online index of deaths in Baltimore 1875-1942 & 1950-1972 and outside of Baltimore 1898-1944: http://guide.mdsa.net/viewer.cfm?page=death

 

Massachusetts

Births 1841

Open immediately

Access to records since 1916 with index is allowed at the

State Register’s research room

State Archives has records 1841-1915 with index

www.familysearch.org

1841-1915 – images of birth records

www.ancestry.com – paid site

1906-1960, 1967-1970 – birth index

Deaths 1841

Open immediately

Access to records since 1916 with index is allowed at the

State Register’s research room

State Archives has records 1841-1915 with index

www.familysearch.org 

1841-1915 – images of death records

www.ancestry.com – paid site

1901-2003 – death index

Michigan

Births 1906

Open after 100 years

Library of Michigan has index of births up to 1914

 

Deaths 1906

Open immediately

Seeking Michigan: online database of images 1897-1952 (in three separate groupings) http://seekingmichigan.org/

www.familysearch.org 

1921-1952 – extracted data from death records

www.ancestry.com – paid site

1971-1996 – death index

Minnesota

Births 1900

Only certified copies are restricted to certain persons

State Archives has microfilm copies up to 1934 with online index

http://people.mnhs.org/bci/

www.familysearch.org 

1863-1983 – images of county birth records www.familysearch.org 

1935-2002 – birth index

www.ancestry.com – paid site

1935-2002 – birth index

Deaths 1900

Only certified copies are restricted to certain persons

State Archives has microfilm copies up to 2001 with online index

http://people.mnhs.org/dci/

www.familysearch.org 

1866-1916 – extracted data from death records

www.ancestry.com – paid site

1908-2002 – death index

Mississippi

Births 1912

Restricted to certain persons

None

 

Deaths 1912

Restricted to certain persons

State Archives has microfiche copies and index available up to 1943

 

Missouri

Births 1910

Restricted to certain persons

 

 

Deaths 1910

Open after 50 years

State Archives online database of images 1910-1966:

http://www.sos.mo.gov/archives/resources/deathcertificates/advanced.asp 

 

Montana

Births 1907

Restricted to certain persons

None

www.familysearch.org 

1840-2004 – county birth and death records

www.ancestry.com – paid site

1840-2004 – county birth and death records

Deaths 1907

Restricted, however anyone may request copies

None

www.familysearch.org 

1840-2004 – county birth and death records

www.familysearch.org 

1860-2007 – death index

www.ancestry.com – paid site

1840-2004 – county birth and death records

www.ancestry.com – paid site

1860-2011 – death index

Nebraska

Births 1904

Restricted, however does allow genealogical requests.

None

 

Deaths 1904

Restricted, however does allow genealogical requests.

None

 

Nevada

Births 1911

Restricted to certain persons

None

www.familysearch.org 

1871-1992 – county birth and death records

Deaths 1911

Restricted to certain persons

None

www.familysearch.org 

1871-1992 – county birth and death records

www.ancestry.com – paid site

1911-1965 – death records

New Hampshire

Births 1640

Open to 1909

State Archives has records up to 1909

 

Deaths 1640

Open to 1959

State Archives has records up to 1959

www.familysearch.org 

1654-1947 – images of death records

www.familysearch.org 

1938-1959 – images of death certificates

New Jersey

Births 1901

Restricted, however non-certified copies are available to anyone after 80 years

State Archives has microfilm copies and index available up to 1923

 

Deaths 1901

Restricted, however non-certified copies are available to anyone after 40 years

State Archives has microfilm copies and index available up to 1940

 

New Mexico

Births 1920

Restricted to certain persons

None

 

Deaths 1920

Restricted to certain persons

None

http://www.usgwarchives.net/nm/nmdi.htm 

1899-1949 – New Mexico Death Index Project

www.familysearch.org 

1889-1945 – extracted data from death certificates

New York

Births 1881

Open after 75 years

State Archives has index outside of NYC of records over 75 years

NYC Municipal Archives has births prior to 1910

www.familysearch.org 

1846-1909 – index of New York City births

 

Deaths 1881

Open after 50 years

State Archives has index outside of NYC of records over 50 years

NYC Municipal Archives has deaths prior to 1949

www.familysearch.org 

1795-1949 – images of New York City municipal death records

North Carolina

Births 1913

Only certified copies are restricted to certain persons

None

www.familysearch.org 

1800-2000 – birth index

www.ancestry.com -- paid site

1800-2000 – birth index

Deaths 1913

Only certified copies are restricted to certain persons

State Archives has records 1913-1975 with index to 1979

www.familysearch.org 

1906-1930 – images of death certificates

www.familysearch.org 

1931-1994– extracted data from death certificates

www.ancestry.com -- paid site

1908-1975 – images of death certificates with index up to 2004

North Dakota

Births 1923

Restricted to certain persons

 

 

Deaths 1923

Restricted, however anyone may obtain copies, but Social Security number and cause of death are redacted

State online index of deaths

https://secure.apps.state.nd.us/doh/certificates/deathCertSearch.htm

 

Ohio

Births 1908

Open immediately

None

www.familysearch.org 

1841-2003 – county birth records

Deaths 1908

Open immediately

Ohio State Historical Society has certificates from 1908-1963,

online index 1913-1963 http://ohsweb.ohiohistory.org/death/ 

www.familysearch.org 

1841-2001 – county death records

www.familysearch.org 

1908-1953 – images of death certificates

www.ancestry.com – paid site

1958-2007 – death index

Oklahoma

Births 1908

Restricted, however if the person is deceased anyone may obtain copies

None

 

Deaths 1908

Restricted, however anyone may request copies

None

 

Oregon

Births 1903

Open after 100 years

State Archives has records over 100 years with index

 

Deaths 1903

Open after 50 years

State Archives has records over 50 years with index,

online index of some deaths up to 1948 http://genealogy.state.or.us/

www.ancestry.com – paid site

1903-1998 – death index

Pennsylvania

Births 1906

Open after 105 years

State Archives has records over 105 years with online index. Note that some counties continued to record births after 1905, one as late as 1936.

http://www.portal.state.pa.us/ 

1906-1912 – birth index

www.ancestry.com – paid site

1906-1910 – images of birth certificates

Deaths 1906

Open after 50 years

State Archives has records over 50 years with online index.  Note that some counties continued to record deaths after 1905, one as late as 1936.

http://www.portal.state.pa.us/ 

1906-1967 – death index

www.ancestry.com – paid site

1906-1966 – images of death certificates

Philadelphia

Births 1860-1915

Open

Available at Philadelphia Archives

www.familysearch.org 

1860-1906 – images of birth records

Deaths 1803-1915

Open

Available at Philadelphia Archives

www.familysearch.org 

1803-1915 – images of death records

Rhode Island

Births 1636

Open after 100 years

State Archives has records over 100 years

www.ancestry.com – paid site

1636-1930 – birth index

Deaths 1636

Open after 50 years

State Archives has records over 50 years with index from 1853-1945

www.ancestry.com – paid site

1640-1930 – death index

South Carolina

Births 1915

Restricted to certain persons

None

 

Deaths 1915

Open after 50 years

State Archives has death records with index 1915-1960

Public viewing of above records at

http://www.scdhec.gov/administration/vr/vrdi.htm 

www.familysearch.org 

1915-1943 – images of death certificates

1944-1955 – extracted data from certificates

www.ancestry.com -- paid site

1915-1955 – images of death certificates

South Dakota

Births 1905

Restricted, however, has "for informational purposes only" copies

online extracted data of birth records over 100 years http://apps.sd.gov/applications/ph14over100birthrec/index.asp

 

Deaths 1905

Restricted, however, has "for informational purposes only" copies

None

www.ancestry.com – paid site

1905-1955 – death index

Tennessee

Births 1914

Open immediately

State Archives has birth records 1908-1912

1874-1906 – images of Shelby County birth records

http://register.shelby.tn.us/

Deaths 1914

Open immediately - cause of death redacted for non-certified copies for 50 years after the event

Images of Shelby County death records up to 1959,

website includes statewide index of deaths 1949-2005

http://register.shelby.tn.us/

Statewide index 1914-1925 http://www.tn.gov/tsla/history/vital/tndeath.htm 

https://familysearch.org

1914-1955 – images of death certificates

http://register.shelby.tn.us/

1949-2009 – statewide death index

1848-1964 images of Shelby County death records

Texas

Births 1903

Open after 75 years

Index at State Library/Archives 1903 – to most recent year available

www.familysearch.org 

1903-1935 – images of birth certificates

www.ancestry.com – paid site

1903-1997 – extracted information

Deaths 1903

Open after 25 years

Index at State Library/Archives 1903 – to most recent year available

www.familysearch.org 

1890-1986 – images of death certificates

www.familysearch.org 

1903-2000 – death index

www.ancestry.com – paid site

1903-2000 – death index

Utah

Births 1905

Open after 100 years

Online index of births from 1905-2010

http://archives.utah.gov/research/indexes/20842.htm

www.ancestry.com – paid site

1892-1944 – images of birth registers

Deaths 1905

Open after 50 years

Online index of deaths 1904-1964 – with images of certificates

http://archives.utah.gov/research/indexes/20842.htm

www.familysearch.org 

1904-1964 – images of death certificates

 

Vermont

Births 1857

Open immediately

Records available at the State Archives 1760's-2004

www.familysearch.org 

1760-2008 – images of births, marriages and deaths

www.ancestry.com – paid site

1909-2008 – births, marriages and deaths

Deaths 1857

Open immediately

Records available at the State Archives 1760's-2004

www.familysearch.org 

1760-2008 – images of births, marriages and deaths

www.ancestry.com – paid site

1909-2008 – births, marriages and deaths

Virginia

Births 1912

Open after 100 years

None

www.ancestry.com – paid site

1854-2014 – birth records

Deaths 1912

Open after 50 years

Library of Virginia has death certificates from 1912-1939 and the index up to 1954

www.ancestry.com – paid site

1912-2014 – death records

Washington

Births 1907

Open immediately

State index of records and images available 1907-1929

http://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov/

www.ancestry.com – paid site

1907-1935 – death index

Deaths 1907

Open immediately

State index of death records 1907-2000

http://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov/

www.familysearch.org

1907- 1960 – extracted info from certificates

www.ancestry.com – paid site

1883-1960 – death records

www.ancestry.com – paid site

1940-1996 – death index

Washington, DC

Births 1874 Open after 100 years District of Columbia Archives has records 1874-1928  
Deaths 1874 Open after 50 years District of Columbia Archives has records 1874-1932

www.familysearch.org 

1874-1961 – images of death records & certificates

West Virginia

 

Births 1917

Open after 100 years

State Archives has images of records online to 1910

www.wvculture.org/vrr/va_select.aspx

 

Deaths 1917

Open after 50 years

State Archives has images of records online to late as 1970

www.wvculture.org/vrr/va_select.aspx

www.familysearch.org 

1959-1997 – index of death records

Wisconsin

 

Births 1907

Restricted, however has uncertified copies

None

 

Deaths 1907

Restricted, however has uncertified copies

None

 

Wyoming

 

Births 1909

Open after 100 years

State Archives has records over 100 years

 

Deaths 1909

Open after 50 years

State Archives has records over 50 years

 

 

** The free website www.familysearch.org/ is administered by Family Search – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

** Most states prior to the dates listed above required the recording of births and deaths at the county or city level. These records are sporadic and nearly in all cases are open records and available for public inspection.

(updated January 31, 2018)

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