Arizona ranks 35th out of 51 (the 50 states and D.C.) for how easy, fast and affordable it is to get certified birth, marriage, divorce and death records.
Cost#34 (tie)of 51
Speed#15 (tie)of 51
Ease of ordering#44 (tie)of 51
Birth certificates #26 of 51
Cost
$20 first copy, $20 each extra copy
Processing time
Mail: about 5 business days; in person: at county vital records offices, some same day
Time until the copy is in hand
About 2 weeks by mail (estimate)
Where to order
State office or a local county office
Order online
Yes, through the state’s approved vendor, for an extra fee
Records available
State records from July 1909
Marriage records #36 (tie) of 51
Cost
Varies by county
Processing time
Varies by county
Time until the copy is in hand
Varies by county
Where to order
County only: the Clerk of the Superior Court in the county where the license was issued
Order online
No statewide online ordering
Divorce records #27 (tie) of 51
Cost
Varies by county
Processing time
Varies by county
Time until the copy is in hand
Varies by county
Where to order
County only: the Clerk of the Superior Court in the county where the divorce was granted
Order online
No statewide online ordering
Death certificates #26 of 51
Cost
$20 first copy, $20 each extra copy
Processing time
Mail: about 5 business days; in person: at county vital records offices, some same day
Time until the copy is in hand
About 2 weeks by mail (estimate)
Where to order
State office or a local county office
Order online
Yes, through the state’s approved vendor, for an extra fee
Records available
State records from July 1909
Note: These rankings were done on . Prices, processing times and ordering rules may have changed since then, so check with the issuing office before you order. Times marked “estimate” add typical mail delivery to the office’s posted processing time. “Not published” means the office does not post that detail.
How to order Arizona birth, death, marriage and divorce records
How do I get an Arizona birth certificate?
A certified Arizona birth certificate costs $20 per copy from the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) Bureau of Vital Records or a county vital records office. Order online through VitalChek, by mail to the state office in Phoenix, or in person at a county vital records office, where some offer same-day service.
Arizona birth records: ordering details
Who can order
Arizona is a closed-record state, and you must be 18 or older (exceptions may apply). Eligible people include the person named on the certificate, a parent, spouse, grandparent, adult child or grandchild, adult brother or sister, a guardian or conservator, someone named in a power of attorney or court order, and an attorney for the person or their parent or guardian.
Fee
$20 for each certified copy (each extra copy is also $20). A certificate of no record is $20. VitalChek adds its own fee. Correcting or amending a record is $30.
How to order
Online or by phone:VitalChek, ADHS’s only online partner, which also offers expedited service (major credit cards). By mail: the Request for Copy of Birth Certificate (also in Spanish), your ID copy, a self-addressed stamped envelope and the fee to Bureau of Vital Records, P.O. Box 6018, Phoenix, AZ 85005. Pay by cashier’s check or money order to “Bureau of Vital Records” for the exact amount, or by Visa, Mastercard, American Express or Discover. No cash or personal checks. In person: Your local county health department’s vital records office (ask about same-day service), or the state Bureau of Vital Records, 150 N. 18th Ave., Suite 120, Phoenix (Mon–Fri, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.).
ID needed
A clear copy of the front and back of a valid, signed government-issued photo ID. If you don’t have one, have your signature on the application notarized instead. If you aren’t the person named on the record (or, for a birth, their parent), include proof of your relationship or eligibility, such as birth, marriage or court documents. Documents in another language need a signed English translation. If you pay with someone else’s card, include a copy of the cardholder’s ID.
Processing time
ADHS says mail applications are processed in about five business days on average, from the day they arrive (stated on its death certificate page). In person: some county offices offer same-day service; call ahead. VitalChek: ADHS doesn’t publish a time. Estimate: allow about 2 weeks for a mail order, including mail time both ways.
Older and local records
The state officially began recording births in July 1909, and it also keeps some delayed birth records going back to 1855. County vital records offices also issue certified copies; check your county office for its hours and services. Non-certified copies for genealogy are available through ADHS’s genealogy program.
Tip: An incomplete application slows your order down. Check that you signed it, included both sides of your ID (or notarized your signature), your proof of relationship and a self-addressed stamped envelope.
A certified Arizona death certificate costs $20 per copy from the ADHS Bureau of Vital Records or a county vital records office. Order online through VitalChek, by mail (about five business days to process, on average), or in person at a county vital records office.
Arizona death records: ordering details
Who can order
Arizona is a closed-record state. Eligible people include the funeral director, the spouse, a parent or grandparent, an adult child or grandchild, a brother or sister, the person responsible for final arrangements, the executor or a beneficiary of the estate, a life insurance beneficiary, someone named in a power of attorney or court order, someone authorized by an eligible person, and an attorney for an eligible person.
Fee
$20 for each certified copy (each extra copy is also $20). VitalChek adds its own fee. Correcting or amending a death record is $30.
How to order
Online or by phone:VitalChek, which also offers expedited service. By mail: the Application for Certified Copy of Death Certificate (also in Spanish), your ID copy, proof of eligibility, a self-addressed stamped envelope and the fee to Bureau of Vital Records, P.O. Box 6018, Phoenix, AZ 85005. Pay by cashier’s check or money order for the exact amount, or by Visa or Mastercard (include the full card number and expiration date). No cash. In person: Your local county health department’s vital records office (ask about same-day service), or the state Bureau of Vital Records, 150 N. 18th Ave., Suite 120, Phoenix (Mon–Fri, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.).
ID needed
A clear copy of the front and back of a valid, signed government-issued photo ID. If you don’t have one, have your signature on the application notarized instead. If you aren’t the person named on the record (or, for a birth, their parent), include proof of your relationship or eligibility, such as birth, marriage or court documents. Documents in another language need a signed English translation. If you pay with someone else’s card, include a copy of the cardholder’s ID.
Processing time
Mail: about five business days on average from the day ADHS receives it. In person: some county offices offer same-day service; call ahead. VitalChek: ADHS doesn’t publish a time. Estimate: allow about 2 weeks for a mail order, including mail time both ways.
Older and local records
The state officially began recording deaths in July 1909, and it also keeps some death records from other sources going back to 1877. County vital records offices also issue certified copies. Non-certified copies for genealogy are available through ADHS’s genealogy program.
Tip: It isn’t only close family who can order: the funeral director, the person responsible for final arrangements, the executor or a beneficiary of the estate, and a life insurance beneficiary are all eligible.
A certified copy of an Arizona marriage license or certificate comes only from the Clerk of the Superior Court in the county where the license was issued. Each county sets its own fee, wait time and ordering options. The state Bureau of Vital Records doesn’t keep marriage records.
Arizona marriage records: ordering details
Where records are kept
Arizona marriage and divorce records are kept by the Clerk of the Superior Court in the county where the event happened. They aren’t available from the state Bureau of Vital Records, and there is no statewide copy or verification letter.
Who can order
Set by the county Clerk of the Superior Court.
Fee
Varies by county. Contact the clerk’s office.
How to order
Contact the Clerk of the Superior Court in the county where the license was issued. Ordering options (in person, by mail or online) vary by county.
ID needed
Ask the county clerk.
Processing time
Varies by county.
Older records
Older marriage records also stay with the Clerk of the Superior Court in the county where the license was issued.
Tip: Skip the state office for marriage records: ADHS doesn’t have them. Go straight to the Clerk of the Superior Court in the county that issued the license.
A certified copy of an Arizona divorce decree comes only from the Clerk of the Superior Court in the county where the divorce was granted. Fees and wait times vary by county. The state Bureau of Vital Records doesn’t keep divorce records.
Arizona divorce records: ordering details
Where records are kept
Arizona marriage and divorce records are kept by the Clerk of the Superior Court in the county where the event happened. They aren’t available from the state Bureau of Vital Records, and there is no statewide copy or verification letter.
Who can order
Set by the county Clerk of the Superior Court.
Fee
Varies by county. Contact the clerk’s office.
How to order
Contact the Clerk of the Superior Court in the county where the divorce was granted. Have the names of both people, the approximate date and, if you have it, the case number.
ID needed
Ask the county clerk.
Processing time
Varies by county.
Older records
Older divorce files also stay with the Clerk of the Superior Court in the county where the divorce was granted.
Tip: Having the case number makes the clerk’s search faster. It’s printed on any paperwork you got from the court.
Note: Fees, processing times and rules are set by the issuing offices and can change. Times are estimates. Check with the office before you order. PublicLibraries.com is not a government agency.
Other records
Other Arizona records people search for
Official Arizona sites for other common lookups. Some records are kept by counties or carry fees; the note on each line says so.
Note: Links go to official state sites or services the state designates. Access rules, fees and coverage are set by each office and can change. PublicLibraries.com is not a government agency.
About Arizona public records
Journalism and research in Arizona is, as in most states, bolstered by the ability to access many open or "public" records within government, law enforcement, and other publicly operating businesses. Over 100 years ago, Arizona established its first laws regarding public records. In the intervening century, several revisions have been made to the laws in order to make them clearer and to encompass growing and changing technologies.
In addition to public records law, Arizona also has a separate Open Meetings act which states that meetings of any type of public body are automatically entered into the public record; they must be conducted in an open manner, meaning that anyone who wishes can easily enter the premises and attend, and that the hosting organization or body must provide printed documents that give the agenda for a meeting, so that the public is aware of meeting content before it even occurs.
As for other types of public records, stipulations are contained within Title 39 of the Arizona Revised Statutes. In general, the types of records covered by the statute are either personal, court related, or business related (though categories are hard to place sometimes and those three aren't necessarily exhaustive).
Specifically, Title 39 requires the following: All public officers and bodies (any person elected to a position or an office or official appointed by an elected official, or an office of any public works – state, county, city, township, school districts, etc.) must maintain records full enough to "reasonably" show accurate accounting of their day to day workings and of all official activities or initiatives. Records can comprise just about any media, from papers and files, to maps and books, to photos and videos, and it is accepted that digital or new media equivalent of all of these types of records are also available if they are the primary or only way in which the records are currently kept.
Types of Public Records
What follows is a list of common and available public records types in Arizona, along with a brief description of what they are and where/how you can obtain them. For the most part, any referenced offices or departments can be found by Googling their name along with "Arizona" as they all have websites, or at the very least sub-pages of various .gov domains.
Business Records
Business licenses – In Arizona, there are no restrictions on who can search records of granted business licenses in the state. For information on any business license, including its date of application, approval status, and any surrounding circumstances, contact the Department of Revenue.
Contractor licenses – Similar information can be obtained with regards to contractor licenses, both for those who work as private contractors or who are working on publicly (tax) funded projects. These records sit with the Registrar of Contractors.
Incorporation records – When a company is incorporated the event is kept as part of the public record, look to the Arizona Corporation Commission for these documents.
Liens – Liens records are kept further separated by their specific property type: Contact the Department of Transportation for vehicle titles, the Secretary of State's office for uniform commercial code records, and the relevant County Recorder's office for land/property.
Real Estate – For basic property records on housing and other buildings, you'll also need to contact the County Recorder within the county where the property lies.
Personal Records
Adoptions – As in most states, Arizona seals its adoption records to protect the privacy of both children and families from unwanted snooping. In Arizona, this seal last for 99 years. If you need to get a hold of a record, a confidential intermediary might be able to help you out. The Arizona Supreme Court must be solicited for this.
Background checks – Police departments keep criminal records on those that they book. In order to run a background check you should contact your local police department and submit a written request for a background check.
Birth records – All Arizona birth records are held within the Department of Health Services (AZDHS), but those that occurred less than 75 years ago may have restrictions and are held within the Vital Records sub-division.
Death records – All death records are maintained by the AZDHS as well, with those occurring less than 50 years ago held within the Vital Records sub-division.
Divorce and Marriage licenses – All divorce decrees and marriage licenses are held at the superior court office which ratified them. The Arizona County Information website can help you figure out which courthouse you need to contact if you're unsure (though it will nearly always be the county in which the process was officiated).
Naturalizations –Prior to 1906, both federal and state courts conducted naturalization, though where records are located is very different depending on which was used. The Arizona State Library, Archives, and Public Records and the Arizona Judicial Branch can help you find state-court related records. For federal court records, look to the National Archives and Records Administration. For naturalizations occurring after 1906 (September 27th, to be precise) contact the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Vehicle registrations – For vehicle ownership registration records one needs to simply contact the Department of Transportation (then the motor vehicle division). Information on how to specifically format a request can be found at the DOT.
School records – School records can be slightly difficult to track down because there are several types of school districts. In general, the district or school itself should be contacted initially for school records. That said, public and charter schools have .gov searchable directories. For private schools, you can contact the National Association of Private Schools.
Court Records
Finally, when searching for any kind of court record, you'll likely need to get a hold of the court location and level in which the case was handled. In Arizona, this can mean the court of appeals division one, court of appeals division two, superior courts, state supreme court, or the territorial supreme court. For small claims cases, local courthouses can be contacted for case numbers and details.
