Idaho ranks 25th 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#19of 51
Speed#19 (tie)of 51
Ease of ordering#43of 51
Birth certificates #38 of 51
Cost
$16 first copy, $16 each extra copy
Processing time
Online: 3–5 weeks; mail: 3–5 weeks; in person: no public counter
Time until the copy is in hand
About 4–6 weeks by mail (estimate)
Where to order
State vital records office
Order online
Yes, through the state’s approved vendor, for an extra fee
Records available
State records from July 1911
Marriage records #24 of 51
Cost
$16 first copy, $16 each extra copy
Processing time
Online: 3–5 weeks; mail: 3–5 weeks; in person: no public counter
Time until the copy is in hand
About 4–6 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 May 1947; earlier records from the County Recorder
Divorce records #18 of 51
Cost
$16 first copy, $16 each extra copy
Processing time
Online: 3–5 weeks; mail: 3–5 weeks; in person: no public counter
Time until the copy is in hand
About 4–6 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 May 1947; full decrees from the county court
Death certificates #39 of 51
Cost
$16 first copy, $16 each extra copy
Processing time
Online: 3–5 weeks; mail: 3–5 weeks; in person: no public counter
Time until the copy is in hand
About 4–6 weeks by mail (estimate)
Where to order
State vital records office
Order online
Yes, through the state’s approved vendor, for an extra fee
Records available
State records from July 1911
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 Idaho birth, death, marriage and divorce records
How do I get an Idaho birth certificate?
A certified Idaho birth certificate costs $16 per copy from the Idaho Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics in Boise. Order by mail or online through VitalChek; there’s no walk-in counter. Standard orders take 3–5 weeks to process, or 2–3 weeks with a $10 rush fee.
Idaho birth records: ordering details
Who can order
You need a “direct and tangible interest”: the person named, their immediate family, their legal representatives, or someone who can show the record is needed to claim a property right. The form lists self, parent, child, current spouse, sibling, grandchild and grandparent; proof of relationship may be requested. Attorneys, legal guardians, government agencies and others must include proof with the order. According to the CDC, Idaho birth records are confidential for 100 years.
Fee
$16 per certified copy, including the first. Computer-generated copies and exact-image photocopies cost the same. The $16 search fee isn’t refunded if no record is found; you get a letter instead. Rush processing: $10 per event (non-refundable; write RUSH on the order and envelope). Through VitalChek, add a $10.50 non-refundable processing fee per order; optional UPS shipping is $21 for most areas. All fees can be paid with one check or money order. Overpayments under $10 aren’t refunded unless you ask in writing.
How to order
Online or by phone:VitalChek, the Bureau’s official online partner (all major credit cards; you may be asked to fax ID). By mail: the Certificate Request Form – Birth (Spanish) (or a signed letter with the same information), a clear photocopy of the front and back of your ID, and a signed check or money order payable to “Idaho Vital Records”, to Idaho Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics, P.O. Box 83720, Boise, ID 83720-0036. In person: not available. The Bureau has no public counter.
ID needed
A clear photocopy of the front and back of one signed photo ID (driver’s license, state ID, passport, tribal ID, concealed weapons permit or prison ID). Or send two IDs from the Bureau’s acceptable list, one with a signature, such as a Social Security card, passport card, pay stub or vehicle registration. Or have your signature notarized on the request (within 60 days). Orders with unsigned forms or payments, or ID copies that don’t clearly show the signature and expiration date, aren’t processed until fixed, which doubles the processing time.
Processing time
3–5 weeks for standard orders; 2–3 weeks with paid rush service. These times start once a complete order reaches the office and don’t include mailing. VitalChek orders usually arrive faster because there’s no payment to mail and process. Rush can’t be added to an order already sent. Copies are mailed by USPS; for another carrier, include a prepaid, self-addressed envelope. Estimate: about 4–6 weeks by mail, including mail time both ways.
Older and local records
The Bureau has birth certificates filed from July 1911 to the present. According to the CDC, for 1907–1911 records you write to the County Recorder in the county where the birth occurred.
Tip: Order only from the Bureau or VitalChek. The state warns that other third-party sites add excessive and unnecessary fees.
A certified Idaho death certificate costs $16 per copy from the Idaho Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics. Order by mail or online through VitalChek. Standard orders take 3–5 weeks to process, or 2–3 weeks with a $10 rush fee. Death certificates are confidential for 50 years.
Idaho death records: ordering details
Who can order
You need a “direct and tangible interest”: the person named, their immediate family, their legal representatives, or someone who can show the record is needed to claim a property right. The form lists self, parent, child, current spouse, sibling, grandchild and grandparent; proof of relationship may be requested. Attorneys, legal guardians, government agencies and others must include proof with the order. Idaho death certificates are legally confidential for 50 years.
Fee
$16 per certified copy, including the first. Computer-generated copies and exact-image photocopies cost the same. The $16 search fee isn’t refunded if no record is found; you get a letter instead. Rush processing: $10 per event (non-refundable; write RUSH on the order and envelope). Through VitalChek, add a $10.50 non-refundable processing fee per order; optional UPS shipping is $21 for most areas. All fees can be paid with one check or money order. Overpayments under $10 aren’t refunded unless you ask in writing.
How to order
Online or by phone:VitalChek, the Bureau’s official online partner (all major credit cards; you may be asked to fax ID). By mail: the Certificate Request Form – Death (Spanish) (or a signed letter with the same information), a clear photocopy of the front and back of your ID, and a signed check or money order payable to “Idaho Vital Records”, to Idaho Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics, P.O. Box 83720, Boise, ID 83720-0036. In person: not available. The Bureau has no public counter.
ID needed
A clear photocopy of the front and back of one signed photo ID (driver’s license, state ID, passport, tribal ID, concealed weapons permit or prison ID). Or send two IDs from the Bureau’s acceptable list, one with a signature, such as a Social Security card, passport card, pay stub or vehicle registration. Or have your signature notarized on the request (within 60 days). Orders with unsigned forms or payments, or ID copies that don’t clearly show the signature and expiration date, aren’t processed until fixed, which doubles the processing time.
Processing time
3–5 weeks for standard orders; 2–3 weeks with paid rush service. These times start once a complete order reaches the office and don’t include mailing. VitalChek orders usually arrive faster because there’s no payment to mail and process. Rush can’t be added to an order already sent. Copies are mailed by USPS; for another carrier, include a prepaid, self-addressed envelope. Estimate: about 4–6 weeks by mail, including mail time both ways.
Older and local records
The Bureau has death certificates filed since July 1911. According to the CDC, for 1907–1911 records you write to the County Recorder in the county where the death occurred.
Tip: Need it fast? Choose rush when you order. It can’t be added to an order already sent.
A certified Idaho marriage certificate for a marriage since May 1947 costs $16 per copy from the Idaho Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics, by mail or online through VitalChek. For earlier marriages, contact the County Recorder in the county that issued the license.
Idaho marriage records: ordering details
Who can order
You need a “direct and tangible interest”: the person named, their immediate family, their legal representatives, or someone who can show the record is needed to claim a property right. The form lists self, parent, child, current spouse, sibling, grandchild and grandparent; proof of relationship may be requested. Attorneys, legal guardians, government agencies and others must include proof with the order. Idaho marriage certificates are legally confidential for 50 years.
Fee
$16 per certified copy, including the first. Computer-generated copies and exact-image photocopies cost the same. The $16 search fee isn’t refunded if no record is found; you get a letter instead. Rush processing: $10 per event (non-refundable; write RUSH on the order and envelope). Through VitalChek, add a $10.50 non-refundable processing fee per order; optional UPS shipping is $21 for most areas. All fees can be paid with one check or money order. Overpayments under $10 aren’t refunded unless you ask in writing.
How to order
Online or by phone:VitalChek, the Bureau’s official online partner (all major credit cards; you may be asked to fax ID). By mail: the Certificate Request Form – Marriage/Divorce (Spanish) (or a signed letter with the same information), a clear photocopy of the front and back of your ID, and a signed check or money order payable to “Idaho Vital Records”, to Idaho Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics, P.O. Box 83720, Boise, ID 83720-0036. In person: not available. The Bureau has no public counter. County: the officiant files an original with the county, so the County Recorder may also have a copy. Contact the recorder for fees.
ID needed
A clear photocopy of the front and back of one signed photo ID (driver’s license, state ID, passport, tribal ID, concealed weapons permit or prison ID). Or send two IDs from the Bureau’s acceptable list, one with a signature, such as a Social Security card, passport card, pay stub or vehicle registration. Or have your signature notarized on the request (within 60 days). Orders with unsigned forms or payments, or ID copies that don’t clearly show the signature and expiration date, aren’t processed until fixed, which doubles the processing time.
Processing time
3–5 weeks for standard orders; 2–3 weeks with paid rush service. These times start once a complete order reaches the office and don’t include mailing. VitalChek orders usually arrive faster because there’s no payment to mail and process. Rush can’t be added to an order already sent. Copies are mailed by USPS; for another carrier, include a prepaid, self-addressed envelope. Estimate: about 4–6 weeks by mail, including mail time both ways.
Older records
The Bureau has marriage certificates filed from May 1947 to the present. According to the CDC, earlier records are with the County Recorder in the county where the license was issued.
Tip: Marrying abroad? Use the Bureau’s Certification of Marriage and Divorce Records Search form to get a letter confirming a search of Idaho marriage and divorce records since May 1947. It’s sometimes called a Certificate of Non-Impediment or Single Status Letter.
A certified Idaho divorce certificate for a divorce since May 1947 costs $16 per copy from the Idaho Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics, by mail or online through VitalChek. For the full divorce decree, contact the county where the divorce was granted.
Idaho divorce records: ordering details
Certified copy vs. decree
An Idaho divorce certificate shows that a divorce occurred but doesn’t include everything in the divorce decree. The decree is the court’s official document ending the marriage; get it from the county where the divorce was granted.
Who can order
You need a “direct and tangible interest”: the person named, their immediate family, their legal representatives, or someone who can show the record is needed to claim a property right. The form lists self, parent, child, current spouse, sibling, grandchild and grandparent; proof of relationship may be requested. Attorneys, legal guardians, government agencies and others must include proof with the order. Idaho divorce certificates are legally confidential for 50 years.
Fee
$16 per certified copy, including the first. Computer-generated copies and exact-image photocopies cost the same. The $16 search fee isn’t refunded if no record is found; you get a letter instead. Rush processing: $10 per event (non-refundable; write RUSH on the order and envelope). Through VitalChek, add a $10.50 non-refundable processing fee per order; optional UPS shipping is $21 for most areas. All fees can be paid with one check or money order. Overpayments under $10 aren’t refunded unless you ask in writing. Decree copies: set by the county.
How to order
Online or by phone:VitalChek, the Bureau’s official online partner (all major credit cards; you may be asked to fax ID). By mail: the Certificate Request Form – Marriage/Divorce (Spanish) (or a signed letter with the same information), a clear photocopy of the front and back of your ID, and a signed check or money order payable to “Idaho Vital Records”, to Idaho Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics, P.O. Box 83720, Boise, ID 83720-0036. In person: not available. The Bureau has no public counter. Decree: contact the county where the divorce was granted.
ID needed
A clear photocopy of the front and back of one signed photo ID (driver’s license, state ID, passport, tribal ID, concealed weapons permit or prison ID). Or send two IDs from the Bureau’s acceptable list, one with a signature, such as a Social Security card, passport card, pay stub or vehicle registration. Or have your signature notarized on the request (within 60 days). Orders with unsigned forms or payments, or ID copies that don’t clearly show the signature and expiration date, aren’t processed until fixed, which doubles the processing time.
Processing time
3–5 weeks for standard orders; 2–3 weeks with paid rush service. These times start once a complete order reaches the office and don’t include mailing. VitalChek orders usually arrive faster because there’s no payment to mail and process. Rush can’t be added to an order already sent. Copies are mailed by USPS; for another carrier, include a prepaid, self-addressed envelope. Estimate: about 4–6 weeks by mail, including mail time both ways.
Older records
The Bureau has divorce certificates filed from May 1947 to the present. According to the CDC, earlier records are with the County Recorder in the county where the divorce was granted.
Tip: The state certificate shows only that a divorce occurred. If you need the terms of the divorce, get the decree from the county.
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 Idaho records people search for
Official Idaho 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 Idaho public records
Idaho was one of the earliest states to commit to government transparency with the passing of the Idaho Public Records Act in 1990. Since then, the state has made several amendments to their public records laws. The complete laws and regulations are contained in Section 74-102 of the Idaho Statutes.
The Idaho Public Records Act defines what documents and materials are considered public records as well as who has a right to access them and how they are to be maintained. This list is longer than in some other states and it’s useful to be familiar with it in case you need a document that you think is part of the public record but is in fact not, due to confidentiality considerations. This is especially true for records held by law enforcement agencies.
Of course, such exceptions are only logical and aimed to prevent obstruction of the work of the relevant government agencies. Exceptions are also made with regard to eligibility for access to personal records such as birth certificates, marriage or divorce records, or death certificates, as well as personnel files.
Vital Records
The most commonly requestion Idaho public records are vital records. These include Idaho birth and death certificates as well as marriage and divorce records. You can get almost all vital records and statistics from the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. The earliest records available for births and deaths is July 1911. The oldest marriage or divorce records available are from May 1947. Birth records are considered confidential for 100 years while death, marriage and divorce records are confidential for 50 years. After that time period all records are considered public records and available by anyone for genealogical research.
Idaho vital records can be ordered online through a third-party vendor, VitalChek, that the state has partnered with. They can also be ordered by mailing a completed form and payment to:
Idaho Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics PO Box 83720 Boise, ID 83720-0036
Criminal Records
Criminal records can be accessed from the Bureau of Criminal Identification, which is Idaho’s hub for all such records, fingerprints and crime statistics. Criminal record checks are most commonly requested for licensing and employment purposes and can include fingerprint background checks, and name-based background checks. For fingerprint background checks, the applicant must submit a fingerprint card that contains a full set of prints, the person’s name and aliases, date and place of birth, and reasons for the fingerprinting. The card must be accompanied by a filled in application form and payment of the respective fee, either by a cash check or by card, debit or credit.
Name-based background checks are performed after submitting a filled in form and the required fee. The Bureau of Criminal Identification warns, however, that any search will be more accurate with a fingerprint card since it is a common practice amongst criminal offenders to use an alias or false personal information. What’s equally important to note is the fact that although a waiver is not a necessary part of a public records application, you would need a waiver if you want to access records of arrests made more than 12 months before the submission of the request. These records are not freely available to agencies and individuals outside the criminal justice system without a disposition. If you include a waiver, the signature on it must be no older than 180 days from the date you submit the application for a name-based background check.
Court Records
For court records of all types from 1995 to date, the central repository is the Idaho State Judiciary where you can view both pending and closed cases. Older court case records are available at respective courts across the state, including county and municipal levels.
