North Dakota ranks 26th 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#22 (tie)of 51
Speed#15 (tie)of 51
Ease of ordering#44 (tie)of 51
Birth certificates #19 of 51
Cost
$15 first copy, $15 each extra copy
Processing time
Mail: 3–5 business days; in person: by appointment only
Time until the copy is in hand
About 1.5–2.5 weeks by mail (estimate)
Where to order
State vital records office
Order online
Yes, through the state
Records available
State records from 1870
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 County Recorder where the license was issued (the state stopped issuing copies on January 1, 2008)
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 District Court in the county where the divorce was granted
Order online
No statewide online ordering
Death certificates #21 of 51
Cost
$15 first copy, $10 each extra copy
Processing time
Mail: 3–5 business days; in person: by appointment only
Time until the copy is in hand
About 1.5–2.5 weeks by mail (estimate)
Where to order
State vital records office
Order online
Yes, through the state
Records available
State records from 1881
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 North Dakota birth, death, marriage and divorce records
How do I get a North Dakota birth certificate?
A certified North Dakota birth certificate costs $15 per copy from ND Health and Human Services (HHS) Vital Records in Bismarck. Order online, by mail or by appointment in person. Once a request reaches the office, copies are usually mailed in 3–5 business days, plus mailing time.
North Dakota birth records: ordering details
Who can order
The person named on the record (age 16 or older), or the mother or father named on the record. Anyone else needs a court order or legal papers showing they are an authorized representative. If the person has died: an immediate relative (parent, child, grandparent or grandchild; brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles and cousins are not eligible) or an authorized representative. Include a certified death certificate if the death happened outside North Dakota.
Fee
$15 for each certified copy (the same price for every copy). The $15 is a search fee; one search fee pays for one copy. Extras: first-class mail return is included. Faster return: FedEx $25 (add $5 for Alaska or Hawaii), UPS $30, international FedEx/UPS $100. Pay mail orders by check or money order to “ND DHHS.”
How to order
Online:ND HHS secure online ordering (the state’s own site). You can choose “Web Order Pickup” to collect it at the Bismarck office. By mail:form SFN 8140 with your fee and ID to Vital Records, 600 E. Boulevard Ave., Dept. 325, Bismarck, ND 58505-0250. Faxed requests are not accepted. In person: by appointment only; call (701) 328-2360 to schedule.
ID needed
A copy of one unexpired primary photo ID (driver’s license, state ID, tribal ID, U.S. military ID, U.S. passport or visa, or permanent resident card), or two secondary documents (such as a Social Security card, a recent utility bill or bank statement, a pay stub or W-2), or have the application notarized. See the full ID list.
Processing time
Mail: copies are usually mailed 3–5 business days after the office receives your request (ND HHS’s main page says to allow 5–7 business days); return mail time is extra. Requests with paid FedEx, UPS or USPS Priority return are processed the same day if received by 10 a.m. Central, otherwise the next business day. Online with Web Order Pickup: usually ready in under two hours. Estimate: plan on about 1.5–2.5 weeks for a regular mail order to arrive.
Older and local records
The state has North Dakota birth records from 1870 to today. Records more than 125 years old can be ordered by the public, and genealogy copies are available for births before 2006.
Tip: Need a copy in a hurry and can get to Bismarck? Order online and choose Web Order Pickup; bring the same ID you used to order.
A certified North Dakota death certificate costs $15 for the first copy and $10 for each extra copy ordered at the same time from ND HHS Vital Records. Order online, by mail or by appointment. Copies are usually mailed 3–5 business days after the request arrives, plus mailing time.
North Dakota death records: ordering details
Who can order
North Dakota issues three kinds of certified death copies: Complete (with cause of death and Social Security number): a relative (current or surviving spouse, parent or legal guardian, child, grandparent, grandchild or genetic sibling), an authorized representative, the funeral director, or by court order. Facts of death (Social Security number, no cause of death): anyone eligible for a complete copy, or a licensed attorney who needs it for a legal matter. Informational (no cause of death or Social Security number): anyone.
Fee
$15 for the first certified copy, $10 for each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time. Extras: first-class mail return is included; FedEx $25 (add $5 for Alaska or Hawaii), UPS $30, international $100. Pay mail orders by check or money order to “ND DHHS.”
How to order
Online:ND HHS secure online ordering, including Web Order Pickup in Bismarck. By mail:form SFN 5531 to Vital Records, 600 E. Boulevard Ave., Dept. 325, Bismarck, ND 58505-0250. In person: by appointment only; call (701) 328-2360.
ID needed
Same as birth records: a copy of one unexpired primary photo ID, or two secondary documents, or a notarized application. See the ID list.
Processing time
Mail: usually mailed 3–5 business days after the request arrives (the main page says to allow 5–7 business days), plus return mail time. Paid FedEx, UPS or Priority orders received by 10 a.m. Central go out the same day. Online with Web Order Pickup: usually ready in under two hours. Estimate: about 1.5–2.5 weeks for a regular mail order to arrive.
Older and local records
The state has North Dakota death records from 1881 to today. Genealogy copies are available for deaths before 2008. ND HHS also has an online public death index.
Tip: Banks and other financial institutions usually need only the “facts of death” copy; life insurers and the VA usually need the complete copy. Order the right type, and every copy you need, in one order to get the $10 extra-copy price.
Certified copies of North Dakota marriage records come only from the county where the license was bought and filed. The office is the County Recorder or Clerk of Court, depending on the county, and each county sets its own fee. The state Vital Records office does not issue marriage copies.
North Dakota marriage records: ordering details
Who can order
Set by the county office. Contact it before you order.
Fee
Varies by county.
How to order
Contact the county office where the license was issued. ND HHS keeps a county-by-county list of the right office (County Recorder, Clerk of Court or another office), with addresses and phone numbers.
ID needed
Ask the county office.
Processing time
Varies by county.
Older records
The county where the license was issued holds the record. Call ahead if you need an older marriage, since some counties keep historical books in a separate office.
Tip: Check the ND HHS county list first: in some counties marriage records are kept by the Clerk of Court, in others by the County Recorder.
Certified copies of North Dakota divorce records come only from the county where the divorce or annulment was granted, usually the Clerk of Court (in some counties the County Recorder). Fees and wait times vary by county. The state Vital Records office does not issue divorce copies.
North Dakota divorce records: ordering details
Who can order
Set by the county office.
Fee
Varies by county.
How to order
Contact the county office where the divorce was granted. ND HHS lists the right office for each county on its divorce records page.
ID needed
Ask the county office.
Processing time
Varies by county.
Older records
Held by the county where the divorce was granted.
Tip: Not sure which county granted the divorce? ND Vital Records can help: call (701) 328-2360 or email vitalrec@nd.gov.
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 North Dakota records people search for
Official North Dakota 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 North Dakota public records
Certificate Information
The North Dakota Department of Health manages all the states birth and death records for distribution and archives. All requests
must be made in writing. So the office can only take requests by mail, fax, online forms or in person. No telephone or email requests
are honored. Requests take approximately one week to process with limited availablity to expedited service. Search and first
certified copy is $7 dollars. Additional copies are $4 each. Fedex and UPS over night shipping costs vary based on location and
time. $16 dollars for weekday deliveries, $30 dollars for weekend and $50 dollars for international shipping.
Division of Vital Records
600 E. Boulevard Ave. - Dept. 301
Bismarck, ND 58505-0200
Fax: (701) 328-1850
Marriage certificates are only issued by the county that issued the marriage license. While divorce and annulment decrees
are only issued by the Court Clerk or Recorder from the court who heard the case.
North Dakota allows for open adoptions and information sharing for all adoptions in the state. By law, all adoptees apon reaching
adult age (18) may view non-identifying information on birth family as well as medical history. While birth families may initiate a
search for the adoptee when that person reaches the age of 21. Although the state does not maintain an updated database on medical
history and is often only information that was inputed at the time of adoption. It's suggested that you use a private search agency
to find more recent records.
The fees for finding indentifying information vary depending on the search agency used but average around $425 dollars while
nonidentifyinig information is approximately $90. All searcher should start by contacting the Children and Family Services.
Property and parcel records are generally handled and updated by the county government. In most cases the County Assessor
with cooperation of the GIS department. The state also handles some parcel and property records for many of the smaller
counties that do not have their own computeried systems.
