- 1). Locate your state's Department of Public Health office website. Use a search engine and enter "X Department of Public Health," where X is the state in which the birth occurred. Click on the link provided to access the website. Look for a vital records section. This may be listed as "Birth, Marriage, and Death Records" or "Birth Certificates," or some variation.
- 2). Review the online ordering instructions for the state. As an example, Ohio offers two ways to order a birth certificate online. The first is through the Ohio Department of Health, which sends the certificate out within three to six weeks but does not have expedited service. The second is through VitalChek, a nationwide online vital record service which provides expedited service. The state of Illinois does not offer a departmental online ordering system, but offers online ordering through VitalChek.
- 3). Order the birth certificate according to the instructions provided by the state in which the birth certificate is held. Provide all necessary information and payments to complete the order transaction.