Vermont Vital Records – The Rules Governing Requests

The Vital Records in Vermont are housed in the state’s Vital Records section of the Department of Health. People making requests for a copy may address their queries to the Department of Health with sufficient information regarding the record needed. A fee is charged for the search of the data and will still apply even if the record requested is not found.


Before 1857, vital records in Vermont were not filed in a single place. Birth, death, marriage and divorce records were filed in each county separately. Today, all requests for vital records should be sent to the Vital Records Section of the Vermont Department of Health. The institution only provides records for the past five years. If the record is more than five years old, then it has to be requested from the county where the record originated.

How Are VT Vital Records Filed?

Birth records are the responsibility of doctor or birth attendant. They should complete the birth certificate and file this with the county clerk. In hospitals, the medical personnel are the ones who complete the birth certificate and file it with the county clerk. Once the record is filed, the county forwards a copy to the Department of Health.

Death records are filed by the attending physician. While the certificate is usually made by the funeral director, the physician must fill up the cause of death and sign it. The funeral director then files it with the county clerk. The county clerk then forwards a copy to the Department of Health.

Marriage records are usually made by a legal representative. He is usually the one to file marriage certificates with the county clerk. In the case of divorce records, the certificate is started by the attorney in charge of the divorce. The certificate is held by the court as part of the proceedings until the decree is finalized. A copy is forwarded to the Department of Health.

To obtain a copy from the Health Department, provide as much information on the record as possible. Enclose a check or money order. Also, don’t forget to include a return address to which the records will be sent later. Unfortunately, the fee is for the searching of the records and not the actual copies. Even if no record is found, there would still be a charge.

In case the vital records are more than five years old, then they must be requested from the Public Records Division of Vermont. For researchers, the Public Records Division also houses numerous related records for research purposes.
 

Useful Vermont Vital Records Resource

Vermont Department of Health
Vital Records Section
P.O. Box 70
108 Cherry Street
Burlington, VT 05402
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