How do I get a copy of my birth certificate?
Missouri County Health Departments have access to the database in Jefferson City where Vital Records are housed. The St. Joseph/Buchanan County Health Department offers Vital Records service from 8:00 to 4:30, Monday through Friday. Come to the second floor of Patee Market, 904 South 10th, complete an application and pay a $15 fee per copy. The birth must have taken place since 1920, in Missouri. The application must be submitted by the person on the certificate or a family member.

What do I need a birth certificate for?
A State certified record of birth is a legal document. A birth certificate may be required to enroll a child in school, to get a driver’s permit or license, to get married, to travel or get a passport, some employers require them, as do some insurance policies, or for other legal documentation purposes.

Can I get a death certificate from your office?
Death certificates are also issued through county health department offices for deaths which occurred in Missouri, since 1980, of natural causes. If the death you need a certificate for does not meet these qualifications, you may contact the State office of vital records, below. A certificate of death may be needed for probate purposes, to process insurance claims or to buy or sell a piece of property that was wholly or partially owned by someone who is now deceased.

How can I pay for a birth or death certificate?
The St Joseph/Buchanan County Health Department accepts cash, personal check, money orders, debit and credit cards.

How do I make a change to a certificate?
All changes must be processed at the State level. County offices cannot make any change to a certificate, even if it appears to be a misprint or typographical error. Information to contact the state is below.
For birth records 573-751-6378
For death records 573-751-6385
For adding a father's name to a birth record 573-751-6216
For processing an Adoption or legitimating a birth 573-522-1715
For registration of Putative Father Registry 573-526-1537

How do I obtain a copy of a birth certificate from another state?
We can only process requests for Missouri births, but we’ll be happy to give you the contact information for other states or foreign births. Call our office (816-271-4636) for the phone number and address. Or you can visit the National Center for Health Statistics site on “Where to Write For Vital Records." The Internet address is http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/howto/w2w/w2welcom.htm

How do I get a copy of my marriage certificate?
Contact the Buchanan County Recorder of Deeds at 816-271-1437 for a copy of a marriage certificate. Copies of marriage certificates are available from the county in which the marriage took place.

I live out of state and need a copy of a Missouri birth or death certificate in a hurry. What other options are there?
For expedited service, contact Vital Chek at the toll-free phone number 1-877-817-7363 twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Documents can be requested by phone and charged to a major credit card. However, there is an additional $9.95 charge for the use of this service. To further expedite the request, overnight services are offered with an additional fee. Applications can also be placed on-line at www.vitalchek.com

I’m traveling to another country. Do I need any vaccinations?
Possibly. The Clay County Health Department in Liberty, Missouri can assist you. Contact them at 816-781-1601 and ask for the Oversea’s Nurse.