Search Oregon Birth Records
Oregon birth records are held by the Oregon Health Authority through the Center for Health Statistics. The state has kept birth records since 1903, and older records go back even further at the Oregon State Archives. You can search for Oregon birth records and order certified copies online, by mail, or in person at the Portland office. County health departments across all 36 Oregon counties also issue birth certificates for recent births. This page covers how to find, request, and obtain Oregon birth records from every available source.
Oregon Birth Records Quick Facts
Where to Find Oregon Birth Records
Oregon has two main sources for birth records. The Oregon Health Authority, Center for Health Statistics is the state office that holds all Oregon birth records from 1903 to the present. This office keeps more than six million vital records and adds about 128,000 new ones each year. Many of these records are now stored in digital form. The Center screens all orders to make sure only people who qualify can get them. This helps stop fraud and protects against identity theft in Oregon.
County health departments across Oregon serve as local registrars. They can issue certified birth certificates for births that took place in their county within the past six months. After six months, the record moves to the state office. Each of the 36 Oregon counties follows these same rules. You can visit your local county health office in person for fast help with recent birth records.
The Oregon State Archives holds historical birth records that predate the statewide system. The Archives has Portland birth records from 1864 to 1902 and delayed birth records going back to 1845. For genealogy work or historical research, the State Archives research room in Salem at 800 Summer Street NE is the best place to start. You can reach them at (503) 373-0701.
Note: Oregon birth records are not public for 100 years from the date of birth under ORS 432.350.
How to Get Oregon Birth Certificates
There are several ways to order a certified copy of an Oregon birth record. The fastest method is online through VitalChek, the state's official online partner. VitalChek handles orders around the clock and uses LexisNexis identity checks to keep your data safe. The system is PCI-compliant and sends your request straight to the Oregon Health Authority. Certificates ship from the state office, not from VitalChek, so every copy is genuine and legal. VitalChek delivers requests faster than mail because they go right to the proper office in the most secure way.
You can also order Oregon birth records by mail. Send your request to the Oregon Center for Health Statistics, P.O. Box 14050, Portland, OR 97293-0050. Make checks payable to OHA/Vital Records. Mail requests take about two weeks if your packet is complete. You can also call the orders hotline at 888-896-4988 or visit in person at 800 NE Oregon Street, Suite 205, Portland, OR 97232. Walk-in service runs during regular hours, and drop box requests are accepted too.
A certified birth certificate costs $25 per copy in Oregon. Each extra copy of the same record is also $25. Photostatic copies of birth records from 1903 through 2007 cost $30 each. Oregon also sells heirloom birth certificates for $45. These are fancy calligraphy-style documents good for framing but not for legal use.
Oregon Birth Record Eligibility
Not just anyone can get an Oregon birth certificate. The state restricts access to protect personal information. Under Oregon eligibility rules, you must prove who you are and show your link to the person on the record. Photo ID is required for every order. If you request a birth record for someone else, you must also provide proof of your relationship.
Oregon law allows the following people to request a certified birth record:
- The person named on the record, if age 15 or older
- Parents listed on the birth certificate
- Legal guardians with court documents
- Spouses with a marriage certificate
- Siblings, children, or grandparents
- Legal representatives or attorneys with proper authority
- Government agencies acting in official duties
Applications sent without proper ID or proof of relationship will be turned down. Fees are not returned for incomplete or ineligible requests. The Oregon Health Authority provides an eligibility tool to help you figure out what documents you need before you apply for Oregon birth records.
Birth Records and Oregon Law
Several Oregon statutes shape how birth records are managed and who can access them. ORS 432.350 makes vital records exempt from public disclosure. No one may share or let others view birth records except as the law allows. When 100 years have passed since the date of birth, the record can be moved to the State Archives as a public record. Before that transfer, the state registrar must remove all medical or health-related data from the document.
ORS Chapter 432 is the full legal framework for vital statistics in Oregon. It covers the reporting of live births, paternity acknowledgment, and the process for amending or correcting birth certificates. Under ORS 432.245, the state registrar can create a replacement birth certificate after adoption, a court order changing parentage, or a court order changing sex designation. The original birth record gets sealed and can only be opened by court order.
Oregon public records law also plays a role. ORS 192.355 exempts certain personal data from disclosure, including health information less than 75 years old if releasing it would invade someone's privacy. ORS 192.001 sets the broad policy that state records must be kept in an orderly way for legal, historical, and research needs. Together, these laws balance access to birth records with strong privacy protections in Oregon.
Historical Oregon Birth Records
The Oregon State Archives holds birth records that go back well before 1903. Portland kept its own birth records from 1864 to 1902, and these are now at the Archives. Statewide delayed birth records cover births from 1845 to 1902. These delayed records were filed later through court petitions when no original record existed at the time of birth.
Historical birth records at the Archives include details like the child's name, sex, birth date, birthplace, parents' names and ages, their occupations, and the name of the attending physician or midwife. County clerk vaults across Oregon still hold original birth record volumes and registers. The Archives research room at 800 Summer Street NE in Salem is open for visits, and staff can help you find what you need. The CDC also lists Oregon vital records contacts and confirms that the State Archives phone number is (503) 373-0701.
Privacy Rules for Oregon Birth Records
Oregon takes birth record privacy seriously. Under ORS 192.398, medical records less than 75 years old are exempt from public disclosure if releasing them would be an unreasonable invasion of privacy. Birth records often contain medical data, so this law adds another layer of protection. Records that were sealed by statute or court order are also exempt. Anyone wanting access to sealed records must get a court order.
Researchers can access birth record data for health studies. They must submit a written request and get approval through a formal research agreement. The agreement must describe the project, show institutional review board approvals, and protect the privacy of the data. Government agencies can also get vital records data when acting in their official role, but only after a written request and approval from the state registrar in Oregon.
Note: A decision by the state registrar about disclosing vital records is a final agency determination under Oregon law, and appeals follow ORS 432.350 procedures.
Browse Oregon Birth Records by County
Each county in Oregon has offices that handle birth records locally. Pick a county below to find local resources and contact details for birth records in that area.
Birth Records in Major Oregon Cities
Residents of major cities get birth certificates through their county health department or the state office. Pick a city below to learn about birth records in that area.