Connecticut vital records, in form of birth, death, marriage, civil union and divorce certificates, are frequently requested by individuals seeking copies of their or their loved ones’ records or certificates. This is usually done for identification, legal, or genealogical reasons. Regardless of the reason for the request, there is some pertinent information that requesters should be aware before applying for copies of Connecticut vital records.Birth Certificates
Birth certificates since July 1, 1897 are kept on file at both the state and local levels. Certificates for births that occurred less than 100 years ago are not available for public viewing, and must be requested through the state or town office. These certificates can be requested by the individuals themselves, some immediate family members, an attorney representing the registrant, a member of a genealogical society, or other key personnel with verifiable interest. A copy of a photo ID along with an application for the request must be mailed or submitted in person to the state or town office where the record is maintained. For your convenience, birth certificates can also be requested through an online service for an additional fee.
Death Certificates
Like birth certificates, death certificates since July 1, 1897 are maintained at the state and town levels. These records may be requested by anyone, as death records in Connecticut are available to the public. To request a copy of a certificate, an application with the full name of the deceased, approximate date of death, and the town in which the death occurred must be mailed or brought into the state or town records office. Death certificates that are dated past July 1, 1997 will not include the social security number of the deceased, except to specific family members or legal personnel.
Marriage/Civil Union Licenses
Marriage and civil union licenses are available to the general public in the state of Connecticut. Anyone over the age of 18 may request a copy of the certificate by mail or in person at a records office. The request must be accompanied by the names of the people listed on the certificate, the town in which the event occurred, and the approximate date of the event.
Divorce Decrees
Copies of divorce decrees are not available from the state or town records office. These copies must be requested from the Superior Court where the dissolution took place.
Connecticut vital records provide crucial information for identifying and verifying the important events in one’s life. Because Connecticut vital records are maintained at both the state and local (all 169 towns have records offices) levels, it may be prudent to request your records from the town in which the event occurred. This will expedite your request. Requests sent to the state may take up to six weeks to process. In the case of birth or death certificate requests, these may be processed online for faster service, but an additional fee will be assessed. For records that pre-date 1897, the Connecticut State Library has a History and Genealogy department that has access to these older records.
