People request Hawaii vital records for many reasons. Some people need them for passports, school enrollment, or to receive insurance benefits. Still others need them to prove citizenship or for employment purposes. Regardless of the reasons, vital records serve a valuable purpose, and the State of Hawaii maintains these important documents. If you are in need of Hawaii vital records but have some questions about how to obtain them, keep reading for more information.What types of vital records are available?
Hawaii maintains birth, death, marriage, and divorce records at the State Department of Health in Honolulu. Divorce records from July 1951 to December 2002 are maintained in this office, but all others are filed in the court where the divorce took place.
Who can request Hawaii vital records?
Vital records in the State of Hawaii are considered confidential; in other words, there is restricted access to the records. To receive a certified copy of a record, an individual must have a direct interest in the record, and must be one of the following: the individual named on the record, a spouse, a parent, a descendent, an immediate family member, legal guardian or representative, or adoptive parents. Individuals with a court order or a verifiable legal interest in obtaining the record may also be granted a copy. Records that are more than 75 years old are available to people conducting genealogy research, though requests for these records are not considered a priority and may take longer to process.
How do I request vital records?
Hawaii vital records can be requested one of several ways. Some birth and marriage certificates may be requested online, and all other records can be requested by U.S. mail or in person. The State Department of Health does not accept telephone, fax, or email requests for records.
What kind of information is needed to complete the request?
If you are eligible to receive a vital record (as described above), you must provide the following information with your request: your name, address, phone number, why you are making the request, the name(s) on the record, the date and place of the event, and a copy of a government-issued photo ID. For birth certificates, you must also include the names of the child’s parents. If you are making the request on behalf of someone else, you need to include a signed letter from that person indicating that you are authorized to receive the record.
How much do vital records cost?
Certified copies cost $10 for the first copy, and $4 for each additional copy of the same request. This fee is the same for all birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates. Online requests will be charged an additional convenience fee of $1.50 for the first copy and $0.25 for additional copies of the same request.
How long will it take to receive my Hawaii vital records?
Most records will take 2-3 weeks to process and be sent to you. Older records, however, may take longer, and records that are requested for genealogy purposes will be given a lower priority.
