Public Records Free Directory Blog

State operated Vital Records Offices or Vital Statistics Offices maintain the records to most of our important personal information, including marriage records, birth records and death records. Vital Records Offices are usually run by the Department of Health.

In some states, the Vital Records Office maintains records for all three of the previously mentioned categories, while in other states, the scope of the Office is limited. For example, in Arizona and Indiana the Vital records office is only responsible for birth and death records. However, in states such as Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, and Wyoming the Vital Records Office not only maintains birth, death, and marriage records, they also keep divorce records. Additionally, while some states may have one Vital Records or Statistics Office, other states, such as California, Colorado, and Washington maintain Vital Records or Statistics Offices in various counties.

The possibilities of the types of records accessible and the exact location of those records vary from state to state. You can check with the Department of Health in your state to learn more about where to find these records. Also, vitalchek.com has compiled a directory of Vital Records and Statistics Offices by state which you can use to help point you in the right direction.�