Delaware Birth Certificate Online: VitalChek, Mail, or In-Person

You can order a Delaware birth certificate online through one of two state-authorized vendors, VitalChek or GoCertificates, both linked from the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services website.¹ The state charges $25 per certified copy, the vendor adds its own service fee at checkout, and orders typically arrive in two to five weeks. There is no expedited option.

Who Can Order a Delaware Birth Certificate

Delaware birth records are confidential. The Office of Vital Statistics releases certified copies only to people with a direct connection to the record:

The person named on the certificate
That person’s spouse
Their parents or legal guardian
Their children
An authorized representative, such as an attorney, acting for any of the above

Others can request a copy if they show the record is needed to protect a personal or property right, or for genealogical research.² The statute doesn’t set a minimum age for ordering your own record, but the online vendors require a valid government-issued photo ID, which in practice means you need to be old enough to hold one. A parent can order for a minor child.

Records that are 72 years or older are no longer restricted and move to the Delaware Public Archives for genealogical use, so those aren’t ordered through the vendors.

What to Have Ready Before You Start

The online form will time out if you leave it sitting, so gather everything first:

The full name on the birth certificate as it appeared at birth
Date of birth
Place of birth, including city and hospital if you know it
Parent names as they appear on the record. The form uses “Parent A” and “Parent B” fields rather than asking specifically for a maiden name.³
A clear digital image of your government-issued photo ID: driver’s license, state ID card, or passport

If you’re not certain how a parent’s name was recorded, enter what you know. Minor discrepancies tend to prompt a follow-up from staff rather than an outright rejection. Ordering as a legal representative? Have digital copies of the court documents or power of attorney ready to upload with your ID.

How to Order Through VitalChek or GoCertificates

Both vendors are linked directly from the Delaware Office of Vital Statistics page.¹ The flow is roughly the same on either site:

Select Delaware and choose “birth certificate.”
Enter the biographical details from your checklist above.
Upload a clear image of your photo ID.
Enter payment. Both vendors accept American Express, Discover, Mastercard, and Visa.
Review and submit. The vendor’s service fee appears on the checkout screen alongside the $25 state fee.

If you’d rather not fill out the form on the web but still want to pay by credit card, VitalChek also takes phone orders at 1-877-888-0248.¹

Fees

Delaware charges $25 for each certified copy, regardless of how you order.⁴ Online, the vendor’s service fee is added on top and shown at checkout before you confirm payment. Each additional copy is another $25. Since the vendor fee generally repeats on separate orders, it’s worth thinking now about how many copies you’ll actually need. Passport applications, school enrollment, and updating names on other documents often each want their own original.

Processing Time and Delivery

Online and mail orders currently take about two to five weeks. Delaware does not offer rush or expedited service, so there is no way to pay extra to move up the queue.¹ The state doesn’t provide tracking numbers on certificates mailed out, so you won’t know exactly when yours is in transit unless the vendor you chose offers its own tracking.

If you have a passport appointment, school deadline, or court date approaching, don’t wait until the final weeks. Five weeks can pass quickly, and there is no emergency override.

Faster or Cheaper Alternatives to Ordering Online

If you want to skip the vendor’s service fee or your online order won’t arrive in time, Delaware has two other options at the same $25 state fee.

In-Person at an Office of Vital Statistics

Walk-in requests are usually completed the same day or within a few business days, depending on volume. All three locations are open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., excluding state holidays:¹

New Castle County: 258 Chapman Road, Newark, DE 19702 — (302) 283-7130
Kent County (central office): 417 Federal Street, Dover, DE 19901 — (302) 744-4549
Sussex County: 546 S. Bedford Street, Georgetown, DE 19947 — (302) 515-3190

Bring your photo ID and be ready to pay the $25 fee at the counter.

By Mail

Download the application form from the Delaware DHSS website, complete it, and mail it with a copy of your photo ID and a check or money order for $25 payable to the Office of Vital Statistics. Send everything to the central office at 417 Federal Street, Dover, DE 19901.¹ Mail orders generally take longer than online orders because postal transit time is added to the processing window.

If You Need a Correction or an Apostille

Two things fall outside the ordering flow and are worth flagging so you don’t assume they’re handled at checkout. Corrections and amendments to a Delaware birth certificate go through a separate administrative process with the State Registrar, and different rules apply depending on the type of error, the age of the record, and whether a court order is required.⁵ Call the Office of Vital Statistics at (302) 744-4549 to confirm what documentation you’ll need before submitting.

If your birth certificate is going overseas and needs an apostille, that’s a separate submission to the Delaware Secretary of State’s Division of Corporations, with a $30 fee for personal documents presented together, and it has to be built on a fresh certified copy rather than a photocopy or one you’ve already used.⁶ Order the certificate first, then send it on for authentication.

1
Delaware Health and Social Services. Office of Vital Statistics
2
Justia. Delaware Code Title 16 Code 3110 – Disclosure of Records
3
Delaware Health and Social Services. Application for a Certified Copy of a Delaware Birth Certificate
4
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Where to Write for Vital Records – Delaware
5
Legal Information Institute. 16 Del Admin Code 4205-10.0 – Amendment of Vital Records
6
State of Delaware. Submitting Non-Commercial Documents for Apostille or Authentication