Maryland Birth Records

Maryland Birth Records are restricted for 100 years.

The State Archives cannot provide any copies of birth certificates after the year 1924.

Birth certificates from 1925 to the present are only available from the Department of Health & Mental Hygiene at Maryland birth records

There are no restrictions on ordering birth records over 100 years old.

Note that modern birth certificates begin only in 1875 in Baltimore City and in 1898 for the rest of the state. Incomplete birth records from the colonial period to 1884, taken from church and civil sources, exist prior to these modern birth certificates, but are not in any way comprehensive.

The Archives can search for and, if available, provide copies from these early records, providing that a specific church or county circuit court and year is given. General searches in one or more counties or across multiple years cannot be performed.

For such searches please consult the Researcher List at: Maryland Genealogy Archives

(However, please note that locating these early records without a specific citation requires payment of the standard research fee of $25.00 per record. Among birth records only birth certificates cost $12.00 for a plain copy and $25.00 for a certified copy.)

Maryland Division of Vital Records

Phone: (410) 764-3038

Maryland Vital Statistics

Interesting Links to Maryland Birth Records