Vital records, as their name suggests, are connected with central life events: birth, marriage, and death. Maintained by civil authorities, they are prime sources of genealogical information; but, unfortunately, official vital records are available only for relatively recent periods. These records, despite their recent creation in the United States, are critically important in genealogical research, often supplying details on family members well back into the nineteenth century. The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy, by Loretto Szucs and Sandra Luebking.
Division of Vital Records
State Health Department
PO Box 1000
Richmond, VA 23208-1000
Check or money order should be made payable to State Health Department. Personal checks are accepted. To verify current fees, the telephone number is (804) 786-6228 . This is a recorded message.
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Births $8.00
State office has records from January 1853 to December 1896 and beginning June 14, 1912. Only the cities of Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, and Richmond have records between 1896 and June 14, 1912.
Deaths $8.00
State office has records from January 1853 to December 1896 and beginning June 14, 1912. Only the cities of Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, and Richmond have records between 1896 and June 14, 1912.
The Library of Virginia’s Digital Library Program
Divorces $8.00
State office has records beginning January 1918.
Marriages $8.00
State office has records beginning January 1853.
For Genealogy
The Archives Division, The Library of Virginia, 800 East Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia, 23219-1905, has copies of surviving Virginia birth and death records for the period 1853 to 1896 and marriage records prior to 1936.. These records are public information and are available on microfilm for use by the public. The Library of Virginia does not have copies of birth and death records from the Office of Vital Records for public use after 1896. There is no charge for viewing the microfilm of these records.