What are Birth Records in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island records every birth that occurs within its borders. These birth records are collated by the Center for Vital Records of the Rhode Island Department of Health. The state’s Vital Records only provides birth records to eligible individuals. These are those with direct and tangible interests in the registrants named on the records. The birth records provided by the Rhode Island Vital Records are certified copies of birth certificates.
A Rhode Island birth certificate contains the following details:
- Full name of the registrant or child whose birth is recorded
- Registrant’s gender
- Date of birth
- Time of birth
- Place of birth
- Type of birth
- Full name of the father
- Full name of the mother including her maiden name
- Mother’s marital status
- Birth registration number
Rhode Island records every birth within its borders for a number of reasons. The state requires such vital records to track its population growth and see trends in population distribution. Such data are needed for efficiently allocating resources. They are particularly helpful for implementing public health policies.
Those born in Rhode Island need copies of their birth certificates for personal and legal reasons. Birth records from the Center for Vital Records are required for establishing identity and citizenship. These vital records are required to obtain social security numbers, travel passports, and state IDs. A Rhode Island birth certificate establishes the holder as a US citizen and confirms their relationship to the parents listed on the document. Therefore, this record is acceptable in the court of law for cases involving issues of parentage, guardianship, and estates and wills.
The State of Rhode Island also records births that occurred within its borders for research purposes. Genealogical studies use the data collected to establish family histories and confirm obscure lineages. Social scientists use birth records as part of the data needed to study relationships among individuals in varied groups. Medical scientists use the data collected in birth records for epidemiological research and to track infant mortality rates and trends in genetic conditions.
How to Find and Request Birth Records in Rhode Island
Rhode Island does not make its birth records accessible online. It does not have a website where anyone can check birth records. This is because birth records are confidential in the state. However, those looking to request copies of their birth records can do so online. The Rhode Island Department of Health directs owners of birth records and other eligible requesters to order their birth certificates online from a third-party provider. Visit the order page of the Rhode Island Vital Records to find additional details about requesting your birth records online. Requesters can also call the provided phone number of the third-party vital records processor to order their Rhode Island birth records.
Considered open to citizens of the United States, public records are available through both traditional, government sources, and through third-party websites and organizations. In many cases, third-party websites make the search easier as they are not limited geographically or by technological limitations. They are considered a good place to start when looking for a specific record or multiple records. In order to gain access to these records, interested parties must typically provide:
- The name of the person listed in the record. Juveniles are typically exempt from this search method.
- The last known or assumed location of the person listed in the record. This includes cities, counties, and states.
While third-party sites offer such services, they are not government-sponsored entities, and record availability may vary on these sites when compared to government sources.
How to Get Birth Records in Rhode Island
In addition to online and phone orders, the Center for Vital Records of Rhode Island also allows requesters to order their birth records in person and by mail. Unlike those methods, the agency accepts mail and walk-in requests directly at its office.
To get certified copies of a Rhode Island birth certificate, visit the Center for Vital Statistics located at:
Room 101
3 Capitol Hill
Providence, RI 02908
This office is open to the public between 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. from Monday to Friday. Alternatively, requesters can also visit the offices of town and city clerks in the state to request their birth records. Find the nearest town or city clerk’s office to order these vital records in person. During a walk-in request, the applicant will be required to complete an application form and provide valid government-issued photo ID as well as full payment for the number of copies requested.
To order a Rhode Island birth record by mail, complete and submit an Application for a Certified Copy of a Birth Record. An adult adoptee looking for their original birth certificate needs to submit an Application for a Non-Certified Pre-Adoption Birth Record. Enclose a photocopy of a valid government-issued picture ID. Acceptable IDs include:
- Driver’s license
- Military ID
- Passport
- Alien registration card
- Certificate of naturalization
These are to prove that requesters are indeed related to the registrants named on requested birth records and that they are who they claim they are on the application forms. Presenting false identity to obtain a vital record is a crime in Rhode Island. It is punishable by up to $1,000 in fines, up to a year in prison, or both.
A requester without a valid government-issued photo ID may include copies of two official documents bearing their name and current address in their mailed request. Copies of any two of the following documents will suffice:
- Utility bill
- Car registration
- Income tax return
- Bank statement
Each mail request must also include payment for the number of copies ordered as well as any other fees listed on the application fee. Requesters must not send cash with their mail requests.
Where Can I Find Birth Records in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island birth records are provided by the Center for Vital Records of the Department of Health. The Department is located at:
3 Capitol Hill
Providence, RI 02908
(401) 222-5960
The Vital Records office is in Room 101 of the building. Besides this state office, Rhode Island also makes provision for requesters who find the capital too far away. Residents can visit the local offices of town and city clerks to request for certified copies of birth certificates.
The 39 city and town clerks’ offices can provide copies of birth records for anyone born in the state on or after January 1, 1960. For older records, contact the state office. Rhode Island birth records older than 100 years are considered public records and accessible by anyone. To obtain copies of a birth certificate issued over 100 years ago, request them from the Rhode Island State Archives or a city or town hall.
The Rhode Island State Archives is located at:
33 Broad Street
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 222-2353
It is open to the public from Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
How to Get Birth Records From Hospitals in Rhode Island
Rhode Island does not authorize hospitals to give out birth records to those requesting them. While the process of registering new births starts with hospitals, the records generated in these healthcare facilities are passed on to the Center for Vital Records and not to citizens. Records of births available in Rhode Island hospitals are not as detailed as certified birth certificates provided by the Department of Health. They are also confidential hospital records. Lastly, these records are not substitutes for certified birth records prepared by the state’s Vital Records office.
Can Anyone Get a Copy of a Birth Record in Rhode Island?
No. Rhode Island considers all vital records as confidential records. It keeps birth records confidential for the first 100 years. During this period, the records are only available to the persons named on them as well as those who can demonstrate direct and tangible interests in the records.
To be eligible to obtain a copy of a birth certificate in Rhode Island, you must be the registrant, or the person named on the vital records or have the following relationship to them:
- Child or grandchild
- Parent
- Spouse, civil union partner, or registered domestic partner
- Sibling
- Legal representative or attorney
The only person eligible to receive a non-certified copy of a pre-adoption birth certificate is the adoptee named on the record.
How Much Does a Birth Record Cost in Rhode Island?
When requesting for certified copies of a birth record in person, the Rhode Island Center for Vital Record charges $22 for the first copy. This fee covers the cost of searching for one record, one name, and two consecutive years. Each additional year searched costs $2. There is also an additional $7 fee for rushed or expedited processing. Each additional certified copy of the birth record ordered on the same day as the first copy costs $18.
The state’s Vital Records office charges $25 for the first copy of a birth certificate requested by mail. Each extra copy costs $18. Each copy of a Rhode Island birth certificate ordered online through the approved provider costs $35. Those requesting expedited services will pay extra.
Acceptable payment methods for online orders are check, credit card, and debit card. Cash is accepted for walk-in requests along with check and money order. Cash is not accepted for mail requests. Accepted payment methods for requests sent by mail are check and money order. Make the check or money order payable to General Treasurer, State of Rhode Island.
City and town clerks’ offices may have different payment structures. When requesting certified copies of a Rhode Island birth certificate from a city or town clerk’s office, call ahead to ask about the fees charged and payment methods accepted.
How Long Does It Take to Get a Birth Record in Rhode Island?
Regardless of the means of request, it takes 1 - 2 weeks to get copies of a birth record in Rhode Island. This is the time it takes to process the request and send the certified copies requested. Mailing will take additional time and requesters should allow for an extra week to get their birth records delivered. Those that choose expedited or rush processing can expect their requests to be processed within 5 business days. Processing will be delayed for requests with incomplete information. The Rhode Island Center for Vital Records may contact requesters for further clarification or additional information especially as related to their relationship to the persons named on the records requested.
How to Expunge Your Birth Records in Rhode Island
Expungement refers to the deletion or permanent removal of part or all of a record. It usually applies to court and criminal records. Examples of expungement include the expunction of the records of individuals exonerated of crimes after conviction and the removal of a juvenile’s criminal record upon turning 18. In Rhode Island, expungement does not apply to vital records like birth records. The state has no provisions for removing all or part of the information contained in birth certificates.
How to Seal Your Birth Records in Rhode Island
There is no need to seal a birth record in Rhode Island because the state restricts access to all birth records by default. For the first 100 years after creating them, Rhode Island birth records are only accessible to the persons named in the records as well as third parties deemed to have direct and tangible interests. Therefore, birth records are automatically sealed for 100 years in Rhode Island.
Adoptees’ birth records are subject to an even stricter restriction. Upon completing an adoption, Rhode Island issues a new birth certificate to the adoptee and seals off their original birth certificate. The new birth certificate is subject to the same restrictions as regular birth certificates. This means that only registrants, their relations, and legal representatives can access them. Adoptees’ original birth certificates are inaccessible even to adoptees until they come of age and when requested, adult adoptees can only obtain non-certified copies of their original birth certificates.
How to Unseal Your Birth Records in Rhode Island
Rhode Island does not make provisions for unsealing birth records. These records are automatically unsealed and become public records 100 years after creating them. Adoptees seeking to unseal their original birth certificates must be 25 years of age or older and request for them using the Application for a Non-Certified Pre-Adoption Birth Record form.
