Are Rhode Island Vital Records Open to the Public?
Certified copies of Rhode Island's vital records are initially accessible to only the registrant, immediate family members, legal representatives, and persons armed with a court order. However, after a statutory confidentiality period elapses, Rhode Island vital records become open to the public (50 years for death and 100 years) for birth records. Interested persons must find out and contact the appropriate vital record custodian to obtain a copy.
What Information Shows Up in Rhode Island Vital Records?
Rhode Island vital records are documents about marriage, death, birth, civil union, stillbirth, and related vital events in the state. These records are maintained by the Department of Health at the state and county levels, and they are relevant for verifying identity, claiming legal entitlements, and genealogical research.
How Do I Obtain Rhode Island Vital Records?
The requirements for obtaining a Rhode Island vital record depend on the record custodian and the vital record of interest. Generally, persons who wish to obtain vital records must complete an application form and attach a check or money order for the payment, as well as a valid identification or government-issued photo ID. For vital records maintained at the State Archives, the requestor must use the vital records application form. The form contains specific instructions and requirements that the requester must follow.
Meanwhile, persons requesting vital records from the Rhode Island Department of Health must also complete an application form for the vital record of interest. This record custodian, however, requires that requesters present a government-issued photo ID. Also, intending requesters must submit a check or money order for the applicable fees before administrative staff processes the application.
Publicly available vital records are managed and disseminated by some third-party aggregate sites. These sites are generally not limited by geographical record availability and may serve as a convenient jump-off point when researching specific or multiple records. However, third-party sites are not government-sponsored. As such, record availability may differ from official channels. To find a record using the search engines on third-party sites, the requesting party will be required to provide:
- The location of the record in question, including the city, county, or state where the case was filed.
- The name of someone involved, provided it is not a juvenile.
Requesters must provide relevant information associated with the record to conduct an online search for vital records. Some of these include:
- The registrant's name
- Date of the event
- Place of the event
- City or county where the life event occurred
- First and last name of parents
- Presiding judge (for marriage or divorce records)
What Information Do I Need to Search for Rhode Island Vital Records Online?
To order a Rhode Island vital record online, the requesting party will be required to provide necessary information describing the record of interest. The required information typically includes the registrant's personal information, the place, and the date of the life event. In addition to these, the requester must provide the necessary documentation to facilitate a vital record search.
Certified Copy vs. Informational Copy: Understanding the Difference
Certified records are official documents that the record custodian attests as authentic. Generally, persons who obtain certified copies of vital records can use the document for official and legal purposes, such as processing public benefits and applying for a passport. As certified vital records contain sensitive information, access is restricted to persons who can prove a direct, tangible interest in the record. On the other hand, informational copies of vital records are documents available to the public for genealogical or research purposes. These documents are unacceptable for official and legal purposes.
Are Rhode Island Marriage Records Public Information?
Marriage records include marriage certificates and marriage licenses. Certified marriage records are restricted to the couple, immediate family members, and legal representatives. The clerk's office in the county of marriage is the record custodian for these records. As such, marriage license lookup can be done by visiting the appropriate clerk's office. On the other hand, Rhode Island marriage records are available through the Rhode Island State Archives and Vital Records Office. Requesters seeking to know how to find marriage records should contact the clerk's office in the county the marriage occurred. Additionally, individuals can make inquiries about free marriage license records search at the Vital Records Office.
How Do I Obtain Marriage Records in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island marriage records are available at the clerk's office in the county where the marriage license was issued. Likewise, the Vital Records Office of the Rhode Island Department of Health is the central custodian of vital records. Interested and eligible persons may obtain these records by visiting the nearest office in person or via mail. Requests can also be submitted online or by phone through a third-party vendor approved by the Rhode Island Vital Records Office.
Requests to the Rhode Island Vital Records Office require that the requester completes an Application for a Certified Copy of a Marriage or Civil Union Record form. The completed application must be accompanied by the applicable fees and photo ID and submitted to:
Center for Vital Records,
Simpson Hall, 6 Harrington Rd.
Cranston, RI 02920
Contact the Rhode Island Center of Vital Records for more information on how to find marriage records in the state.
Are Rhode Island Divorce Records Public Information?
Certified copies of Rhode Island divorce records are restricted from public access, but interested persons may obtain archived divorce records. Certified copies of dissolution of marriage records typically contain sensitive information and are thus only available to the divorcees and pre-authorized persons.
How Do I Obtain Divorce Records in Rhode Island?
Eligible persons can obtain Rhode Island divorce records by querying the office of the Clerk of Family Court in the judicial district where the divorce decree was issued. To request a divorce record from a court clerk, the requesting party must submit a written request containing details of the divorce required to facilitate the record search. This information includes:
- The full name of the parties involved
- The case file or docket number of the record
- The year, month, and date the divorce happened
- The place in which the divorce occurred
- The name of either or both litigants.
In addition to providing the information above, requestors must also cover the costs of copying and certification (if required).
Are Rhode Island Birth Records Public Information?
Rhode Island birth records are confidential for the first 100 years. Thereafter, interested persons may obtain the public birth record from the state archives. Until then, persons who wish to order a birth certificate or replacement birth certificate must sufficiently prove a direct and tangible interest in the birth record.
How Do I Obtain Rhode Island Birth Records?
Interested and eligible persons can access a Rhode Island birth record by querying the state's Vital Records Office. They can make requests by downloading the birth record order form, which they should legibly fill with information such as:
- The name of the registrant
- The maiden name of the registrant's mother and the full name of their father
- The place and approximate date the event occurred
- The registrant's relationship to the requestor
- Why the record is being requested
Applicants must enclose completed requests along with a cheque or money order payment of $22 (for in-person requests) or $25(for mail-in requests). Requestors are also required to include a copy of a government-issued photo ID such as a driver's license, passport, or alternative documents featuring their full name - i.e., utility bills or bank statements. All requests can be made in person or submitted via mail to:
Rhode Island Department of Health
Vital Records Office, Room 101
3 Capitol Hill
Providence, RI 02908
Meanwhile, public birth records are available in the state archives as long as the birth record is over 100 years old. Interested persons may visit the state archives in person or use a request form to submit a mail application.
Is a Birth Certificate Public Record in Rhode Island?
A birth certificate is confidential until 100 years after birth. Until then, access to a birth certificate is restricted to persons with a direct and tangible interest in it, like the subject of the record, immediate family members, legal representatives, and a person with a court order. Confidential copies of original or replacement birth certificates can be obtained from the Center of Vital Records.
After 100 years have elapsed, a birth certificate will become available to members of the public. Requests for a public birth certificate can be made to the Rhode Island State Archives online or in person. Online requests can be made through the Online Catalog and Digital Archives. A public birth certificate can also be obtained from the city or town hall where the birth occurred.
Are Rhode Island Death Records Open to the Public?
Rhode Island death records become available for public perusal after 50 years. Until then, only authorized persons, such as the deceased's immediate family members and legal representatives, may obtain death records.
How Do I Obtain Death Records in Rhode Island?
Persons looking to perform a public death record search by name in Rhode Island can query the state archives. However, individuals who wish to obtain certified death records must complete the vital records request form. Then, the requester must attach application fees and photo ID and mail the application packet to:
Rhode Island Department of Health
Vital Records Office, Room 101
3 Capitol Hill
Providence, RI 02908
Is a Death Certificate Public Record in Rhode Island?
In Rhode Island, death certificates 50 years or older are considered public records. Public death certificates can be obtained online or in person at the Rhode Island State Archives or from the city or town hall where the death occurred. Death certificates less than 50 years old are confidential. They are only open to people with a direct and tangible interest in them, like the deceased immediate family members, legal representatives, and someone with a court order. Confidential death certificates can be obtained online, by phone, by mail, or in person at the Rhode Island Center of Vital Records.
How Do I Find Sealed Vital Records in Rhode Island?
Suppose a requester can sufficiently prove the relevance of a sealed record in exercising, determining, or protecting property or personal rights. In that case, Rhode Island Public Records Law and the Vital Statistics Act require that the restrictions of the document be waived for the individual alone. Applicants can obtain sealed records by petitioning a state-licensed judge for a subpoena or getting a written request from the subject(s) of the record.
Having received either or both documents, the requesting party may proceed to query the appropriate record custodian for their record of interest. However, the court order must accompany the request application or permission indicating their legal authority to access the document.
