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Official Website

of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

    The .gov means its official.

    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

    Filing a Birth Delivered at a Hospital

    If you are planning to deliver your baby in a licensed Pennsylvania birth facility, you will be provided with a birth mother's worksheet after your baby's birth.  The birth mother's worksheet is used by the birthing facility or midwife to report your baby's birth to the department. 

    You will receive a complimentary birth certificate after the hospital has registered your child's birth. This complimentary birth certificate is mailed to the mailing address you entered on the birth mother's worksheet.  Please provide a complete address on this worksheet to allow for the timely delivery of your complimentary birth certificate.  The following processing times apply:

    • Birth mother is married and listing the spouse as the other parent – 20 days processing
    • Birth mother is married and listing someone else as the other parent – time varies
    • Birth mother is single and not naming another parent – 20 days processing
    • Birth mother is single and completing an "Acknowledgement of Paternity" to list the father – up to 60 days. 

    If you requested a social security card for your baby, please contact the Social Security Administration with any questions or concerns you have regarding the card.

    Filing a Home Birth

    If you have a home birth that is attended by a licensed midwife, the midwife will report your child's birth to the department.  If you are having an unattended home birth, please contact us for information on how to register your child's birth with the department.  Your child's birth must be registered so that a birth certificate can be issued.  Birth certificates are required for school enrollment, sports enrollment, driver's license permits and more.

    If your child is under the age of seven and your child was born in Pennsylvania but was not reported to us, please contact us for information on how to submit a late report of your child's birth.

    The department will notify you of the acceptance or denial of the late report of your child's birth.   Once a birth record has been established for your child, you may apply for a birth certificate. See the birth certificate page for order information.

    Filing a Delayed Report of Live Birth

    If you received a "Certificate of No Birth Record" from the department, this certificate means that the department has completed a search of its birth records and was unable to locate the birth record based on the information you provided.  If you have documentary proof that you were born in Pennsylvania, you may file a Delayed Report of Live Birth with the department.  This report, once accepted by the department, will be the basis of your birth record. 

    The Delayed Report of Live Birth process is available to individuals over 7 years of age.  To begin this process, you must complete the Delayed Report of Live Birth and provide documentary evidence. The information on the documentary evidence must match the information provided on the Delayed Report of Live Birth. No fee is associated with filing a Delayed Report of Live Birth. 

    The department will notify you of the acceptance or denial of the Delayed Report of Live Birth.  Once the delayed birth record has been established, you may apply for a birth certificate.  See the birth certificate page for order information.