More Choices

Vital Records

Welcome to the New Mexico Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics Website. We hope that the information on our site serves your needs.

Important Notice

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our office is highly encouraging customers to conduct their vital records business through the mail or, for expedited service, through our third-party vendor VitalChek. Our NMHealth Helpline is also available from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. weekdays and 10-4 weekends to answer your questions at 1-833-SWNURSE / 1-833-796-8773.

We only issue certificates for individuals who were born in the state of New Mexico. Please see the Vital Records Reference by State to find out where to obtain birth certificates for other states.

New Mexico birth and death certificates are restricted access records. State law restricts access to the registrant, registrant's immediate family members or those who represent tangible proof of legal interest in the requested record.

Immediate Family means any of the following: mother, father, sibling, child, grandchild, current spouse, or maternal or paternal grandparent. Paternal grandparent is eligible if father is listed on the vital record.

---

Gender Change Legislation

Effective October 29, 2019, New Mexico law allows individuals who were born in New Mexico and want to change the gender designation or the gender designation of their child on the birth certificate to do so by completing the appropriate request form through the Bureau of Vital Records. The new law will allow for Male, Female and X as acceptable options. "X" refers to a gender other than male or female or an, undesignated gender.

Please visit the Gender Designation Change on a Birth Certificate page to access instructions and forms.

---

Certificate Request Forms

To request a New Mexico birth or death certificate, click a certificate request form below.

NOTE: New Mexico birth certificates are restricted access records. State law restricts access to the registrant's immediate family members or those who represent tangible proof of legal interest in the requested record. Immediate Family means any of the following: mother, father, sibling, child, grandchild, current spouse, or maternal or paternal grandparent. Paternal grandparent is eligible if father is listed on the vital record. See the List of Acceptable Documents for Obtaining a Birth Record for details.

---

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I request a certificate online or by phone?

Yes. VitalChek is our authorized expediting service.

We do not accept credit cards or online orders; however, for your convenience, you may apply online through VitalChek, an independent company that we have partnered with to provide you this service.

We are now offering two options for ordering certificates through VitalChek. Customers can either order with 3-5 business day processing and Next Day Air delivery by UPS costing $44.50 (birth certificate) or $39.50 (death certificate) or by choosing the option with 3-5 business day processing with regular U. S. Mail delivery costing $26.00 (birth certificate) or $21.00 (death certificate).

VitalChek can be reached either through the VitalChek Express Certificate Service or by phone at 877-284-0963. All major credit cards are accepted, including American Express®, Discover®, MasterCard® or Visa®.

NOTE: You will be re-routed to VitalChek's secure website for order processing and payment. Additional service and shipping fees apply.

What do I need to do to correct my birth certificate so that I can get a Real ID driver’s license?

Many questions have come up regarding the need to change a birth certificate to get a Real ID driver’s license. In many situations, you WILL NOT need to go to court to make the change. See the Real ID Frequently Asked Questions document for details regarding changing your birth certificate.

Can I get a birth certificate from a local office?

Yes. You don't have to mail your request or travel to Santa Fe to obtain birth certificates!

Many of our Public Health Offices (PHO) offer Vital Records services and therefore can issue birth certificates. Requests for death certificates must be ordered through the Santa Fe Office. Simply visit our Public Health Offices page and search for a public health office near you which offers the Vital Records service. Due to limited staffing in some offices we recommend calling the Public Health Office before you go to insure that they are available to issue birth certificates, as some offices have limited days and hours.

Where can I obtain marriage licenses & divorce decrees?

Copies of marriage licenses are available from the county clerk of the county where the marriage license was issued. Copies of divorce decrees are available from the district court where the court order was filed. For further information about these services, please contact the appropriate county clerk or district court.

Where can I get a certified birth/death certificate copy from another state?

The National Center for Health Statistics provides a Vital Records Reference by State where you can click on the state where the birth, death, marriage or divorce occurred and obtain instructions on how to order a record.

What documents are used to establish Proof of Identity?

Please review the List of Acceptable Documents for Obtaining a Birth Record for details.

What services do we provide?

• Register birth and death certificates for the State of New Mexico.
• Issue certified copies of filed Birth Certificates and Death Certificates.
• Register delayed births. Here is a List of Documents Acceptable in creating a Delayed Birth Registration.
• Process corrections to vital records.
• Process amendments to birth certificates after Adoption.
• Process court ordered amendments.
• Process Acknowledgment of Paternity requests.
• Maintain a Putative Father Registry.
• Analyze and tabulate vital statistics.
• Prepare data files for public health surveillance, health researchers, and state and federal agencies.
• Publish Health Statistics related to birth and death data.