Getting a certified birth certificate

Helping a parent apply for benefits, a passport, or a REAL ID often starts with a certified birth certificate. Here’s how to request one in Kansas and in Missouri.

Who can request it: the person named, and immediate family in the direct line — which includes an adult child ordering a parent’s record. In Missouri you must name at least one parent on the record (a grandparent, for your parent’s certificate).

Kansas

Kansas issues birth certificates only through the KDHE Office of Vital Statistics in Topeka (records from July 1911 to the present); there is no county option.

  • Fee: $20 per certified copy (as of 2026), which includes a record search.
  • Online / phone: through VitalChek (about $15 expedited service fee).
  • Mobile app: the iKan app (a small processing fee).
  • By mail: the application (form VS‑235), a photocopy of the front and back of your photo ID, the fee (check or money order to “Kansas Vital Statistics”), and a self-addressed stamped envelope.
  • In person: the Topeka office, weekdays 9 a.m.–4 p.m.

Official Kansas links: KDHE — Birth Certificate · application form VS‑235 (PDF).

Missouri

Local option in Missouri: many local health departments issue certified copies of Missouri births (generally 1920–present), often same day at the counter — including the Kansas City Health Department and Jackson County Public Health.
  • Fee: $15 per copy (as of 2026), the same at the state office and KC-metro local offices.
  • In person: the state Bureau of Vital Records in Jefferson City, or a local health department (fastest).
  • By mail (state): a notarized application (form VS‑151BD) with fee and a self-addressed stamped envelope (mailed requests can take about 4–8 weeks).
  • Online / phone: through VitalChek (1‑877‑817‑7363), with vendor fees.

Official Missouri links: DHSS — Obtain a Vital Record · Kansas City Health Department · Jackson County Public Health.

What you’ll need to have ready

  • The full name at birth, date of birth, place of birth, and parents’ names (including the mother’s maiden name).
  • Your own current photo ID (or two alternate documents if you don’t have one). By mail in Missouri, the application must be notarized.
  • Your relationship to the person and, if asked, the reason for the request.
Keep the certified copy with your parent’s other key papers using our free Family Records Organizer.

Common questions

Can I order my parent’s birth certificate?

Yes. In both Kansas and Missouri an adult child counts as immediate family in the direct line of descent and is eligible to order a parent’s birth certificate. In Missouri you’ll be asked to name at least one parent listed on the record — for your parent’s birth certificate, that means naming your grandparent. A parent’s death does not remove your eligibility.

Why would I need my parent’s birth certificate?

Common reasons include applying for benefits or a passport, proving citizenship or age, correcting records, genealogy, and settling identity questions in an estate. It’s also one of the documents sometimes needed to get a REAL ID.

How much does it cost?

Kansas charges $20 per certified copy (as of 2026); ordering online or by phone adds a service fee. Missouri charges $15 per copy, the same at the state office and at KC-metro local health departments. Always confirm the current fee on the official page before paying.

Is there a faster local option?

In Missouri, yes — local health departments (such as the Kansas City Health Department or Jackson County Public Health) issue certified copies of Missouri births, generally from 1920 to the present, often same day at the counter. Kansas issues birth certificates only through the state office in Topeka.

General information for Kansas City families, not legal advice. Fees and procedures change — confirm current details on the official Kansas (KDHE) or Missouri (DHSS / local health department) page before paying or mailing anything. See our documents hub for other records.

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