Birth Certificates

Birth Certificates

Birth Certificate Worksheet Instructions

Congratulations on your baby’s impending birth! This worksheet will give us the information we need to complete your child’s legal birth certificate, which we will send to the State Vital Records Department in order to register your child. Please take the time now to read the information below and complete as much as possible on the worksheet. Download the worksheet below.

Important Guidelines

  • Accurate Information
    All of the information you provide should be true and accurate; do not falsify any information for insurance purposes or for any other reasons because it will create problems in securing your child’s passport or social security number.
  • Single Mother
    If you are single and wish for the father’s information to be printed on the birth certificate, both the father and you will need to provide identification with a picture on it and sign a paternity acknowledgment form. If a paternity acknowledgment is not signed, the baby’s last name must match the mother’s legal last name and the father’s information will not be entered on the birth certificate.
  • Baby Name
    Print, very clearly, your baby’s name on the worksheet exactly the way you want it to appear on the birth certificate; (the last name must be either the mother’s or father’s legal last name); we cannot use punctuation in your baby’s name (accents, etc.).
  • Mailing Address
    Print your mailing address on the worksheet. This is the address we will use if we are mailing your “Confirmation of Birth” to you after you have left the hospital.
  • Baby Social Security Number
    A social security number for your baby can be requested automatically by checking "yes" in the box on your Birth Certificate Worksheet that says "Social Security Number Requested for Child." You will need to check this box if you will be applying to DSHS for assistance.
  • State Submission Deadline
    We are required by law to submit your baby’s information to Vital Statistics within 10 days of your baby’s birth. Please make sure all your information is accurate.

Return this worksheet to MarinHealth Medical Center the day you arrive for your delivery. If you have any questions, please call our Birth Certificate Coordinator at 1-415-925-7578.

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

Why Do I Need to Register My Baby’s Birth?

You must register your baby’s birth to comply with state law. Registering the birth is the only way to create a permanent legal record of the birth and to obtain an official birth certificate.

During your child’s life, he or she will need an official birth certificate to:

  • Obtain a social security number and benefits
  • Enroll in school
  • Apply for a driver’s license
  • Obtain a baby passport to travel internationally

In summary, only a certified copy of a birth certificate is a legal record of your child’s birth. Certified copies are recognized in any court.

What if There Is an Error on the Birth Certificate?

It is important that you read the birth certificate worksheet for accuracy. If your date of birth or name is incorrect, you will not be able to secure your child’s passport or social security number. After your baby’s birth certificate has been registered, the original certificate (with the exception of gender error) cannot be changed. Errors can only be corrected by filing an Affidavit to Amend a Record. For more information, visit the California Department of Public Health Vital Records.

How Long Does it Take to Obtain a Newborn Birth Certificate?

Birth certificates are registered in the county where the event occurred. Birth certificates can be picked up after 14 days from:

Marin County Vital Statistics Office
10 North San Pedro Road
San Rafael, CA 94903

Office Hours:
Monday – Friday, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm (closed on major holidays)
California Department of Public Health Vital Records

Who May Request a Birth Certificate?

California law Health and Safety Code, Section 103526, permits only authorized individuals to receive certified copies of birth records. Those who are not authorized by law to receive a certified copy will receive a certified copy marked, "INFORMATIONAL, NOT A VALID DOCUMENT TO ESTABLISH IDENTITY.”

I’m Outside the U.S. Can I Still Order a Marin County Birth Certificate?

Yes, vital records for events that occurred in Marin County may be ordered from overseas. A request for an authorized certified copy must have an Apostille attached acknowledged by a foreign notary. An acknowledgment from a Consul or Vice Consul from the U.S. Consulate does not require an Apostille.

Any language on the request form or acknowledgment other than English must be translated by a court-approved translator. No translation is required for the Apostille. The Apostille certifies the authenticity of the signature on a stamp or seal on a document, identifies the capacity in which the person signing the document acted, and in some cases certifies the identity of the seal or stamp a document bears. You may also download an informational brochure The ABCs of Apostilles.

Ordering Copies of Your Personal Birth Certificate

To order a copy of a birth certificate registered in Marin County, submit a completed Birth Certificate Request Form to the Marin County Recorder’s office. The fee for requesting a birth certificate is $25.00, payable by cash, check, or money order. Learn more about ordering a copy of your birth certificate, on the County of Marin's website.