Missouri birth, death, marriage and divorce records: where to look
Missouri restricts vital records to people with a direct and tangible interest. The state central registry begins in 1910. A birth, marriage statement or divorce statement costs $15, and a death certificate is $14 for the first copy. The Secretary of State's archives has a free searchable index with images of death certificates for 1910 to 1975.
At a glance
| Record | Years at the state | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Birth | State level: 1910 to present, short and long form. Local level: 1920 to present, short form. Delayed births are 1910 to present at the state level only. The state says a record's existence is not guaranteed. [1] | $15 per copy. [2] |
| Death | State level: 1910 to present. The Secretary of State's archives index covers 1910 to 1975. [1][3] | $14 for the first copy and $11 for each additional copy. [2] |
| Marriage | State statements: reporting of marriages began July 1, 1948. [1] | $15 per statement. [2] |
| Divorce | State statements: reporting of divorces began July 1, 1948. [1] | $15 per statement. [2] |
Superscript numbers point to the official page each fact came from, listed at the bottom of this page.
Birth records
- Where it is kept
- The Bureau of Vital Records in Jefferson City (in person by appointment, mail, or phone and online through VitalChek), or a local public health agency. [1][2]
- Years covered
- State level: 1910 to present, short and long form. Local level: 1920 to present, short form. Delayed births are 1910 to present at the state level only. The state says a record's existence is not guaranteed. [1]
- Who can get a certified copy
- A person with a direct and tangible interest: the person, an immediate family member (direct line of descent, up to but not including cousins), a guardian, a stepparent, or an official representative. The page says applicants in some categories must name at least one parent on the record (death records over 50 years old are exempt from that). A genealogist representing a family member may qualify. [1]
- Fee
- $15 per copy. [2]
- Processing time
- Mail about 4 to 8 weeks. Phone and online orders through VitalChek 5 to 7 business days. Local agencies can usually fill birth and death requests the same day. [2]
The FAQ says the state asks for a notarized application and that genealogy requests are treated the same way as other requests. It says birth certificates before 1910 are among public information on the Secretary of State's Missouri Digital Heritage site.
Death records
- Where it is kept
- The Bureau of Vital Records in Jefferson City, or a local public health agency (1980 to present, short form). [1]
- Years covered
- State level: 1910 to present. The Secretary of State's archives index covers 1910 to 1975. [1][3]
- Who can get a certified copy
- Same direct and tangible interest rule. The state says death records over 50 years old are exempt from the requirement to name a parent on the record. [1]
- Fee
- $14 for the first copy and $11 for each additional copy. [2]
- Processing time
- Same as births. [2]
The state archive page says digitized images of the original certificates are linked from its search results.
Marriage records
- Where it is kept
- The state issues only a Certified Statement Relating to Marriage. A certified copy of the original certificate comes from the Recorder of Deeds in the county where the license was issued. [1]
- Years covered
- State statements: reporting of marriages began July 1, 1948. [1]
- Who can get a certified copy
- Same direct and tangible interest rule for state-issued records. [1]
- Fee
- $15 per statement. [2]
- Processing time
- Same as births. [2]
The statement lists only both spouses' names, the date of marriage and the county where it was recorded.
Divorce records
- Where it is kept
- The state issues only a Certified Statement Relating to Divorce. A certified copy of the decree comes from the Circuit Clerk in the county where it was granted. [1]
- Years covered
- State statements: reporting of divorces began July 1, 1948. [1]
- Who can get a certified copy
- Same direct and tangible interest rule for state-issued records. [1]
- Fee
- $15 per statement. [2]
- Processing time
- Same as births. [2]
About ordering online
The state says phone and online orders go through VitalChek and take 5 to 7 business days. The state's order page has a consumer alert about ordering vital records online; read it before you pay anyone. [1][2]
Archives and other places to look
- The Missouri State Archives has a searchable database of death certificates for 1910 to 1975 with images of the originals. The Missouri FAQ also says the Secretary of State's Missouri Digital Heritage site has public information on births before 1910. [2][3] Missouri State Archives
The National Archives describes FamilySearch.org as free with account creation (see our census page), but we could not open FamilySearch's own pages, so we do not describe what it holds for Missouri.
Historical newspapers
The Library of Congress's Chronicling America lists 98 digitized newspaper titles published in Missouri, with issues dated from November 23, 1839 to December 19, 1963. Coverage is uneven inside that span: it is a list of titles, not a promise that every town or year is there. Chronicling America includes select digitized newspapers through 1963.
Browse Missouri titles at the Library of Congress
New to newspaper research? See our guide to finding old newspapers (obituaries, marriage notices, birth announcements).
Counts come from the Library of Congress's "All Digitized Titles" list, read October 27, 2026. The Library of Congress says it believes these newspapers are in the public domain or have no known copyright restrictions.
How we verified this page
Last verified October 27, 2026. Offices change fees and rules without notice. If something here no longer matches the official page, trust the official page.
Confirmed on official pages
- Birth, marriage statement and divorce statement are $15 each. Death is $14 for the first copy and $11 for each added copy.
- The central registry for births and deaths starts January 1, 1910. Marriage and divorce reporting started July 1, 1948.
- Mail takes about 4 to 8 weeks; online and phone through VitalChek takes 5 to 7 business days.
- Vital records are not open to the public; you need a direct and tangible interest.
- The State Archives' death certificate database covers 1910 to 1975.
Could not verify
- Whether the Missouri Digital Heritage birth collection before 1910 has an index you can search. We did not read that page.
- The exact list of accepted ID and the notary requirement for online orders.
- County recorder and circuit clerk fees and wait times.
- Missouri State Archives holdings for marriages and divorces.
Pages read 2026-10-27.
Sources
- Missouri DHSS: Order a Copy of a Vital Record Official state page read 2026-10-27
- Missouri DHSS: Frequently Asked Questions Official state page read 2026-10-27
- Missouri State Archives: Death Certificates, 1910 to 1975 Official state page read 2026-10-27