Hawaii Birth Records

Hawaii began statewide birth registration in July 1909, when the Department of Health standardized vital records tracking across all islands. Before that date, individual counties maintained records of births within their respective islands.

Hawaii birth records are the official documents certifying a live birth within the state. In Hawaii, birth records may be authorized or informational copies.

• Authorized Copies: The authorized copy of a birth record, also called the certified copy, is the original birth certificate bearing the seal and signature of the issuing office. The document is valid for all legal uses. Authorized copies of birth records are issued as long-form birth certificates in Hawaii. The state does not issue the short-form birth certificates.
• Long-form Birth Certificate: The long-form birth certificate is the exact reproduction of the original filed document. The document contains detailed information about a registrant's birth, including full names, date, time, and place of birth, gender, parents' names, parents' birthplaces, and occupation. The document also contains the information that confirms its legitimacy, including file number, unique certificate number, filing date, and registrar's signature and seal. The long-form birth certificate is printed on security paper to prevent easy forgery of the document and is generally marked as a certified true copy. Therefore, the long-form birth certificate is ideal where full legal detail is required.
• Informational Copies: Informational copies of a birth record contain detailed information about a registrant's birth. However, it is usually printed on plain paper and lacks the official seal and other security features contained in the certified birth record. Therefore, the document is not valid for official use. However, informational copies are ideal for personal use or genealogical research.

How To Order a Hawaii Birth Certificate?

You may order certified copies of birth certificates issued from July 1909 to the present from the Hawaii Department of Health (DOH) Vital Records Office. Interested persons may purchase the document by mail, in person at the Vital Records Office, or online.

To request birth certificates online, complete the order via the Vital Records Ordering and Tracking portal. Mail and in-person requests for birth certificates require record seekers to complete the Request for Certified Copy of Birth Record form. Mail the application form to:

Record seekers obtaining the document in person may visit:

Hawaii birth certificates pre-July 1909 are accessible at the county clerk's office where the birth occurred or at the Hawaii State Archives.

Generally, all persons requesting certified copies of birth certificates must include a government-issued photo ID and pay the fees to request the record. It costs $10 to order a certified copy of a Hawaii birth certificate and $4 for additional copies requested at the same time. In addition, online requests pay a $2.50 fee as portal administration fees.

Are Birth Records Public in Hawaii?

No. Birth records are confidential vital records from the date of birth for a certain number of years, determined by the state, and not open to the general public for inspection or copying during the confidentiality period. Per state law, only persons with a direct and tangible interest may obtain certified copies of the birth certificate.

Who Can Order A Birth Certificate in Hawaii?

Per state law, the following individuals are entitled to obtain certified copies of birth certificates in Hawaii:

• The person named on the birth document
• The parent listed on the birth certificate
• Immediate family members, including spouse, children, grandchildren, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, or cousins
• Legal guardian of the registrant
• Adoptive parents
• An agency acting on behalf of the registrant
• A personal representative of the registrant's estate
• Persons with a court order

How Long Does it Take to Get A Hawaii Birth Certificate?

It takes the Hawaii DOH Vital Records Office 6-8 weeks to process mail requests and 4-6 weeks to process online requests for certified copies of birth certificates. In-person request offers a faster means of obtaining the document, as the Hawaii DOH Vital Records Office does not provide expedited processing for birth certificate requests. In-person requests are typically provided on the same day.

Where Can I Find Hawaii Birth Records Free?

While certified birth certificates in Hawaii are restricted to authorized individuals, non-authorized persons can access informational birth records through various free resources. These sources provide extensive resources for genealogical research and historical inquiries.

Hawaii State Archives has a vast vital statistics collection of birth reports from 1853 to 1861 and 1869 to 1897. The database also includes birth announcements from various newspapers spanning from 1850 to 1950.

The National Vital Records Archives' "Where to Write for Vital Records" portal lists contact and coverage details for each state's vital records office, including Hawaii. While it does not host public records, the web tool points users to the agency that maintains birth records and the timeframes and counties available.

Hawaii DOH Vital Records genealogy page outlines what non-certified birth records they provide. The platform hosts indexes of births from 1896 to 1909. Similarly, the Digital Archives of Hawai'i maintains microfilms and digital collections of early birth records and announcements spanning 1850 to 1950.

FamilySearch.org provides free registered-account access to Hawaii births and baptism indexes and images. The database offers indexes with names, birth years, and parents' names from 1841 to 1909.

Ancestry.com, although it requires a subscription, the platform makes available Hawaii birth indexes and some digitized images of birth certificates from 1841-1954. You may access registrants' names, parents names, birth dates, and county of birth for free on the website.

PublicRecords.us aggregates public records from multiple governmental sources to provide a comprehensive repository of vital records, including Hawaii birth records. The platform offers access to more recent birth records and is ideal for beginning genealogy research. Users may easily access names, birthdates, gender, and county of birth information at no cost. Detailed information may require a minimal fee.

When Would I Need My Hawaii Birth Records?

A birth certificate is a foundational legal document that serves as proof of identity, age, and citizenship. To this end, there are various personal, legal, and administrative processes where residents are required to present their birth certificates to access services. The situations include:

• Applying for a U.S. passport or visa
• Obtaining a driver's license ot state ID
• Accessing government benefits such as Medicaid or SNAP
• Obtaining or replacing a Social Security card
• Enrollment in schools, colleges, or universities
• Applying for a marriage license
• Changing your legal name
• Proving familial relationships in estate disputes
• Enlisting in the U.S. Armed Forces
• Determine employment eligibility
• Establishing parental rights in adoption or custody disputes
• Claiming veterans' benefits
• Accessing insurance and tax benefits

How Much is A Replacement Birth Certificate in Hawaii?

If your birth certificate is torn, illegible, destroyed, or stolen, you can replace the document. Replacing your birth certificate in Hawaii follows the same process as obtaining a certified copy of the record.

Interested persons may order the replacement certificate in person, by mail, or online. To order the birth certificate, download and complete the Request for Certified Copy of Birth Record form. Include a valid copy of a government-issued photo ID, proof of eligibility to order the record, such as a court order or birth certificate, if not the recordholder, and the fees. It costs $12 to replace your birth certificate and $4 for additional copies requested at the same time.

When Can the Public Access Hawaii Birth Certificates?

Hawaii birth certificates are confidential vital records for 100 years from the birthdate. During that period, the general public cannot access the record. Per state law, after the 100-year period expires, the birth certificate becomes a public record. The public may then view or obtain copies of the document without restrictions.

How To Correct an Error on a Hawaii Birth Certificate?

There is no process for correcting simple clerical or spelling errors in Hawaii. The state limits birth certificate amendments to these five scenarios. To amend your birth certificate, you must meet one of the following:

• Legal adoption
• Sex designation change
• The court determined the nonexistence of a parent-child relationship
• Paternity establishment
• Foreign birth adopted in Hawaii

To amend your birth certificate, mail a letter of inquiry to the correction staff or call the Correction Unit at (808) 586-4541 to speak to a correction staff member. The office will guide you on the appropriate documentation and application forms you need to apply to amend your birth certificate.

Does Hawaii Provide Non-binary Birth Certificates?

Hawaii does not currently issue non-binary or gender-neutral birth certificates. While some states allow amendments to gender markers on birth certificates to reflect the "X" gender marker, in Hawaii, these amendments are restricted to changing your birth marker from "Male" to "Female" and vice versa. Hawaii law does not recognize a third gender, "X", on birth certificates.