Birth Certificates
Locations: 4115 E. Foothills Drive 1415 Melody Lane, Bldg. A
Sierra Vista, AZ 85635 Bisbee, AZ 85603
Phone: 520-803-3925 Phone: 520-432-9400
Email: vitalrecords@cochise.az.gov
Office Hours: Sierra Vista- Monday – Friday from 8:00am – 12:00pm & 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Bisbee- Monday - Thursday from 9:00am - 12:00pm & 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Certificates We Provide - We provide certified copies of birth certificates for persons born from 1950 until the present. For birth certificates prior to 1950, you must apply directly to the Arizona Department of Health Services, Office of Vital Records. You can click here to download a brochure with instructions on how to obtain a certified birth certificate copy directly from ADHS.
Fees & Payments - The charge for a certified copy of a birth certificate is $15.00, payable by money order, cash, or cashiers check, AND in Sierra Vista ONLY credit card or debit card. There is a minimum convienence fee of $2.50 for each transaction. We accept the following credit/debit cards in Sierra Vista only. We do not accept Visa credit/debit cards at this time.
We do not accept online orders; however, for your convenience, you can process online requests through an independent company that we have partnered with to provide you this service; VitalChek Network, Inc. VitalChek can be reached either through its website, www.vitalchek.com, or by phone at 1-877-803-0609. An additional fee is charged by VitalChek for using this service, and all major credit cards are accepted, including American Express®, Discover®, MasterCard® or Visa®.
Have an emergency? Need your birth certificate fast?
Click on the icon above to visit the VitalChek Network, Inc. website and see if they can help.
How To Apply - Certified copies of birth certificates can be requested by visiting one of our offices, or by sending a request with all required documentation and payment via mail. We do not accept requests via fax or email. The documentation needed to obtain a certified copy of a birth certificate is:
- Application Request Form – Click Here - BISBEE or Click Here - SIERRA VISTA to download the form or it is also available at our local office.
- A government issued picture ID, i.e. a valid driver's license, state ID etc. with applicant's signature.
- If not for self, documentation showing your relationship to the person the requested certificate is for.
Who may order and obtain a certified copy of a birth certificate? **Only persons 18 years of age or older may obtain a certified copy of a birth certificate.**
Note: An applicant presenting documents from a foreign country as proof of relationship or proof of legal interest must provide certified copies of the documents. Photocopies are not acceptable. The applicant must also provide a certified translation of the documents.
Arizona is a "closed record" state. That means that vital records are not public record. Arizona law restricts the public's access to vital records as follows to protect the confidentiality rights of our citizens. Arizona Administrative Code R9-19-403 specifies that only the following may receive a certified copy of a birth certificate:
- Registrant (self)
- Parents
- Spouse
- Grandparent
- Adult Child
- Adult Brother or Sister
- Guardian Having Legal Custody or Control of a Minor Child
- Foster Parents
- Attorney Representing the Registrant
- Attorney Representing The Biological Parent(s) In An Adoption Proceeding
- Attorney Representing The Adoptive Parent(s) In An Adoption Proceeding
- Adoption Agencies Representing Adoptive Or Biological Parents
- Persons or Agencies Empowered by Statute or Appointed by a Court to Act on the Registrant's Behalf
- Genealogical
Click here for a detailed description of each eligibility category given above.
To get more information from the Arizona Department of Health Service's Office of Vital Records please visit http://www.azdhs.gov/vitalrcd/index.htm, reach them by phone at (888) 816-5907 or (602) 364-1300, or by mail at Arizona Department of Health Services, Office of Vital Records, 1818 West Adams, Phoenix, AZ 85007.