Note: If you are applying for a copy of a vital record, you must submit a valid government, school or employer issued photo ID (or photocopy of one). When we receive applications without proper identification, we reject them automatically; we do not process them.
Average processing time is 30-45 minutes.
You will need to provide:
Where to Go:
Average processing time is 2-4 weeks.
You will need to send:
Mail to:
DHEC Vital Records
2600 Bull Street
Columbia, SC 29201
Orders through VitalChek,, Average processing time is 5-7 business days. Call 1-877-284-1008 (toll-free) to order a record.
You will need to provide:
Average processing time is 5-7 business days.
Visit VitalChek on the Web, 7 days a week, 24-hours-a-day. Only the person named on the birth certificate may order through VitalChek.
You will need to provide:
You are entitled to obtain a certified copy of a birth certificate if you are:
Immediate family members and/or their respective legal representative may obtain a certified copy of a birth record if the registrant is deceased. An original, certified copy (no photocopies) of the registrant's death record must be submitted with the request. There are no exceptions.
A computer-generated long form
The computer-generated long form contains the:
The procedures and requirements depend upon the specific information to be changed and whether any previous changes have been made. Specific instructions can only be provided after a review of the birth/death record.
If you have requested a birth/death certificate in the past 12 months, you may return that to the office that issues certificates and notify us as to the specific change you would like to make. If you have not requested a birth/death certificate in the past 12 months, this would be the first step you need to take. Again, you should indicate the correction you wish to make. Staff will review the certificate on file and advise you.
If you have not received any response to your request within 30 days of submission, you may call 803-898-3630 or e-mail us (saleebap@dhec.sc.gov) for an update.
A delayed birth record can be established if 3 different documents verifying the birth facts claimed are submitted. The documents that are submitted must be at least 10 years old and must show the place and the date the document was filed. Copies of document ARE NOT acceptable. Only original or certified copies will be accepted. One of the three documents must show the full name of the mother prior to any marriages and the full name of the father. Examples of records that usually verify this information are:
One of the 3 documents must show the correct age or the full date of birth and the place of birth. Examples of record that usually verify this information are:
One of the 3 documents must verify the full correct date of birth (month, day and year). Examples of documents that usually verify this information are:
Evidence Requirements for Establishing or Verifying Birth Facts
To be acceptable, records that are submitted MUST have been on file at least the required length of time, they must verify the facts claimed, they cannot contain alterations, and must be the original not a Xerox of the original and they must be submitted in either of the following forms:
If the difference is less than 90 days, original or certified documentary evidence filed within 5 years of application for correction is required. If the difference is over 90 days, original documentary evidence filed within the first 7 years of life is required. A date of birth cannot be corrected to a date that is beyond the file date listed on the birth certificate nor can it be corrected to a date that is in conflict with a sibling.
Examples of documentary evidence include a certified 10-year driving record and certified school records. Staff will provide specific instructions after a review of the birth record and the requested correction.
The first step is to request a certified copy of your birth certificate and provide a note as to the date of birth you would like to have on your certificate. Staff will review the birth record and advise you specifically on whether the correction can be made as corrected and what evidence would be required. Once the evidence is provided, an affidavit of correction is prepared that must be signed by the registrant in the presence of a notary. There is also a $15 amendment fee.
You may submit this by mail or in person at a regional vital records office or the DHEC State Vital Records Office in Columbia. Mail requests generally take up-to 4 weeks for an initial response. The processing time for the correction will depend upon how soon the required evidence is provided and the returning of the affidavit. Please include a phone number.