INSTRUCTIONS FOR REGISTRATION OF AN OHIO BIRTH

 

An Application for Registration of Birth Record can only be filed for an Ohio birth.

The procedure to register a birth requires an application to be filed in the Probate Court.

The Application for Registration of Birth Record must be filled out completely and properly notarized before filing.

 

Before filing an application to register a birth, you must obtain a statement or letter from the Ohio Department of Health and from the local office where your birth should have been recorded, stating that there is no record of your birth. 

This information must be attached to your application.

 

For births occurring:

Within Cincinnati City Limits                                              

Cincinnati Department of Health                                        

Division of Vital Statistics

1525 E. Elm Street                                                               

Cincinnati, Ohio  45210        

(513) 352-3120

 

Within Reading City Limits

City of Reading Health Department

1000 Market Street

Reading, Ohio  45215

(513) 733-3725

 

Within Norwood City Limits

Norwood Health Center

2059 Sherman Avenue

Norwood, Ohio   45212

(513)458-4600

 

Within St. Bernard City Limits

St. Bernard City Hall

110 Washington Street

St. Bernard, Ohio  45217

(513) 242-7772

 

Within Hamilton County but outside City Limits of Cincinnati, Reading, Norwood, and St. Bernard

Hamilton County Department of Health

Division of Vital Statistics

250 William Howard Taft Road  2nd Floor

Cincinnati, Ohio  45219        

(513) 946-7800

                                                                                                                       

 

 

State of Ohio                                    

Vital Statistics

Ohio Department of Health

246 North High Street

P.O. Box 15098

Columbus, Ohio 43215-0098

(614) 466-2531

 

All forms should be typewritten or legibly printed in black ink.

 

A fee of $30.00 is required at the time of filing. Additional court cost of $7.00 will be charged for each deposition taken, if needed.  Please confirm the actual amount with the Cashier since filing fees may have changed subsequent to the publication of this instruction sheet.  This fee must be paid in cash, money order, certified check, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express.  No personal checks will be accepted.

 

The forms may be obtained from the Issue Desk on the 9th floor of the Probate Court, 230 East 9th Street, Cincinnati, Ohio or by downloading the forms from the web site.

 

STEP 1:  Obtain letters

Obtain statement from the Ohio Department of Health and local register where you were born stating there is no record of your birth.

 

STEP 2:  Gather 2 witnesses and/or documentary evidence

If you wish, start gathering documentary evidence to present at the hearing to establish the facts stated in the application.

Documentary evidence includes any record established in the past that proves the facts stated in the application.

The following are examples of documentary evidence: baptism certificate, insurance policies or photo static copies of same, school records, lodge records, marriage records, family bible, federal census records, family genealogy, child’s birth record, hospital records, military records, birth and death certificates.

 

If you are unable to provide appropriate documentation you may have 2 witnesses appear in Court with you or be deposed by a notary outside of court, pursuant to a commission to take deposition.

The witnesses must have personal knowledge of the facts stated in the application to register the birth record.

Blood relatives are preferred but other witnesses having personal knowledge of the facts stated in the application may be used.

 

Step 3: Filing of application

When all forms have been completed, present them to the magistrate’s assistant at the information desk on the 9th Floor of Probate Court for a magistrate to be assigned and at this time the clerk will notarize the application.  If you have two witnesses and/or documentary evidence at this time, the magistrate may waive setting a hearing date and take testimony.  If you do not reside in Hamilton County, please contact the court to determine if the application can be submitted through the mail.

The magistrate will render a decision.

The magistrate will send you to the cashier to pay the filing fee and file the paperwork.

The cashier will keep the papers and deliver them to the docket clerk who will process the paperwork.

 

Usually you will receive a copy of the Order to Register Birth within a day or two after your hearing notifying you that the paperwork has been completed.

The Clerk will also prepare the Ohio Department of Health Finding and Order Establishing Registration of Birth sending it to the Ohio Department of Health.  The Finding and Order Establishing Registration of Birth is used in place of an actual birth certificate.

To obtain a certified copy of the Finding and Order Establishing Registration of Birth you must write or go to the Ohio Department of Health and apply for the copy.  You must submit an application fee of $21.50.  Your birth registration records will be maintained only at the Ohio Department of Health.

Application is set for hearing where testimony is taken by deposition: 

If you are filing the Application for Registration of Birth Record by mail you must make sure your signature is notarized.

You must also fill out the “Information to Take Testimony” sheet if you and/or your witness(es) cannot appear, printing the required information.

The two letters stating that there is no record of your birth, Application for Registration of Birth Record documentary evidence and the “Information to Take Testimony” sheet should be mailed to Probate Court with the filing fee of $30.00 plus $7.00 for each deposition taken. This fee must be paid in cash, money order or certified check.  No personal checks or credit cards will be accepted.

A magistrate will verify that you submitted all the required paperwork to proceed and take your forms to the cashier to get a case number.

The cashier will then deliver the paperwork to the docket clerk to enter your application into the computer.

The clerk will then issue a Commission to the notary listed on the Information to Take Testimony sheet to take the deposition of you and/or witness(es).

Once the deposition(s) have been returned to the Court, the magistrate will read the deposition(s), review the evidence and render a decision.

The decision will be filed with a clerk.

If the Application is granted, you will receive a copy of the Order to Register Birth within a day or two after your hearing.

The clerk will also prepare the Ohio Department of Health Finding and Order Establishing Registration of Birth sending it to the Ohio Department of Health.

The Finding and Order Establishing Registration of Birth is used in place of an actual birth certificate.

To obtain a certified copy of the Finding and Order Establishing Registration of Birth you must write  to the Ohio Department of Health and apply for the copy or present a check or money order for $21.50 to the Clerk at the Issue Desk who will include it in the envelope to Columbus.  Please submit to the Ohio Department of Health at the address listed above.  If you submit the application fee via the court, you should receive your certified copy in 2 weeks.