Need a Birth Certificate? Plan Ahead for October 21–25, 2026

The Montana Office of Vital Records is moving to a new records platform.
Birth certificates will not be issued at any state or county office from Oct. 21 through Oct. 25.

Statewide issuance will resume Monday, Oct. 26, 2026.
Thank you for your patience as we make this transition to better serve you.

Vital Records

The Office of Vital Records in Montana provides various services related to vital events. This includes issuing birth and death certificates, making corrections to birth certificates such as errors or name changes, creating new birth certificates for adoptions or surrogacy, handling paternity or non-paternity matters, processing delayed birth certificates, and addressing home births. Additionally, they manage the Putative Father Registry, conduct searches for potential fathers, and handle requests to open sealed files.

Adoptions
The Office of Vital Records creates new certificates in the case of adoption.
Click For More Information On Adoption Certificates
Apostilles
The Office of Vital Records often provides documents that may require an Apostille.
Click Here For More Information Regarding Apostilles
Birth/Death Certificates
The Office of Vital Records issues birth certificates for individuals born in Montana. They also issue death certificates for individuals who have passed away in Montana.
Click For More Information On How To Obtain A Birth Or Death Certificate
Corrections to Certificates
The Office of Vital Records makes amendments to certificates. This includes but is not limited to, errors or name changes.
Click For More Information On The Steps And Documents Needed For This Process
Court Ordered Name Changes
In some cases, a correction to a birth certificate may require a whole new certificate. The Office of Vital Records also handles these requests.
Click For More Information On Correcting Birth Certificates
Delayed Birth Certificates
When the Office of Vital Records does not receive information for a birth within the first year, a birth certificate must be created as a delayed birth certificate.
Click For More Information On Delayed Certificates
Home Births
When a home birth takes place without a licensed midwife present, the Office of Vital Records requires information to be able to create the birth certificate.
Click For More Information On Home Births
Marriage & Divorce
The Office of Vital Records does not issue marriage and divorce records but instead holds an index that can be searched.
Click Here For More Information On Notaries
Open Sealed Files
The Office of Vital Records is responsible for sealing files and opening previously sealed files.
Click For More Information On How To Request A Sealed File
Putative Father Registry and Searches
The Office of Vital Records is responsible for maintaining and searching the Putative Father Registry in Montana.
Click For More Information About Putative Father Registry And Searches
Surrogacy
The Office of Vital Records receives pre-birth orders and post-birth orders.
Click For More Information On Surrogacy