A lost or stolen birth certificate is replaced by ordering a new certified copy from the vital records office of the state or territory where you were born, not the state where you live now. The federal government does not issue birth certificates. If the certificate was stolen, also report it and protect your credit.
Order from the place you were born
Birth records stay with the state or territory where the birth happened, even if you have lived elsewhere for decades. The CDC's directory of vital records offices starts with exactly that step: find the state or area where the birth occurred and contact its office. USAGov gives the same advice, and the federal government itself does not distribute birth certificates or indexes of vital records.
Any certified copy replaces the lost one
There is no special "replacement" certificate. Every certified copy the office issues has the same standing, so ordering a new one simply gives you a fresh certified copy of the same record; the lost copy does not need to be cancelled. Many people order two, one to keep at home and one for applications that require sending the certificate away.
What you need to order
You will need the details on the record: your full name at birth, date and city or county of birth, and your parents' names, including your mother's surname before marriage. You also need a copy of your photo ID, or the alternative documents the state accepts. If you lost your ID together with the certificate, see our guide to the ID needed to order a birth certificate for the options.
If you think it was stolen
A birth certificate can help someone open accounts in your name. The Federal Trade Commission recommends reporting identity theft at IdentityTheft.gov, which produces a personal recovery plan, and considering a fraud alert or a credit freeze with the credit bureaus; the FTC says a freeze is especially helpful after identity theft or a lost wallet. Keep an eye on your credit reports and accounts for anything you do not recognize.
Born outside the United States?
If you were born abroad to US citizen parents, there is no state birth certificate to replace. Your proof of birth and citizenship is a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, and copies come from the US Department of State; our guide for people born abroad to US citizen parents explains how to request one.
Replacing it with BirthChek
BirthChek orders the replacement from the office in your state of birth, wherever you live now. You answer a few questions about the record, upload your ID and sign, and we file the request and send updates until the certificate is on its way to you.
Facts checked October 24, 2026 against the sources below.
Sources
- Where to write for vital records — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- How to replace your birth certificate — USAGov
- What to know about identity theft — Federal Trade Commission – Consumer Advice
- Identity theft — USAGov