Are Connecticut Vital Records Open to the Public?
Most Connecticut vital records are open to the public. However, according to Connecticut statutes, the rights of the public to access vital records are not absolute, and selected records are restricted from public disclosure. Typically, confidential records are available to the registrant, immediate family members, legal representatives, and persons with court-issued rights to access the record. However, uncertified or informational copies of these records may also be made available to other persons where the record is to be used for non-official purposes, including genealogy and research.
What Information Shows Up in Connecticut Vital Records?
Connecticut vital records are documents pertaining to the birth, death, marriage, and divorce of state residents. It encompasses all records generated in the course of vital events and related occurrences. They provide an official account of these incidents and can be used for identifying, research, and judicial functions.
How to Find Connecticut Vital Records Online
The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) processes online vital record requests submitted through state-approved third-party vendors. However, there are no self-service options with which users can conduct online searches.
Persons ordering a Connecticut vital record online will be required to provide record-related information with which the request will be processed. These typically include:
- The full name(s) of the registrant(s)
- The approximate date of the event
- The judicial district where the event was recorded
- The full name of the registrant's parents/legal guardians (if referenced on relevant documents)
- The license number or case file number of the record (if applicable)
- The name of the presiding judge or the state bar number of legal representatives involved
How Do I Obtain Connecticut Vital Records?
Typically, access to informational copies requires no documentation. All records that have been deemed ‘public’ may be accessed by interested members of the public under Connecticut statutes. Thus, interested persons can access publicly accessible records through the state’s official record custodians or various third-party alternatives. However, requests for certified records or restricted documents often require that the requestor present a government-issued ID to confirm their identity and prove their eligibility to access the record.
Where the request is being made by persons who are otherwise ineligible to access the record, then additional supporting documents may also be required, including sworn affidavits, court orders, or documents establishing a relationship between the requestor and the registrant.
Publicly available vital records are also managed and disseminated by some third-party aggregate sites. These sites are generally not limited by geographical record availability and may serve as a reliable jump-off point when researching specific or multiple records. However, third-party sites are not government-sponsored. As such, record availability may differ from official channels. To find a record using the search engines on third-party sites, the requesting party will be required to provide:
- The location of the record in question, including the city, county, or state where the case was filed.
- The name of someone involved in providing it is not a juvenile
Certified Copy vs. Informational Copy: Understanding the Difference?
Most informational copies are issued for personal knowledge sake or for use in genealogical research. These records are deemed ‘unofficial’ by the issuer and usually have no legal standing to establish identity or perform related functions.
On the other hand, certified records can be used for a range of official functions, including license, passport, job, and home applications. Certified copies are considered legal documents and the equivalent of the original record. They are issued to persons who have sufficiently met the state's eligibility requirements.
Are Connecticut Marriage Records Public Information?
Yes. Connecticut marriage records are public information. Certified copies of these records can be purchased for a fee by persons who are 18 years and above. However, while most information on these records is available to the public, information such as social security numbers are excluded from public access. Public marriage records containing this information will only be released to either of the parties named on the record.
How Do I Obtain Marriage Records in Connecticut?
Requests for Connecticut marriage records can be processed by the office of the Town Clerk of the judicial district where the marriage was licensed or by the state’s Vital Records Office.
To obtain a record from either office, interested and eligible persons may download and complete the marriage record request form. The appropriate application must be legibly filled, signed and submitted along with the indicated fees and ID requirements to the concerned office.
Requests to the state vital records office may be delivered in person or via mail to:
Connecticut Department of Public Health
Vital Records Section
Customer Services, MS#11VRS
P.O. Box 340308
Hartford, CT 06134-0308
Note that the same processes required to obtain a marriage certificate also apply to marriage license lookup. Additionally, free marriage license record search might be possible at the Connecticut State Library.
How to Get a Connecticut Marriage Certificate
Marriage certificates are open to anyone who is at least 18 years old. However, copies of marriage certificates that include the couple’s social security numbers are restricted to the parties to the marriage. An individual can get a Connecticut marriage certificate by submitting a request to:
- The Connecticut Vital Records Office, or
- The vital records office in the town where the marriage occurred, or
- The vital records office of the town(s) where the couple resided at the time of the marriage
To obtain a marriage certificate at the town level, a requester must visit or send a mail to the Town Clerk of the vital records office where the marriage occurred or where the couple resided at the time of the marriage. Mail-in applicants must submit a Town Application to Request a Marriage Certificate form alongside the application fee of $20 per copy.
Alternatively, requesters who want to know how to find marriage records can contact the State Vital Records Office. The Office issues certified copies of marriage certificates online, by phone, by mail, and in-person to interested parties. Online and phone order requests are processed by a third-party vendor approved by the Office. Mail-in applicants must submit a completed Application to Request a Marriage Certificate form to the Office and pay the required fees for their requests to be processed. Contact the Vital Records Office for more information on how to find marriage records. Note that the same processes required to obtain a marriage certificate also apply to marriage license lookup. Also, a record seeker can conduct a free marriage license record search on the Connecticut State Library website.
Are Connecticut Divorce Records Public Information?
Yes. Like marriage records, Connecticut divorce records are available to the public upon request, provided the requestor is at least 18 years old. However, there are also restrictions on the information disseminated to the public. As such, details of property inventories, financial settlements, and financial bank accounts are often restricted to the parties involved and their legal representatives.
How Do I Obtain Divorce Records in Connecticut?
Connecticut divorce records are strictly managed and disseminated by the office of the Connecticut Judicial District Court Clerk in the county where the divorce was granted. Divorce decrees are regarded as the judgment file, and copies of these records can be requested by making in-person or mail divorce records requests to the record custodian. The requesting party will be required to provide information pertinent to the record of interest, including:
- The names of the parties involved
- The place and date the divorce was filed/granted
- The docket number assigned to the case (otherwise known as the case file number)
- The full names and/or state bar number of the litigants involved
In addition to providing the above-mentioned information, requestors will be required to cover all copy and certification costs as well as provide a government-issued ID to confirm their eligibility to access the record. The Connecticut Judicial Branch fee schedule may be useful for determining the approximate cost of the process.
How to Get a Certified Divorce Certificate in Connecticut
The Connecticut Vital Records Office does not issue copies of divorce certificates. However, a record seeker can get a certified divorce certificate from the Judicial District Clerk's Office in the court where the divorce or dissolution of marriage records was granted. Requesters must provide the divorce case name and docket number alongside a fee of $25 to obtain divorce certificates.
Alternatively, record seekers can use the Civil/Family Case Look-up tool available on the Connecticut Judicial Branch website to retrieve information regarding divorce/dissolution of marriage records in the state. The search can be done by name or docket number. Search results typically reveal the party name, case name, docket number, court location, case type, disposition, judge’s name, and parenting and financial disputes.
Are Connecticut Birth Records Public Information?
Connecticut birth records are not public information. Access to these records is restricted until 100 years after the birth occurred. Within this time, the birth certificates are available to the registrant, their parents or legal guardians, their spouses, children, legal representatives, and persons who are authorized by court order. Also, eligible individuals can obtain replacement of marriage certificates from the record custodian.
How Do I Obtain Connecticut Birth Records?
Records of Connecticut births are managed and disseminated by the town vital records office where the event occurred, the town of the mothers’ residence (at the time of the birth) and the state's vital records office.
To order birth certificates, interested and eligible persons may download the birth record application. The appropriate form must be legibly filled and submitted along with the indicated fees and ID requirements as well as any additional documents that prove the requestor's eligibility to access the record. Requests to the state vital records office may be delivered in person or via mail to:
Connecticut Department of Public Health
Vital Records Section
Customer Services, MS#11VRS
P.O. Box 340308
Hartford, CT 06134-0308
The state vital records office can also help individuals in need of a birth certificate replacement.
Is a Birth Certificate Public Record in Connecticut?
Per C.G.S Section 7-51, birth certificates less than 100 years old are confidential and restricted to only the subject of the record, the parents, legal guardian, spouse, adult children, grandparents, adult grandchildren, and legal representatives. Public birth records become available after 100 years of birth. A record seeker can request an original birth certificate online, by phone, by mail, or in person from the Vital Records Office. The Office can also issue a replacement birth certificate in the event of adoption. Alternatively, record seekers can retrieve public birth records from the vital records office of the town where the birth occurred.
Are Connecticut Death Records Open to the Public?
Yes. Connecticut death records are open to the public and can be accessed by interested persons, provided they are at least 18 years old. However, sensitive information contained in the public death records, such as the deceased’s social security number, will only be released to the spouse or next of kin.
How Do I Obtain Death Records in Connecticut?
Requests for public death records in Connecticut can be made in the town where the deceased passed. Also, the record can be obtained from the state's vital records office. To request or perform a death certificate search, interested persons may download and complete the death record application. The completed forms must be accompanied by the indicated fees and ID requirements and submitted to the appropriate office in person or via mail. Requests to the state vital records office may be made to:
Connecticut Department of Public Health
Vital Records Section
Customer Services, MS#11 VRS
P.O. Box 340308
Hartford, CT 06134-0308
There is a fee waiver for Veterans, so representatives at the DPS may give out on this after performing a death record search by name.
Is a Death Certificate Public Record in Connecticut?
Per C.G.S §7-51A, certified copies of death certificates are not public records until after 100 years. Additionally, the decedent’s social security number is confidential and restricted to only the surviving spouse, funeral director, or next of kin. However, uncertified copies of death certificates less than 100 years old are open to researchers and state and federal agencies. Requesters may obtain certified copies of death certificates from the vital records office of the town where the death occurred or from the State Vital Records Office. Contact the Office for more information regarding the question, "are death certificates public records?":
How Do I Obtain Sealed Vital Records in Connecticut?
Sealed Connecticut vital records may be accessed by persons who can satisfy the state’s eligibility requirements. To be eligible to access these records, the requesting party must prove a direct and tangible interest in this record by demonstrating its relevance in a financial claim or for legal purposes. Persons who can satisfy this requirement may request a court order or subpoena from a Connecticut-licensed judge. This order will authorize the requestor's access to the sealed record of interest and should be submitted along with the standard record request application as well as other supporting documents.
What are Vital Statistics in Connecticut?
Vital statistics are data collected on vital events (births, divorces, deaths, marriages, and fetal deaths), which are analyzed to create statistical reports for demographic and health purposes. In Connecticut, vital statistics are known as registration reports. Record seekers can obtain vital statistics from the Connecticut Vital Records Office. To find vital statistics call (860) 509-7658 or submit a completed Vital Records Data Request Form to DPH.VitalStats@ct.gov. The processing fee for vital statistics requests is $50 per hour, payable by money order or corporate check.
