What Does Your Birth Certificate Say About You?

Your birth certificate is with you from the very first day of your life and it can be a useful ally as you get older too.

From the moment you are born and registered, a birth certificate is generated by your state’s department of records. Going forward it will be a practical tool throughout your life if you need to prove your identity.

As a crucial ID document, unsurprisingly, you can find a lot of essential information on vital records like your birth certificate. Knowing what personal data you can find on it can be essential.

What Is a Certified Birth Certificate?

A certified birth certificate (or certified copy of a birth certificate) is the official record of your birth. A copy of it is issued directly by the records office in your state and it is a legal document that proves your identity. It can be used to register for necessary documents such as passports and marriage licenses.

What Data Is on a Certified Birth Certificate?

Certified birth certificates contain a lot of data on both the child that was born and on their birth parents. The information found on the certificate usually varies a little from state-to-state according to its own requirements, although in all cases it will have the key details you need to prove your identity.

A certified birth certificate can list any of the following information for a child:

• Their full name (including their middle name)
• Their city, country, and state of birth
• Their date and time of birth
• Their sex/gender
• Essential detail about the birth: single birth, twins, triplets, etc

Additionally, a certified birth certificate will show data on the parents such as:

• The father’s full name
• The father’s birth location
• The father’s birth date
• The mother’s full name and maiden (unmarried) name
• The mother’s place of birth
• The mother’s date of birth
• The city, county, and state of residence of the birth parents

In all cases, US birth certificates will contain the following information at a minimum:

• The name of the child
• The date of birth
• The place of birth
• The sex/gender of the child
• Both parents’ names
• The city, county, or state seal
• The birth certificate number

What Is an Informational Copy of Your Birth Certificate?

An informational birth certificate is an initial document that is filed and printed by the hospital just after you are born. It also shows the essential details of a baby’s birth but does not have the same status as an official vital record.

This kind of birth certificate contains the following information about a child:

• Their name
• Their date and time of birth
• The names of their parents
• The place of birth (city, county, and state)
• Their footprints and handprints

Whilst this isn’t a legal ID document like a certified birth certificate, it is something you might want to hold on to as a keepsake. It is a great accompaniment to a baby photo album or just kept on its own as a pleasant memento of a birth.

What Information Isn’t shown on Your Birth Certificate?

Whilst a birth certificate contains a lot of useful information, there is essential data that it doesn’t show about you and your birth. Despite many details being registered and sent to the vital records office when you were born, not all this information is included on the final form.

Your birth certificate, for example, won’t show data on your:

• Blood type
• Hair color
• Eye color
• Weight and height at birth

How to Replace a Birth Certificate

If your birth certificate gets lost, damaged, or stolen, it can be a setback but not an insurmountable disaster. If this happens to you and you need a copy of your document for an essential reason you can order a replacement birth certificate online.

Alternatively, you can visit your local state recorder’s office and apply in-person for a new copy. In both cases, this will then be sent to your address, once the application is processed.

What Can a Birth Certificate be Used For?

As one of your key vital records, birth certificates are one of the most important documents you will need to prove your identity. Only the department of records in your state of birth can issue these certificates and they, therefore, have a lot of clout.

Your birth certificate is used to register for a number of crucial government-issued documents such as:

• Passports
• Social Security Numbers (SSN)
• Driver’s licenses
• State photo ID
• Marriage licenses

Also, you will be able to use it to apply for important services, including:

• Social benefits
• School
• Membership and credit cards
• Signing up for sports

Your birth certificate really is a lifelong companion. Make sure to look after it, or if anything happens to it, to get a new copy in good time in case you need it urgently.