Many Missouri residents can quickly obtain their birth, death, marriage, and divorce records at the local level. There are some types of vital records only available at the county level, and other types of records that are only available from the Bureau of Vital Records in Jefferson City. In the State of Missouri, vital records are not open to the general public. Copies of vital records are provided to specifically defined individuals or entities. This helps protect identities, prevent fraud, and preserve the integrity of vital records. State law only allows a certified copy of a vital record to be issued to a person with a direct and tangible interest in the record. Learn more about who can obtain a copy of a vital record.

Atchison County Health Department offers the following vital records available for those who were born or died in Missouri:

Birth Certificates – $15.00 each.

Death Certificates – $14.00 for 1 copy; $11 for each additional certificate requested on the same day.

Walk-in

Birth & death certificates are available at the Health Center from 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Monday – Thursday. Same-day service is available to walk-in customers.  You must have a photo identification card of some kind (Driver’s license, Work I.D., etc.) to obtain the copies.

Mail

You may complete an application online: https://health.mo.gov/data/vitalrecords/pdf/birthdeath.pdf.  For mail-in requests you MUST have the form notarized. Requests are processed the same day they are received. Please send the completed form, check written out to Atchison County Health Department and stamped self-addressed envelope. Mail your request with payment to:

Attention: Vital Records

Atchison County Health Department

421 Main

Tarkio, MO 64491

Birth certificates before 1920 and death certificates before 1980 are only available at the state level. They may be obtained from Missouri Department of Health – Bureau if Vital Records, 930 Wildwood P.O. Box 570, Jefferson City, MO  65102 You may also contact them by phone at:

Births:  (573) 751-6387

Deaths:  (573) 751-6374

Death Records (1910-1961) – Records of deaths occurring in Missouri from 1910 through 1961 are available at the Missouri State Archives which contain valuable information for family historians and researchers.  The Missouri Death Certificate Database records created after 1910 and over 50 years old, makes that information available online through a searchable digitized image of the original death certificate. The index can be searched by first name and last name, county, and by year and month.  Once a name is selected, an image of the original certificate can be retrieved.  Missouri State Archives click here (Missouri State Archives www.sos.mo.gov/archives/resources/deathcertificates/)

Obtaining Out-of-State Vital Records Births, deaths, marriages and divorces occurring in states other than Missouri must be obtained from the state where the event took place.  More information about out-of-state birth, death, marriage or divorce certificates can be found on the Center for Disease Control (CDC) website “Where to Write for Vital Records.” More information regarding Vital Records can be found at the State of Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

NOTE: Please be advised that fees, available records, and information on this website are subject to change without notice.

State website:https://health.mo.gov/data/vitalrecords.