Birth certificates
Replacement birth certificate: lost, stolen or damaged
There is no special replacement form or fee: you order a new certified copy. What changes is how many to order now, so that the next loss costs less.
Total for your order · Georgia
$30
$15 per copy
| First certified copy | $25 |
| 1 more copy at $5 | $5 |
| Same copies ordered one at a time: $50 | $20 saved by ordering them together |
Office: DPH State Office of Vital Records. Published processing time: Mail: processed and shipped within 10 weeks; online: up to 10 weeks (ROVER, processing and shipping). Official fee page
A replacement birth certificate is simply a new certified copy of the original record, ordered from the vital records office of the state of birth at the normal fee. None of the fee pages read for this site lists a separate replacement fee or asks for a police report for a lost copy, and the old copy is not cancelled: if it turns up, it can still be used. The first copy costs between $9 and $34 depending on the state, and in many states each extra copy ordered at the same time costs much less. In Georgia, for example, the first copy is $25 and each extra one $5, so ordering a spare with the replacement costs $5 now instead of $25 after the next loss. The order is the same as a first request: the application form, a copy of your photo ID, and the fee, by mail, at a counter or online. If the certificate was stolen along with your driver's license or passport, deal with those first, because you will need a valid ID to order the birth certificate. A damaged certificate that is torn, laminated or illegible may be refused by agencies; replace it the same way.
How much do you save by ordering all copies at once?
3 copies in one order
$35
| Ordered one at a time | $75 |
| Saved | $40 |
| Price per copy in one order | $11.67 |
Fees and rules read on official pages by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · How the fees are checked
Order the replacement and one spare
In states where the extra copy is cheaper than the first, a spare bought with the replacement is the cheapest insurance against the next loss. The saving per spare, in some of the low-cost states:
| State | First copy | Extra copy | Saved per spare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | $9 | $4 | $5 |
| Hawaii | $10 | $4 | $6 |
| Indiana | $10 | $4 | $6 |
| South Carolina | $12 | $3 | $9 |
| Illinois | $15 | $2 | $13 |
| Wisconsin | $20 | $3 | $17 |
The tool below gives the total for any state and number of copies. In states that charge the same for every copy, a spare still saves the second round of postage or online charges.
How much do you save by ordering all copies at once?
3 copies in one order
$17
| Ordered one at a time | $27 |
| Saved | $10 |
| Price per copy in one order | $5.67 |
When the replacement is urgent
For a trip or a job start, go to a counter: the state office or a local registrar that issues copies the same day. If you live far from your state of birth, an online order with express shipping is the quicker option; the processing times page shows what each state publishes. A U.S. passport application with an urgent travel date can use other evidence of citizenship in some cases; see birth certificate for a passport.
Keeping the new copy safe
- Store originals flat in a folder, away from damp and heat.
- Do not laminate the certificate or punch holes in it.
- Send a certified copy only when an agency requires one; many accept a photocopy for a first check.
- Keep a scan for your own records, knowing that it has no legal value.