North Carolina Vital Records

North Carolina Birth, Marriage, Divorce and Death records, also known as vital records, provide details about important events in your ancestors life. They can include information like the event date and place, parents’ names, occupation and residence. The cause of death is also included in most North Carolina death records. North Carolina vital records are a cornerstone of North Carolina family history research because they were typically recorded at or near the time of the event, making the record more likely to be accurate. This page includes links that can help you request copies from North Carolina state and county vital records keepers. Like in most other states, marriage records in North Carolina are created at the county level. Some records were also lost in various courthouse fires.

On 10 March 1913, the North Carolina General Assembly ratified an act requiring the registration of births and deaths in the state; virtually full compliance was achieved by 1920, with some delayed birth records for earlier dates eventually added.

How to Order North Carolina Birth , Marriage, Divorce and Death Records

North Carolina Vital Records office files, stores, and issues certified copies of vital records including birth, death, marriage and divorce certificates for events that occurred in North Carolina.

• Physical Address: North Carolina Vital Records (Cooper Memorial Health Building), 225 N. McDowell St., Raleigh, NC 27603-1382; 919-733-3000 ; Fax: 919-733-1511
• Mailing Address: North Carolina Vital Records, 1903 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1903
• Website Address:  www.vitalrecords.nc.gov/
• Birth Records: since 1913
• Death Records: since 1930
• Marriage Records:  since Jan 1962 (If the records are not available from the State office, they should be available from the Register of Deeds in county where the marriage license was issued.)
• Divorce Records: since 1958 (If the records are not available at the Vital Records office, they should be available from the Clerk of Superior Court in county where the divorce decree was issued.)
• Ordering Vital Records Online - get the certificates within 2-5 days with a credit or debit card from USAVital.com or VitalChek.com
• Ordering Vital Records by Mail: You can download an application online for North Carolina Birth Certificate, Death, Divorce and Marriage Certificate Application
• North Carolina Vital Records Description - from Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources.

Links For North Carolina Birth Records

• Order North Carolina Birth Records Online (archives.com)
• Order Birth Certificates Online. (vitalchek.com)
• North Carolina, Birth Indexes, 1800-2000  (search.ancestry.com)
• North Carolina Births and Christenings, 1866-1964 (familysearch.org)

Links For North Carolina Marriage Records and Divorce Records

• Order North Carolina Marriage Records or North Carolina Divorce Records Online. (archives.com)
• Order Marriage Certificates or Divorce Certificates Online. (vitalchek.com)
• North Carolina Marriages, 1759-1979 (familysearch.org)
• North Carolina Marriage Bonds, 1741-1868  (search.ancestry.com)
• North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762-1979 (familysearch.org)
• North Carolina Marriage Collection, 1741-2004  (search.ancestry.com)
• North Carolina Divorce Index, 1958-2004  (search.ancestry.com)
• North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762-1979 (familysearch.org)
• Marriage notices from the Western Democrat, Charlotte, N.C., 1853-1870  (search.ancestry.com)
• Marriage notices in Raleigh register and North Carolina State gazette, 1846-1893  (search.ancestry.com)
• Marriage Notices in Raleigh Register and North Carolina State Gazette, 1826-1845  (search.ancestry.com)
• Marriage Notices in Raleigh Register and North Carolina State Gazette, 1846-1867  (search.ancestry.com)
• Marriage Notices from Raleigh Register and North Carolina State Gazette, 1799-1825  (search.ancestry.com)
• Marriage notices from the Charlotte Journal, Charlotte, N.C., July 3, 1835-December 7, 1851  (search.ancestry.com)
• Marriage records from the files of the Greensboro, N.C. Patriot, 1826-1899  (search.ancestry.com)
• North Carolina Marriages Project (usgenweb.org) – Name index to marriage records from the state of North Carolina.

Links For North Carolina Death Records

• Order North Carolina Death Records Online. (archives.com)
• Order Death Certificates Online. (vitalchek.com)
• North Carolina, Death Indexes, 1800-2000  (search.ancestry.com)
• North Carolina Deaths and Burials, 1898-1994 (familysearch.org)
• North Carolina Death Certificates, 1909-1975  (search.ancestry.com)
• Find Obituaries in The World’s Largest Newspaper Archive (newpaperarchive.com) Find thousands of North Carolina obituaries to help you research your family history. Search for a North Carolina newspaper obituary about your ancestor or a celebrity. Begin your search today and find death notices and funeral announcements printed in newspapers from North Carolina.
• North Carolina Deaths, 1906-1930 (familysearch.org)
• North Carolina Deaths, 1931-1994 (familysearch.org)
• North Carolina, Death Collection, 1908-2004  (search.ancestry.com)
• Death notices in Raleigh register and North Carolina State gazette, 1846-1893  (search.ancestry.com)
• Death Notices in Raleigh Register and North Carolina State Gazette, 1826-1845  (search.ancestry.com)
• Death Notices in Raleigh Register and North Carolina State Gazette, 1846-1867  (search.ancestry.com)
• Death Notices from Raleigh Register and North Carolina State Gazette, 1799-1825  (search.ancestry.com)
• Search America’s Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com) Obituaries contain helpful information such as names, dates, places of birth, death, marriage and family information. Over 28 million obituaries make this the most complete collection from the 20th and 21st centuries – includes over 1,100 U.S. newspapers. New content added daily!