Who issues and files a certificate of live birth in the United States?

1. Who fills out the first paper — the hospital and attending clinicians write the record, plainly and universally curious

Hospitals and licensed birth attendants prepare the initial record by entering clinical and parental information on the U.S. Standard Certificate of Live Birth, or the state’s adopted form; they typically complete medical and demographic fields and obtain parental signatures when required. This initial creation is a clinical and administrative act performed at the point of delivery and is often done electronically today, with hospitals transmitting the record to the local registrar or state vital records office for filing. State guidance from Louisiana and other states shows that physicians or midwives certify the medical facts, hospitals forward or electronically submit the completed form, and parents may be offered paternity acknowledgment forms at that time ^{[1] [3]}. This setup makes the hospital/attendant the practical originator of the legal record.

2. Who files and who issues — state/local vital records hold the legal power to file and issue

After a hospital or attendant completes the birth record, the local registrar or the state’s vital statistics office receives and files the certificate of live birth; that office becomes the official custodian and can issue certified copies used for IDs, passports, and benefits. Multiple state-level pages and federal guidance direct people to contact their birth state or territory’s vital records office to obtain certified copies, underscoring that issuance is a state responsibility rather than a federal one ^{[2] [4]}. Private third-party vendors like VitalChek facilitate ordering but do not create or file the underlying record; they act as processors for state offices ^[5]. This division—clinical creation by hospitals, legal filing and issuance by state registrars—explains why procedures and fees vary by state.

3. Federal exceptions and overseas births — consular reports substitute for state certificates

When U.S. citizens are born outside the United States, the U.S. embassy or consulate prepares and issues a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA), which establishes U.S. citizenship and functions similarly to a birth certificate for federal purposes. Federal agencies (including the Department of State) administer CRBAs, but domestic birth registration remains under state jurisdiction. Federal guidance on obtaining certified copies emphasizes contacting the state or territory where the birth occurred; the Department of State’s role is limited to births abroad ^[2]. The distinction matters for passport applications and federal benefits: domestic births route through state vital records, overseas births go through consular channels.

4. Variations, electronic filing, and the role of paternity forms — state rules shape outcomes

States differ in finer points—who can request copies, turnaround times, fees, and whether hospitals must submit electronic records—so procedures are not uniform nationwide. Some states file most births electronically, reducing manual steps; others allow or require parents or physicians to return paper forms. The presence of separate processes—for example, hospitals mailing acknowledgments of paternity to Vital Records in Louisiana—illustrates administrative variation that affects who interacts with vital records post-delivery ^{[1] [6]}. Advocacy groups and private vendors sometimes push for online access or faster issuance, which can create pressure on state systems; these are operational agendas rather than legal shifts in who issues the certificate.

5. Conflicting claims and common misunderstandings — federal vs. state confusion drives errors

Public confusion arises because people equate the hospital’s role in preparing the form with “issuing” a birth certificate; legally, however, issuance is a registrar function. Some sources and summaries infer that hospitals “issue” certificates when they provide parents with hospital-issued documents or summaries; these are not certified state birth certificates. Official state sites and national guidance repeatedly direct requests for certified copies to state vital records offices, clarifying that the authority to file and to produce certified copies rests at the state or territorial level, not with hospitals or the federal government ^{[4] [2] [3]}. Understanding this split resolves most apparent contradictions in public descriptions.

6. Bottom line for parents and professionals — practical steps and where to go next

For newborn parents and clinicians, the practical workflow is clear: complete the certificate at the delivery site, ensure the hospital transmits it to the local registrar or state vital records office, and contact that state office to obtain certified copies. For overseas births, contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate for a CRBA. If a state’s website or vendor instructions conflict, follow the state vital records office’s official guidance and note that third-party vendors only facilitate ordering, not issuance ^{[5] [2]}. When in doubt, ask the hospital’s birth-registration clerk or the state registrar for the definitive procedural steps and timelines.