Obtain A... Certified Copy of a Birth Record

Birth records have been filed with the Leelanau County Clerk’s Office since 1867. Although birth records are confidential and are not public record, certified copies of birth certificates are available to eligible persons upon request.

To obtain a certified copy of a birth record, the applicant must indicate his or her relationship to the person named on the certificate. Michigan law states that certified copies of birth records can be issued only to the individual, a parent named on the record, an heir or a legal guardian.

Heirs must provide proof of death and how they are related. Legal guardians must provide a copy of their legal guardianship papers.

The minimum fee for a certified copy of a birth record is $10.00 for the first copy and $5.00 for each additional copy of the same record at time of purchase. Citizens who are 65 years of age or older applying for a certified copy of their own record are charged a $7.00 fee for the first certified copy and $5.00 for each additional copy of the same record at time of purchase.

Please print and fill out the record request form below and return to the Clerk's Office with the appropriate fee. If you are unsure of where you were born within the State of Michigan, please access the Michigan Department of Community Health through the link below. You can then print out a request form and mail to the State, along with the appropriate fee.