Start with an online birth record search

Performing an online search should be your first stop when a client comes to you for help.

I recommend: Take advantage of a membership to Gov-Reports.net to have unlimited access to as many birth records as you can handle. Find U.S. and international vital records using World Vital Records; membership is required for this site as well.

Go straight to the source: search hospital birth records

You may not always be able to go down to the hospital someone was born at to search their records. Sometimes making a phone call or sending an email is more than enough to get the information you're looking for. You need to know how to find these hospitals, whether they're domestic or foreign health care centers.

I recommend: Start your search with a comprehensive list of hospitals in the United States by ordering from SK&A Information Services. Locate someone who was born abroad by contacting the consulate in the proper country. Find the consulate by using the Bureau of Consular Affairs.

Search a state's birth records database

Trying to find a birth certificate and not knowing which hospital a person was born at can really complicate things. Still, there are several ways to go about finding the person. You'll have to go through a government agency to do it, though. Each state has their own vital records office, and sometimes individual counties keep records as well. The search can get complicated, but these agencies can get you pointed in the right direction.

I recommend: Locate state health departments at the National Center for Health Statistics. Another great database website is VitalRec.com, which has listings for the Vital Records Office for each state. You can even order birth certificates for U.S. Citizens that were born abroad.