Arizona Vital Records

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U.S. Vital Records

Arizona

Birth, Marriage and Death Records

Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents. United States Vital Records has additional research guidance on researching and using vital records. A copy or an extract of most original records can be purchased from the Arizona Department of Health Services or the County Clerk's Office of the county where the event occurred.

- Births Marriages Deaths Earliest - - - Statewide Registration 1909 1909 1909 General Compliance 1926 - 1926

Saguaro Arizona Sunset

Online Resources

Birth

• 1800-1946 Arizona Genealogy Birth Certificates, 1800-1946 at Arizona Department of Health Services — images
• 1855-1930 Arizona, Birth Certificates and Indexes, 1855-1930 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1887-1935 Arizona Birth Certificates, 1887-1935 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
• 1909-1917 Arizona, Births and Christenings, 1909-1917 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index; Also at: Ancestry($)
• 1909-1917 Arizona Birth Certificates, 1909-1917 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index

Marriage

• 1809-2011 Western States Marriage Index, 1809-2011 at Ancestry — index ($)
• 1833-1949 US Marriages – Arizona, 1833-1949 at Findmypast — index ($)
• 1864-1982 Arizona Marriage Collection, 1864-1982 at Ancestry — index ($)
• 1865-1949 Arizona Marriages, 1865-1949 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1871-1964 Arizona, County Marriages, 1871-1964 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1888-1908 Arizona Select Marriages, 1888-1908 at Ancestry — index ($)
• US Western States Marriage Index at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
• Western States Marriage Index at BYU Idaho — index

Death

• 1800-1971 Arizona Genealogy Record Search at Arizona Department of Health Services — images
• 1870-1951 Arizona Deaths, 1870-1951 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1870-1963 Arizona Death Certificates, 1870-1963 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
• 1877-Onward Arizona Death Certificates at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
• 1910-1911, 1933-1994 Arizona, Deaths and Burials, 1910-1911, 1933-1994 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index; Also at: Ancestry($)
• 1935-2014 US Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014 at Ancestry — index ($)
• 1936-2007 US Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry — index ($)
• 1962-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index

Divorce

• 1877-1937: Arizona Various County Divorce Records, 1877-1937 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Arizona Department of Health

• Arizona Department of Health Services Records Search at Arizona Department of Health Services — images

Birth Records

Check Arizona Genealogy Birth and Death Certificates for records of births that occurred from 1855 to at least 75 years ago. Arizona is one of the few states that has online free access to birth and death records.

Check the following FamilySearch article for additional birth records, with explanation:
Arizona Births and Christenings - FamilySearch Historical Records

For birth records less than 75 years ago, Arizona is a "closed record" state which means vital records are not public records. Only immediate family and selected others may obtain certified copies of vital records.

Genealogists may obtain copies of certificates if all of the following criteria are met:

• The applicant establishes a relationship to the individual whose record is being requested.
• Acceptable types of credible documentation to establish relationship: Birth certificate, Death certificate, Marriage certificate.
• Non-acceptable types of documentation to establish relationship: Pedigree charts, Lineage charts, Family trees.
• The applicant submits a signed application.
• The applicant provides valid government-issued identification or notarized signature on the application. *The application submits the appropriate fee(s).

1909—1988

Statewide registration of vital records in Arizona began July, 1909 and was generally complied with by 1926. Because county clerks sent copies to the Arizona Department of Health Services, vital records are available at both the home county and State Department of Health offices. Birth records are also searchable for 1855 - 1939 statewide at Arizona Genealogy Birth and Death Certificates. This database includes many original scanned images.

1989—Present

You may obtain a certified copy of a birth certificate for a birth that occurred in Arizona after 1989, at the home County Health Department in the county where the birth occurred.

Marriage Records

An 1864 territorial law required county recorders to keep marriage and divorce records. From 1891 to 1912, clerks of probate courts issued marriage licenses. Marriage and divorce records in Arizona are maintained by the Clerk of the Superior Court in the county where the event occurred. They are not available from the Office of Vital Records. There is no statewide registration of marriages in Arizona.

Many of the early marriages for the state are searchable online at no cost in the Western States Marriage Index.

Yuma, Yuma County, Arizona served many eloping couples from Arizona, southern California and New Mexico. In Yuma there was no waiting period between the time of issuing a license and the performance of the marriage.

Gretna Greens. When an Arizona couple's marriage is not in their home county, search for it in alternate places, such as Las Vegas, Clark, Nevada, or Yuma, Yuma, Arizona.

Divorce Records

The earliest divorce records were granted by the territorial legislature and are found in the published territorial statutes. Later divorce proceedings were kept by the district court of each county until 1912, when the superior court was given this jurisdiction.

Death Records

Check Arizona Genealogy Birth and Death Certificates for records of a death that occurred from 1844 to at least 50 years ago. Arizona is one of the few states that has online free access to birth and death records.

To obtain copies of Death records for dates not currently online write to:

Vital Records Section
Arizona Department of Health Services
P.O. Box 3887
Phoenix, AZ 85030
Telephone: 602-255-3260
Internet: Arizona Department of Health Services

Also check VitalRecords.com $ for current fees and latest information to obtain copies of Arizona state records.

Fetal Deaths Only parents may request a copy of a "Certificate of Birth Resulting in a Stillbirth." A "Fetal Death Certificate" may be requested by the parents or another person with written authorization from the parents.

Cause of Death

• Causes of Death - use this resource when trying to interpret a disease or medical condition listed on a death record or certificate

Minorities

African American Research

When searching for birth, marriage, or death records for African Americans in Arizona, check the record types listed above. Other sources have historical information for African American research.

Arizona Indian Research

To locate birth, marriage, or death information on Native Americans living in Arizona you must know which tribe the individual belonged to. Indians of Arizona has more specific information about Indian tribes in Arizona.

Online Arizona Birth, Marriage and Death Records

The following is a list of online resources useful for locating Arizona vital records. Check Arizona Vital Records Online for more information about the resources listed below. Most online resources for Arizona Vital Records are indexes. After locating a person in an index always consult the original record to confirm the information in the index.

• Images of Birth 1855 to 75 yeas ago & Death Certificates 1844 to 50 years ago
• Western States Marriage Index
• State of Arizona Obituary and Death Notices Collections - from GenealogyBuff.com
• USGenWeb.org Arizona Site
• Search for Arizona Collections on FamilySearch.org
• Germanroots.com links for Arizona Birth & Marriages and Death Records - Links to free and $ websites
• Linkpendium Links for Arizona Genealogy and History pages including individual Counties - Links to free and $ websites
• Search the Arizona Birth, Marriage & Death Records at Ancestry ($)
• Order Arizona Certificates online
• Obtain services of Confidential Intermediary Program - use to find information about parents/children lost through adoption
• 1871 - 1964 Arizona, County Marriages, 1871-1964 at FamilySearch; index & images — How to Use this Collection
• 1948 - 2008 Arizona Payson Obituaries 1948-2008 at FamilySearch; index & images — How to Use this Collection

Alternative Records

Check substitute records to either verify information already found or to locate birth, marriage, death and other information when government records do not exist.

• Arizona Church Records: Depending on the denomination, church records may contain information about birth, marriage and death.
• Arizona Census Records: Census records are a valuable source for birth and marriage information. You may also determine approximate time of death when the individual disappear from the census. This is a good place to begin a search.
• Arizona Cemetery Records: Cemetery records are a rich source of birth and death information. These records may also reveal family relationships.
• Social Security Death Index (SSDI): The SSDI indexes deaths for those who had social security numbers and the death was reported to the Social Security Administration. Most records start in 1962.
• Arizona History: Local histories, family histories and biographies can all be sources of birth, marriage and death information. Often this information is found in county-level records or in surname searches of the FamilySearch Catalog.
• Arizona Newspapers: Besides obituaries, local newspapers may contain birth and marriage announcements and death notices. Also check newspaper social columns for additional information.
  Periodicals: Local genealogical and historical societies often publish periodicals which may contain abstracted early birth, marriage and death information
• Arizona Military Records: Military pension records can give birth, marriage and death information. In addition, soldiers' homes records can included this same information.
• Arizona Periodicals: Local genealogical and historical societies often publish periodicals which may contain abstracted early birth, marriage and death information.

Archives, Libraries & Societies

Statewide archives, libraries, historical and genealogical societies of Arizona have collections that can be of great value in Arizona research. Individual counties usually have historical and genealogical societies as well. Contact the Arizona Archives, Societies and Libraries listed below for specific information on availability of records and how to access their collections online, in person or through a local agent who will search the records for a fee.

• Arizona Archives and Libraries

Tips

• The information given on a birth or death certificate is given by an informant. Learn the relationship of the informant to determine the accuracy of the record.
• If you are unable to locate vital records recorded by governments, search for a church record of christening, marriage, death or burial. A family Bible may have been used to record family births, marriages and deaths.
• Privacy laws may restrict your access to some vital records. Copies of vital records recorded in the last 100 years may be unavailable to anyone except a direct relative.
• If the survival of a baby was in question, the birth may not have been recorded. Search for a delayed birth record if the child survived.
• Search for Vital Records in the FamilySearch Catalog by using a Place Search and then choosing Vital Records. Search for Arizona to locate records filed by the State and then search the name of the county to locate records kept by the county.