Birth Certificates in Farmington Hills
Farmington Hills birth records can be requested from either the Farmington Hills City Clerk or the Oakland County Clerk, depending on when the birth occurred. Farmington Hills is a city in Oakland County with over 81,000 residents. The city has a unique dual-access system for birth certificates that applies to certain births after July 1, 1973. If you need a certified copy for someone born in Farmington Hills, knowing which office to contact first can save you time. This page explains the rules and how to make a request.
Farmington Hills Overview
Where to Get Farmington Hills Birth Records
Farmington Hills is one of the few Michigan cities where the local City Clerk's office can issue certified birth certificates directly. This applies to births at Botsford Hospital (now Beaumont Hospital Farmington Hills) and home births within city limits, but only for births that occurred on or after July 1, 1973. For births before July 1973, you must contact Oakland County or the state. The city clerk maintains local copies and can issue them more quickly than routing everything through the county.
Farmington Hills City Hall and Oakland County both serve residents depending on the birth date and circumstances. The chart below outlines which office to contact based on the date of birth:
| Office | Farmington Hills City Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | Farmington Hills City Hall City Clerk's Office |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Website | Farmington Hills City Clerk - Birth Certificates |
For births prior to July 1973, or births from July 1973 through September 1978 where the mother was not married at the time of birth, contact Oakland County. The Oakland County Clerk is at 1200 N. Telegraph Rd, Building 12 East, Pontiac, MI 48341. Phone: (248) 858-0561. The county's Oakland County birth records page has full details on the county process.
If neither the city nor county has the record, or if you prefer to order through the state, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services maintains the statewide registry going back to 1867 as well.
How to Request a Farmington Hills Birth Certificate
Start by identifying which office holds your record based on the birth date. For qualifying post-July 1973 births at Botsford/Beaumont Hospital or in-city home births, go to the Farmington Hills City Clerk first. Visiting in person at City Hall is the fastest route. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID, know the subject's full legal name, date of birth, and parents' names, and be prepared to pay the fee at the time of your visit.
If you need a county or state copy instead, Oakland County accepts requests in person at 1200 N. Telegraph Rd, Pontiac, or by mail. Download the request form from the Oakland County Clerk website. Complete it, attach a copy of your ID, and send a check or money order to the county office. Do not send cash by mail. Allow extra time for mail requests, especially during busy periods.
The state offers online ordering through VitalChek for an added service fee. This is useful if you want to order from home and cannot make it to either local office. The state MDHHS in Lansing also processes mail requests directly.
Note: For births between July 1973 and September 1978 where the parents were not married, the local copy may not be available. In those cases, a state copy through MDHHS is the correct path.
Birth Certificate Fees in Farmington Hills
The Farmington Hills City Clerk charges $15 for the first certified local copy and $5 for each additional copy ordered at the same time. If you need a state-issued copy through MDHHS instead of a local copy, the fee is higher: $34 for the first state copy and $16 for each additional copy. Local copies through the city clerk are the lower-cost option when they apply to your situation.
Oakland County charges $15 for the first certified copy and $5 for each additional copy. Seniors age 65 and older requesting their own record may qualify for a reduced fee. These fees are set under MCL 333.2891, which governs vital records fees throughout Michigan. Payment at City Hall or the county office can be made by cash, check, or money order. Mail requests require a check or money order. Do not mail cash.
Who Can Request a Farmington Hills Birth Record
Michigan law limits who can get a certified copy of a birth certificate. Under MCL 333.2882, the eligible requestors are the person named on the record (age 18 or older), a parent or legal guardian, a spouse, child, sibling, an attorney of record, or someone with a valid court order. You must be able to show your relationship to the person named on the certificate.
At the time of your request, you will need to provide the subject's full legal name at birth, their date of birth, the city where they were born, and the names of both parents. Providing accurate information is important. If the details you submit don't match the record, the clerk may not be able to find it or issue the certificate. Call the city clerk or Oakland County ahead of time if you are unsure what information you have available.
Genealogy researchers looking for records that are 100 years old or older may have access under different rules. Contact the city clerk or Oakland County to ask about research access policies for older Farmington Hills birth records.
Farmington Hills City Clerk Birth Record Rules
Farmington Hills has some specific rules about which births the city clerk can certify. The city clerk can issue local copies for births at Botsford Hospital (now Beaumont Hospital Farmington Hills) and home births within city limits, but only if the birth was on or after July 1, 1973. Births before that date are at Oakland County or the state, not the local city office.
There is also a window from July 1973 through September 1978 where the rules depend on the parents' marital status at the time of birth. If the mother was married when the birth occurred, the city clerk may have a local copy. If the mother was not married, only the state copy through MDHHS is available for that period. This is a specific rule that applies to Farmington Hills and a small number of other Michigan cities that operated as local vital records offices during that era.
If you are unsure which category your birth record falls into, call the Farmington Hills City Clerk's office first and explain the situation. They can tell you quickly whether they hold the record or whether you need to go to Oakland County or the state. Visiting the Farmington Hills City Clerk birth certificates page is a good first step for any resident with questions about local birth records.
Michigan Vital Records System
Whether your Farmington Hills birth record is held locally, at the county, or at the state, all Michigan birth certificates are part of the statewide vital records system managed by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. The image below shows the MDHHS vital records portal, which serves as a statewide resource for anyone needing birth certificate access in Michigan.
The MDHHS portal links to all ordering options, including online ordering through VitalChek and mail-in state requests from Lansing.
Nearby Oakland County Cities
Other Oakland County cities near Farmington Hills also have birth records through the Oakland County Clerk. Birth certificate requests for any of these communities follow the standard Oakland County process.
Oakland County Birth Records
Farmington Hills is in Oakland County. Many birth records for the city are held by the Oakland County Clerk, and the county is always the backup when local city records don't apply. For full information on the county's vital records program and office details, visit the Oakland County birth records page.