Find Birth Records in Rochester Hills
Rochester Hills birth records are issued by the Oakland County Clerk in Pontiac. Rochester Hills is a city in Oakland County with a population of over 73,000 residents. Like most Michigan cities, Rochester Hills does not have a local birth certificate office. Certified copies of birth records come from Oakland County, which maintains records going back to 1867. This page explains what you need to get a Rochester Hills birth certificate and how the request process works.
Rochester Hills Overview
Where to Get Rochester Hills Birth Records
Birth certificates for Rochester Hills are issued by the Oakland County Clerk at 1200 N. Telegraph Road, Building 12 East, in Pontiac. The clerk's office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Rochester Hills is in the northeastern part of Oakland County, roughly 15 to 20 miles from Pontiac depending on your starting point. The drive is manageable, and the county office handles all walk-in requests during business hours.
| Office | Oakland County Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | 1200 N. Telegraph Rd, Building 12 East Pontiac, MI 48341 |
| Phone | (248) 858-0561 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Website | Oakland County Clerk - Birth Records |
The Oakland County Clerk's birth records page at oakgov.com has the current request form, required ID types, and updated fee information. Check the page before your visit or before mailing a request to make sure you have everything you need. Having the form completed and signed when you arrive speeds up in-person service considerably.
Rochester Hills City Hall has a city clerk, but that office does not issue birth certificates. If you contact the city clerk by mistake, they will refer you to Oakland County. Go directly to the Oakland County Clerk to avoid an extra step. For records that cannot be found at the county level, the Michigan MDHHS vital records office in Lansing holds a statewide registry that can serve as a backup.
How to Request a Rochester Hills Birth Certificate
The three main ways to request a Rochester Hills birth record are in person, by mail, and online. In person at the Oakland County Clerk in Pontiac is the fastest method. Bring your government-issued photo ID, the completed request form, and payment. Most in-person requests are completed the same day.
For mail requests, download the birth certificate request form from the Oakland County Clerk website or call (248) 858-0561 to have one sent to you. Fill in all required fields and attach a legible photocopy of your photo ID. Include a check or money order for the fee payable to the Oakland County Clerk. Do not send cash by mail. Send your complete package to 1200 N. Telegraph Rd, Building 12 East, Pontiac, MI 48341. Processing times for mail requests can vary from several days to a couple of weeks depending on volume.
Online options include ordering through the Michigan MDHHS portal or through VitalChek. VitalChek is an authorized third-party service that processes Michigan birth certificate orders online. A service fee is added to the standard county fee. This option is convenient if you prefer to have the certificate mailed to you and cannot visit Pontiac. The state MDHHS also maintains a statewide registry that can fulfill requests if the county record is not located.
Birth Certificate Fees for Rochester Hills
Oakland County charges $15 for the first certified copy of a birth certificate and $5 for each additional copy of the same record when ordered at the same time. These fees apply to all birth certificate requests at the Oakland County Clerk regardless of which city the birth occurred in. If you need multiple copies, ordering them all together in a single request is the most efficient and cost-effective approach.
These fees are governed by MCL 333.2891, which authorizes local vital records offices to collect fees for certified copies. Payment is accepted by cash, check, or money order for in-person visits at the Pontiac office. For mail requests, use a check or money order payable to the Oakland County Clerk. Do not send cash by mail. If ordering through VitalChek, the service accepts credit cards, but the total cost will be higher due to the service fee.
Note: Seniors who are 65 or older and requesting their own birth record may qualify for a reduced fee through Oakland County. Call (248) 858-0561 and ask about the senior discount when planning your request.
Who Can Request a Rochester Hills Birth Record
Michigan law limits access to certified birth certificates under MCL 333.2882. The people who can get a certified copy include the person on the record if they are 18 or older, a parent or legal guardian, a spouse, a child or sibling, a licensed attorney acting on the person's behalf, or anyone with a court order authorizing access. You must document your connection to the subject when you make the request.
The request form will ask for the subject's full legal name at birth, their date of birth, the city and county of birth, and both parents' full names including the mother's maiden name. Complete and accurate information is essential. If some details are unclear, call the Oakland County Clerk at (248) 858-0561 before submitting your request. Staff can advise on how to proceed with partial information.
For genealogy research involving older records, those 100 years of age or older may be accessible with fewer restrictions. The Oakland County Clerk and Michigan MDHHS can advise on the current genealogy access rules for historical Rochester Hills birth records. If you are doing family history research rather than requesting a current legal certificate, mention that at the start of your inquiry so staff can point you to the right process.
Michigan VERA Vital Events System
Michigan's vital records system is managed statewide through the MDHHS. The image below shows the Michigan VERA (Vital Events Registration Application) portal, which is part of how birth records are registered and maintained for communities like Rochester Hills across the state.
Visit the Michigan MDHHS vital records page to learn more about the statewide system and how to order records online through VitalChek when you prefer not to visit Oakland County in person.
Nearby Oakland County Cities
These nearby Oakland County cities all have birth records through the same Oakland County Clerk office in Pontiac.
Oakland County Birth Records
Rochester Hills is in Oakland County. Certified birth certificates for the city are issued exclusively by the Oakland County Clerk. For more on the county's vital records office, full fee details, and other local resources, visit the Oakland County birth records page.