St. Clair County Birth Certificates Lookup
St. Clair County birth records are held by the County Clerk at 201 McMorran Blvd. in Port Huron. The office has maintained birth records since 1867 and accepts requests in person, by mail, and online through VitalChek. If you need a certified birth certificate from St. Clair County, the clerk's office in Port Huron is the place to go. This page covers how to make a request, what to expect, and how the county's records are organized.
St. Clair County Overview
St. Clair County Clerk Vital Records
The St. Clair County Clerk manages birth records for the county. The office is at 201 McMorran Blvd. in Port Huron. Phone contact is available at (810) 985-2200. The county has birth records going back to 1867, marriage records from 1834, and death records from 1868. This makes the clerk's office a good resource for both current requests and older genealogy research.
Access to birth records is governed by MCL 333.2882, which sets out who is eligible to receive a certified copy. The law limits access to protect privacy. Eligible requesters include the person named on the certificate, a parent, a legal guardian with court papers, a legal representative, and heirs of a deceased person. Records 100 years old or older are public. Anyone can request those without proving a relationship.
One thing to note if you are in St. Clair Shores: that city is in Macomb County, not St. Clair County. The St. Clair Shores City Clerk, which is a completely separate office, handles local records for that city. If you are looking for a birth record connected to St. Clair County, make sure the birth actually took place within St. Clair County's boundaries, not in St. Clair Shores.
| Office | St. Clair County Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | 201 McMorran Blvd. Port Huron, MI 48060 |
| Phone | (810) 985-2200 |
| Records Start | Birth records: 1867 | Marriage records: 1834 | Death records: 1868 |
| Website | St. Clair County Birth Records |
How to Request a St. Clair County Birth Certificate
St. Clair County accepts in-person, mail, and VitalChek online requests for birth certificates. In-person is the most direct method. Go to 201 McMorran Blvd. in Port Huron during business hours. Bring a valid photo ID and payment. Staff will search the records and process your request. Most in-person requests are handled the same day.
Mail requests follow the usual Michigan process. Write a letter that includes the full name on the certificate, the date of birth, and the parents' names. Include a copy of your photo ID and payment by check or money order. Make the check out to the St. Clair County Clerk. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope. Processing times for mail requests depend on current volume at the office.
Online ordering through VitalChek is also available. VitalChek lets you order from home using a credit card and includes expedited options if you need the certificate quickly. Visit the St. Clair County birth records page for the current link to VitalChek ordering and any updates to the process.
The St. Clair County birth records page shows the request methods, required documents, and fees for getting a certified birth certificate.
St. Clair Shores vs. St. Clair County
St. Clair Shores is a city in Macomb County. It is sometimes confused with St. Clair County because of the similar name. If someone was born in St. Clair Shores, their birth would have been recorded in Macomb County, not St. Clair County. The St. Clair Shores City Clerk at its own office maintains some local records for that city, but it is a completely different entity from the St. Clair County Clerk in Port Huron.
The St. Clair Shores records page clarifies that this city office is in Macomb County and is separate from the St. Clair County Clerk in Port Huron.
If you are doing research and are not sure which county applies, check the city or township where the birth took place. St. Clair County covers the Thumb region of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. St. Clair Shores is on the east side of the Detroit metro area in Macomb County. They are distinct jurisdictions with separate clerks and separate record sets.
St. Clair County Birth Certificate Fees
Fees for a certified birth certificate in St. Clair County range from $15 to $25 for the first copy depending on the ordering method. VitalChek orders add a service fee. Additional copies ordered at the same time cost less per copy. These fees are set under MCL 333.2888. Confirm the current fee schedule with the clerk's office or through the VitalChek portal before submitting payment.
Michigan vital records are not subject to FOIA. The clerk cannot release records in response to a general public records request if the requester does not meet eligibility requirements. Access rules are set by MCL 333.2882, and the clerk follows these rules strictly. Bring proof of your eligibility when you visit or include it in your mail request.
Michigan MDHHS and St. Clair County Records
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services manages statewide vital records. If you need to order through the state rather than the county, visit michigan.gov MDHHS Vital Records or order online at michigan.gov order a record. The state also processes orders through VitalChek's Michigan statewide portal. Michigan's vital records registration law at MCL 333.2813 governs how records are kept and accessed across all counties.
Cities in St. Clair County
Port Huron is the county seat and largest city in St. Clair County. The county is in the Thumb region of Michigan, along the border with Ontario, Canada. All birth records for cities and townships in the county are held at the County Clerk's office in Port Huron.
No cities in St. Clair County currently meet the population threshold for individual city pages on this site. For birth record requests, contact the county clerk directly.
Nearby Counties
St. Clair County is in the southeast corner of Michigan's Thumb. The counties below border it. If you need to confirm which county a birth was recorded in, check the township or city location.