Washtenaw County Birth Records Search
Washtenaw County birth records are maintained by the Washtenaw County Clerk/Register of Deeds in Ann Arbor. The office holds birth records going back to 1867 and can issue certified copies to eligible requestors. You can request records in person at the courthouse, by mail, or through the county's online portal.
Washtenaw County Overview
Washtenaw County Clerk Birth Records Office
The Washtenaw County Clerk/Register of Deeds office is in Ann Arbor at 200 N. Main Street. The main office is in Suite 120, while the Vital Records Office is in Suite 100 of the same building. Both can be reached by phone at (734) 222-6710.
Birth records in Washtenaw County go back to 1867. Divorce and court records in this county go back even further, to 1835, making Washtenaw one of the better-documented counties for historical research in Michigan. If you need records from the nineteenth century, this office likely has what you are looking for.
The clerk's office also handles marriage and death records, making it a single stop for most vital records needs. The county website at washtenaw.org has current information on ordering options, required documents, and payment methods. The screenshot below is from the county's main site.
Visit washtenaw.org for up-to-date information on hours and ordering procedures before submitting your request.
| Office | Washtenaw County Clerk/Register of Deeds |
|---|---|
| Main Address |
200 N. Main Street, Suite 120 P.O. Box 8645 Ann Arbor, MI 48107-8645 |
| Vital Records Office | 200 N. Main, Suite 100, Ann Arbor |
| Phone | (734) 222-6710 |
| Fax | (734) 222-6819 |
| Circuit Court Records | (734) 222-3024 |
| Records Since | 1867 (birth); 1835 (court and divorce) |
How to Request Washtenaw County Birth Certificates
Washtenaw County offers several ways to get a certified birth certificate. In person at the Ann Arbor office is the fastest option. Bring a valid photo ID, fill out a request form, and pay the $15 fee. Staff can typically process your request the same day.
Mail requests work well if you cannot make it to Ann Arbor. Write a letter with the full name on the birth record, the date of birth, and the place of birth within Washtenaw County. Include your relationship to the person on the record and the reason for your request. Enclose a copy of your photo ID and a check or money order for $15 made out to Washtenaw County Clerk. Mail to P.O. Box 8645, Ann Arbor, MI 48107-8645. Allow a few weeks for processing.
The Washtenaw County Clerk also provides a Self Service Web portal for searching records online. You can find public records information through the county court system as well. The Washtenaw County public records page at washtenawcountycourt.org/public-records/ covers court-related records including those in the Circuit Court. The screenshot below is from that public records portal.
For birth certificates specifically, use the vital records office at Suite 100. The circuit court records unit handles different types of records and has a separate phone number at (734) 222-3024.
Who Can Get Washtenaw County Birth Records
Washtenaw County follows Michigan state law on who can request a birth certificate. Under MCL 333.2882, birth records less than 100 years old are restricted. Only a specific group of people can order them.
Eligible requestors include the person named on the birth certificate, a parent named on the certificate, a legal guardian with current guardianship documents, a licensed attorney with a State Bar P-Number, a legal heir of a deceased person with a death certificate proving the relationship, or a court that has issued an order for the record. If you do not fall into one of these categories, you cannot get a certified copy of a restricted birth record.
Birth records that are 100 or more years old are public records under Michigan law. Anyone can request those without proving a relationship. This matters for family history researchers looking for births from the 1800s and early 1900s. Washtenaw County records go back to 1867, so there is a good amount of public-access material available for genealogists.
Michigan vital records are not subject to FOIA under MCL 333.2888. Filing a public records request will not get you around the access restrictions. You need to qualify as an eligible requestor under the vital records statutes.
Genealogy Help at Washtenaw County
The Washtenaw County Clerk's office offers genealogy assistance on Thursdays from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. A volunteer from the Genealogical Society of Washtenaw County is on-site during those hours to help people searching historical records. This is a useful resource if you are new to genealogy research or if you need help navigating older documents.
Washtenaw County's records are particularly valuable for researchers. Court and divorce records dating to 1835 predate the formal statewide vital records system by more than 30 years. If you are researching ancestors who lived in the Ann Arbor area in the mid-1800s, the county clerk's records are a strong starting point. Marriage records, death records, and probate filings can all fill in gaps that birth records alone cannot.
For records that the county does not have, the state-level office is the next stop. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services keeps copies of birth records for the entire state at michigan.gov/mdhhs/doing-business/vitalrecords. The state system now holds over 32 million vital records going back to 1867. Online orders through the state can be placed at michigan.gov/mdhhs/doing-business/vitalrecords/order-a-record-online.
Note: When using the Thursday genealogy hours, plan to arrive before 2:00 PM as the session ends then. The volunteer service is free.
Michigan Birth Record Laws and the Washtenaw County System
The foundation for all Michigan birth records is MCL 333.2813, the Vital Records Act. This law establishes how the statewide registration system works and defines the role of county clerks as local registrars. Washtenaw County operates under this statute along with every other Michigan county.
When a birth occurs in Washtenaw County, the hospital or facility is required to report it to the county within five days. This initial report goes into the Michigan Vital Records System, which has processed all records electronically since 1989. Older records from before that date exist as paper documents or microfilm copies held at the county level and at the state archives.
The senior fee reduction under MCL 333.2891(8) applies in Washtenaw County as it does statewide. If you are 65 or older and requesting your own birth certificate, ask about the reduced rate when you contact the office. The standard Washtenaw County fee is $15 for the first copy and $5 for each additional copy ordered at the same time.
If you need to verify that a birth occurred without getting a full copy of the record, the state offers a verification service under MCL 333.2881. A verification costs $18 per search and is returned stamped yes or no. This is different from a certified copy and does not include the actual document. For most practical purposes, a certified copy is what you will need.
For online ordering through VitalChek, the authorized Michigan provider, go to vitalchek.com. Standard service takes 21 to 45 business days. Rapid service takes 1 to 5 business days.
Cities in Washtenaw County
Washtenaw County includes Ann Arbor as its county seat and largest city. Ann Arbor is home to the University of Michigan and is one of the larger cities in southeast Michigan. All birth records for the county are managed through the Washtenaw County Clerk's office.
Other communities in Washtenaw County include Ypsilanti, Saline, Chelsea, and Dexter. Birth records for all areas of Washtenaw County are filed with and maintained by the county clerk.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Washtenaw County. Birth records for births in a neighboring county are held by that county's clerk, not Washtenaw County. Contact the right county office when you know where the birth took place.