Are birth certificates open to the public

Question

Is there a place you can go to look at any ones birth certificate?

Are all birth records open to the public?

If I want to look up a persons birth records other than my own

is this something I can do?

Answer 1

Most papers publish the births every week or something. I'm not sure how much of it you could see but you could ask with looking them up.

To see an old paper(and they only published names so how is that going to help with ID theft) you could try a library. Some have the old newspapers on microfilm and if you knew when you wanted it then you could see it that way. If you want to see an entire Birth Certificate though(not just name and maybe parents that you get with an announcement) then don't bother with that route.

Answer 2

though Ive never seen them on line,you would have to go to the Country of birth,and look it up. its a matter of public record.

Answer 3

from a genealogical researcher..

almost ALL states restrict access to birth certificates, in order to prevent ID theft, and respect privacy rights. This is something we deal with, all the time.  And, many newspapers are now not publishing birth announcements for the same reasons. Even in the past.. birth announcements were OPTIONAL.

I don't agree with Larry.

Answer 4

No, birth certificates are not themselves a part of the public record.  Births however are recorded in every local newspaper.

Answer 5

From a lawyer.  Anyone can go to the courthouse or city hall and look at anyone's birth cerfiticate.  However, only the person born or a person who is related and has a good reason can get a copy.