Navajo County

Services

Navajo County Public Health Services District (NCPHSD), Office of Vital Records offers certified copies of Arizona births. We accept completed applications over the counter or by mail. Birth certificates are issued Monday thru Thursday only, 8:00 am to 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm. We issue birth certificates from our office located at 117 E. Buffalo Street, Holbrook, AZ, 86025. Certified birth certificates are issued from an Arizona electronic data-base. We are only able to issue what is in the data-base. Applicants coming to our office are served on a first come, first served basis. We can not accept applications via fax or email. Acceptable ID and the appropriate fee must be submitted along with a completed application. Please see the fee schedule below. We do not provide refunds for issued birth certificates. For more information, please call the Vital Records Office at (928) 524-4750.

• Births prior to 1950 — NCPHSD cannot issue certificates for births that occurred prior to 1950. You must apply directly to the Arizona Department of Health Services, Office of Vital Records.

• Births from 1950 through 1989 — NCPHSD is only able to issue an “As Is” birth certificate. The “As Is” birth certificate is an electronic certified copy of the birth certificate that contains limited information, such as the registrant’s name, date of birth, county of birth, gender and parent’s names. This birth certificate is acceptable for most uses, except for applying for a passport. Applications for “As Is” birth certificates will not be accepted via mail. You must apply in person. For a Complete birth certificate for births occurring from 1950 to 1989, you must apply to the Arizona Department of Health Services, Office of Vital Records.

• Births 1990 to present — NCPHSD is able to issue certified birth certificates for these births. These certificates are considered complete.

• Delayed Births — When a child is not born in a hospital or birthing center, it is the responsibility of the parents to file a birth certificate with the Arizona Office of Vital Records. The parents have until the child’s first birthday to complete this. Any person born in Arizona whose birth was not registered within one year after the birth can apply for a delayed birth certificate. You must contact the Arizona Department of Health Services, Office of Vital Records. NCPHSD is not able to complete delayed birth certificates.

• Amendments and Corrections — NCPHSD can only correct or amend records for births occurring from 1997 to the present. To correct or amend a birth that occurred prior to 1997, you must contact the Arizona Department of Health Services, Office of Vital Records. See the Arizona Department of Health Services, Office of Vital Records, Forms for an Affidavit to Correct Birth Record. This form must be completed for an amendment or a correction. Most amendments and corrections require original documentation in addition to the completed form. Please call our office to find out what documents are required for the amendment or correction that needs to be made.

• Acknowledgement of Paternity — Arizona law (§36-334) requires that if a mother is not married at the time a child is born and has not been married any time during the preceding 10 months, no father will be named on the birth certificate unless both parents file sworn statements or unless so ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction. The Acknowledgement of Paternity form may be used to establish paternity for a child under the age of 18. If both parents are in agreement as to the identity of the biological father of a child they may establish paternity by filing an Acknowledgement of Paternity form in English & Spanish. These forms are available at all birthing hospitals, the Arizona Department of Health Services, Office of Vital Records, the Arizona Department of Economic Security's Child Support Enforcement offices and NCPHSD. Parents may choose to complete the Acknowledgment of Paternity at the hospital when the child is born or may do it later. The Acknowledgment of Paternity form must be completed in BLACK INK and may contain NO ERRORS. If there are any errors, white-outs, changes, strikeouts or other alterations it will be rejected. Both parents must sign the Acknowledgment of Paternity form and both signatures must be notarized or witnessed. Do not forge the signature of either parent. Claims of forgery will be investigated. Acknowledgment of Paternity can also be used to change the child's surname to the father’s last name. Also note that acknowledgment can be used to change any part of the child’s name from birth to 3 months of age. This process can be done in person or by mail. You can mail your completed Acknowledgment of Paternity form to:

  Hospital Paternity Program
  P.O. Box 40458
  Phoenix, Arizona 85067

  Do Not Mail Payment to the Hospital Paternity Program. Once the Acknowledgment of Paternity has been processed by the Hospital Paternity Program (allow 2 weeks for mailing and processing) you may complete and submit in person or via mail a birth certificate application to NCPHSD. See below for fees and the NCPHSD mailing address.

• Adoptions — NCPHSD is not able to complete adoptions. You must contact the Arizona Department of Health Services, Office of Vital Records.

• Home Births — NCPHSD can assist in the registration of a home birth within the first year of the birth. Please call (928) 524-4750 in order to make an appointment.

Eligibility for a Birth Certificate

Arizona is a “closed record” state. That means that vital records are not public record. Arizona law restricts the public’s access to vital records as follows to protect the confidentiality rights of our citizens. Arizona Administrative Code R9-19-403 specifies that only the following may receive a certified copy of a birth certificate:

* Only persons 18 years of age or older may obtain a certified copy of a birth certificate.

• Registrant (self) — The person named on the birth certificate.
• Parents — Your name must appear on the birth certificate.
• Spouse — You must provide a notarized letter of permission signed by the person (your spouse), provide a copy of the person’s valid government issued picture ID, including signature and one recent original document that supports the claim that you are the eligible spouse such as a marriage license, bank statement, vehicle registration with both the person and your name. Note: If your last name and the person’s last name are not the same, you must provide an original marriage license.
• Grandparent — You must provide:
  • The birth certificate of your child, the parent who is named on the person’s birth certificate or
  • If your child (mother or father named on the person’s certificate) was born in Arizona, provide the name and date of birth of that child for verification in the Arizona Birth database system. Note: You must be named as the parent on the birth certificate of your child.
• Adult Child — You must provide:
  • A copy of your birth certificate which names the person as your parent or
  • If you were born in Arizona, and a search can be done in the Arizona Birth database for your birth record to verify the record names the person as your parent.
• Adult Brother or Sister — You must provide:
  • A copy of your birth certificate which shows at least one common parent shared by you and the person or
  • If you were born in Arizona and a search can be done in the Arizona Birth database for your birth record in order to verify at least one common parent is shared by you and the person.
• Guardian Having Legal Custody or Control of a Minor Child — You must provide:
  • A certified copy of the Order for Permanent Guardianship of the minor child or
  • A certified copy of the Order for Temporary Guardianship of the minor child and the application is filed within the timeframe of the temporary order.
• Foster Parents — You must contact the Arizona Department of Health Services, Office of Vital Records
• Attorney Representing the Registrant — You must provide:
  • A letter of request on your official letterhead stating your professional relationship to the person or the person’s parent if the person is a minor, signed by you, the attorney and containing your bar number.
  • Documentation, such as a signed retainer stating that you have been retained by the person or person’s parent.
• Persons or Agencies Empowered by Statute or Appointed by a Court to Act on the Registrant's Behalf — You must provide:
  • A certified copy of court records or other documentation that establishes you are authorized to act on the person’s behalf.
• Genealogical — You must contact the Arizona Department of Health Services, Office of Vital Records

For fee information, refer to the fee schedule.

Other Requirements

1. You must complete and sign an Arizona Birth Certificate application, available online or in the office.

2. You must submit a valid government issued picture ID that includes a signature. Please see below for acceptable forms of ID.

3. If you submit the application by mail, the form must be notarized. Notarized applications will not be accepted for same day service. Notarized applications will be accepted over the counter; however certificates will be mailed for these completed applications.

4. You must submit the appropriate fee.

Acceptable Forms of Identification

• United States issued Drivers Licenses
• United States issued Identification Card
• United States Territories Drivers License or Identification Card
• Tribal Identification Cards that contains bearer’s signature
• U.S. Military Identification Cards that contains bearer’s signature (some do not)
• Passports-United States or Foreign issued
• Visa –In a passport and the bearer’s signature is on the passport not the Visa
• Permanent Resident Card issued on or after May 11, 2010 which includes a signature
• Resident Alien Card (Form I-551)
• Employment Authorization Card (Form I-766)
• Employment Authorization Card (Form I-688A)
• Employment Authorization Card (Form I-688B)
• Temporary Resident Card (Form I-688)

Please note: Any other forms of ID are NOT acceptable. Any form of ID that is expired, cracked, broken, taped, faded or excessively damaged will not be accepted.

Fee Schedule - Effective July 1, 2011

Acceptable Forms of Payment

• Money Order

Office Location / Mailing Address / Phone / Hours

Physical / Mailing Address:

117 E Buffalo Street
Holbrook, AZ 86025

Phone:

(928) 524-4750

Birth Certificate Issuing Hours:

Monday thru Thursday
8:00 - 12:00
1:00 - 5:00

Office Hours:

Monday - Thursday
7:00am - 6:00pm

More Information about AZ DHS

For more information on Arizona Vital Records visit the Arizona Department of Health Services, Office of Vital Records Web site. Or contact them by phone at (888) 816-5907 or (602) 364-1300. You can visit them in person or reach them by mail at:

Arizona Department of Health Services
Office of Vital Records
1818 West Adams Street
Phoenix, AZ 85007

Vital Records from other States

For your convenience, we have contact information for Vital Records Offices in other states.