Track a letter

Where to mail your certificate application in New York

Mail your completed New York certificate application to Vital Records Section, 800 North Pearl Street, Menands, NY 12204. This office issues certified copies of birth, death and marriage certificates registered in the state. $30 per copy for birth, death, or marriage certificates. Send the signed form, any required ID, and payment, and keep proof of mailing if your certificate is for a passport, estate, or other deadline.

Certificate applications — birth, death and marriage certificates

Vital Records Section
Certification Unit, 2nd Floor
800 North Pearl Street
Menands, NY  12204

Use this address for birth, death and marriage certificates for events registered in New York.

Verified September 2026cdc.gov

Write it now. We print & mail it for $5.

Type your letter in the browser. We print it, stamp it, and hand it to USPS — usually same business day. No printer, no stamps, no post office.

Mail my certificate application — $5

$5 flat · postage included · no account needed

  • You write & pay
  • We print & envelope
  • USPS, next business day
  • Confirmation of Mailing emailed

Your name
Your return address

Vital Records SectionCertification Unit, 2nd Floor800 North Pearl StreetMenands, NY 12204

Your letter, printed and mailed for you.

Key facts

  • New York's vital records office issues certificates only for events (births, deaths, marriages) registered in New York — apply to the state where the event happened, not the state you live in now.
  • $30 per copy for birth, death, or marriage certificates.
  • Check or money order payable to the "New York State Department of Health."
  • For events registered before 1914 in Albany, Buffalo, or Yonkers (or before 1880 elsewhere in the state), contact the local Registrar in the city where it happened.
  • Mailed applications take longer than online orders because processing only starts once the envelope arrives — allow extra time if you need the certificate for a passport, estate, or other deadline.
  • PostPal prints your completed application and mails it to Vital Records Section the next business day — no printer, envelope, or trip to the post office.

How to send your letter

  1. 1

    Confirm the event was registered in New York

    Certificates come from the state where the birth, death, or marriage was registered. If the event happened in New York, Vital Records Section is the right office; if it happened elsewhere, apply there instead.

  2. 2

    Fill out and sign the application

    Download the current application from New York's vital records website (linked in the sources below), complete it, and sign it. For events registered before 1914 in Albany, Buffalo, or Yonkers (or before 1880 elsewhere in the state), contact the local Registrar in the city where it happened. Include your payment: Check or money order payable to the "New York State Department of Health."

  3. 3

    Address the envelope to the vital records office

    Mail it to Vital Records Section, 800 North Pearl Street, Menands, NY 12204. Put your own return address on the envelope so anything undeliverable comes back to you.

  4. 4

    Send it without leaving home

    Upload your completed application to PostPal with this address prefilled. We print it, add it to a sealed envelope, and deposit it with USPS within one business day for $5 — postage included.

Common questions

Where do I mail my birth certificate application in New York?

Mail it to Vital Records Section, 800 North Pearl Street, Menands, NY 12204. $30 per copy for birth, death, or marriage certificates.

Can I mail a vital records application instead of ordering online?

Yes. New York accepts certificate applications by mail — send the signed form, any required ID, and payment to Vital Records Section. Mail is a common choice when you can't order online or need to include documents the online system won't accept.

What do I need to include when I mail my application?

Include the completed and signed application form, for events registered before 1914 in Albany, Buffalo, or Yonkers (or before 1880 elsewhere in the state), contact the local Registrar in the city where it happened., and payment: Check or money order payable to the "New York State Department of Health."

How long does a mailed certificate take?

Longer than an online order, because processing only begins when your envelope arrives and the finished certificate is mailed back to you. If you're up against a passport, travel, or estate deadline, mail early and keep proof of the date you sent it.

Does this office handle all New York marriage certificates?

Covers marriages outside New York City only — for a New York City marriage certificate, request it from the NYC Health Department instead.

Can PostPal mail my New York vital records application for me?

Yes. Upload your completed, signed application and PostPal prints it and mails it to Vital Records Section the next business day for $5, with a dated Confirmation of Mailing emailed to you. You still fill out and sign the form yourself — we handle the printing, envelope, and postage.

Sources

Addresses verified September 2026 against official sources. Always confirm on the official site before time-sensitive filings.

Related pages