How to get my original birth certificate before adoption

Due to staffing levels we currently have a nine (9) to ten (10) month processing turnaround time.

  • If you submitted a product or processing fee, the date your check or money order is cashed represents the verification of receipt. It also helps you estimate the time remaining before your request is processed.

We are working diligently to reduce the turnaround times. If your request has not been processed after four (4) to five (5) months, please call us at (360) 236-4300. We appreciate your patience, thank you.

You can get a copy of an original (pre-adoption) non-certified birth certificate if you are:

  • An adoptee 18 years or older and your birth parent has not filed contact preference form indicating they do not want the original birth certificate released. Send us:
    1. A completed Adoptee's Request for Original Birth Certificate from a Sealed File (DOH 422-102)
    2. The non-refundable $20.00 fee per copy.
    3. Current state issued pictured identification or passport.

  • A birth parent - send us:
    1. A completed Birth Parent Request for Original Birth Certificate from an Adoption Sealed File (DOH 422-103).
      • As a birth parent, you may choose to share or protect your personal information. For more information, visit the Adoption Law webpage.
    2. The non-refundable fee of $15.00 for opening a sealed file.
    3. Current state issued pictured identification or passport.

It is important to know that the sealed files with the original birth certificates are not located in our office. It may take several weeks or more for us to access the record. 

For more information, visit the Adoption Law webpage.

Where do I send my forms and fees?

Make check or money order payable to the Department of Health.

Mailing address:

Attn: Adoptions
Center for Health Statistics
PO Box 9709
Olympia, WA 98507-9709

Searching for Birth Parents or an Adopted Person

An adopted person over the age of 21, or a birth-parent or member of the birth parent’s family, may petition the Superior Court in the county of adoption to appoint a Confidential Intermediary to search for the birth parent(s) or adopted person.

Non-identifying information may be disclosed to adoptee by the adoption agency that handled the adoption or the court in which the adoption was granted.

For questions contact our office at 360-236-4300 or email us at .

Return to the main Adoption page

Due to legislative changes introduced with the Adoption and Children Act 2002, the process for accessing your birth certificate differs depending on when you were adopted. This page tells you how to access your birth certificate if you were adopted before 30 December 2005 

Do you know your original birth name?

If you don’t know your birth name

What happens next if you were adopted before 12 November 1975 in England and Wales

What happens next if you were adopted after 11 November 1975

I live abroad… Can I still access my birth certificate?

How much does it cost?

Do you know your original birth name?

If so then this is simple. You just need to apply via the General Registration Officer at Southport for a copy of your original birth certificate,  

If you don’t know your birth name

You need to write to the Registrar General explaining that:

  • You were adopted.
  • What your adopted name was
  • Your date of birth
  • You are applying for a copy of your birth certificate under Schedule 2 of the Adoption and Children Act 2002.

You can also access the relevant form here.

What happens next if you were adopted before 12 November 1975 in England and Wales

The legislation requires that if you were adopted before 12 November 1975 and do not know your original birth name, then you will need to apply to the General Register Office. The GRO will advise you that you need to have a “counselling” appointment before you can receive the information you need to apply for a copy of your original birth certificate. This appointment will normally take place with an adoption advisor at the local authority where you live or the adoption agency that organised your adoption. The Registrar General will explain the available options for where to go for the ‘counselling’ to you in their response.

Many people searching for information might not be happy with the idea of requiring counselling, but in reality this is more of a consultation session. Up until the Children Act 1975 birth and adoptive families had been told identifying information would never be exchanged. This arrangement was therefore put in place to help the adopted person think about the implications of receiving identifying information that not only affects them but also their birth parents and other relatives too. The consultation with an adoption advisor (who is professionally trained) gives you an opportunity to talk about your hopes, fears and expectations, as well as getting advice and information about any next steps you might want to take.

What happens next if you were adopted after 11 November 1975

If you were adopted after 11 November 1975 there is no requirement to see a ‘counsellor’ and the GRO can send you the information you need to obtain a copy of your original birth certificate. You may still benefit, however, from getting advice and support from someone with experience prior to applying for this, particularly if you also intend to apply to the AAA for the records about your adoption.

I live abroad…Can I still access my birth certificate?

If you don’t know your original name or the agency that arranged your adoption, then you can still contact the Registrar General if you live abroad. You can apply for access to adoption records, and the Registrar General can give you information about organisations that can provide the statutory ‘counselling interview/ meeting/appointment’ in your country of residence. You can also travel back to the UK for this appointment, but please be aware that it can take a long time to set the meeting up, so please don’t book travel until this has been confirmed.

How much does it cost?

You will not be charged for the meeting with an adoption advisor or when you access the adoption records held by the AAA. However, you will have to pay for a copy of your birth certificate when you apply for this.

Details of the fees involved in ordering a copy of certificates can be found on the websites of the General Register Offices for England and Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland.

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How do I get my original birth certificate if I was adopted in California?

You may be able to obtain a copy of the original birth certificate by filing a petition under California Health and Safety Code Section 102705 in the clerk's office of the county superior court where you reside (if you live in California), or the county where the adoption was finalized.

What happens to original birth certificate after adoption in Florida?

In an adoption, change in paternity, affirmation of parental status, undetermined parentage, or court-ordered substitution, the department shall place the original certificate of birth and all papers pertaining thereto under seal, not to be broken except by order of a court of competent jurisdiction or as otherwise ...

How do I get an original birth certificate in Florida?

Click VitalChek® to start your online order or call VitalChek at 1-877-550-7330 to order by phone. If calling from outside the U.S., call 1-615-372-6800.

How do I get an original birth certificate in Illinois?

State Access to Birth Certificates: Birth records can be obtained online, by mail, fax, and in person from the Illinois Department of Public Health - Vital Records, 605 West Jefferson St. Springfield, Illinois 62702-5097 217-782-6553.