Search Cleveland Birth Records
Cleveland birth records are managed by the Department of Public Health at Cleveland City Hall. The Bureau of Vital Statistics on Lakeside Avenue issues certified copies of birth certificates for anyone born in Ohio. The fee is $25.00 per copy. Cleveland also serves as the main vital records hub for much of Cuyahoga County, since the county board of health does not issue certificates directly. For pre-1909 records, the Cuyahoga County Archives and Probate Court hold historical birth registers dating back to 1849. This page lays out each office, its fees, and how to get your Cleveland birth certificate.
Cleveland Birth Records at a Glance
Cuyahoga County Handles Cleveland Filings
Cleveland is the county seat of Cuyahoga County. The city's Department of Public Health acts as the vital records office for Cleveland and most of the county. The Cuyahoga County Board of Health at 5550 Venture Drive in Parma does not issue vital records on its own. Instead, it sends people to the Cleveland office or to their local city health department. That means Cleveland's Bureau of Vital Statistics is the go-to place for a large share of Cuyahoga County residents who need birth certificates.
Some suburbs like Parma and Lakewood run their own vital statistics offices. If you were born in one of those cities, you may want to check their local office too. But the Cleveland office can still pull up any Ohio birth record from 1909 forward, no matter where in the state the birth took place.
Cleveland Department of Public Health Records
The Cleveland Department of Public Health Bureau of Vital Statistics is at 601 Lakeside Avenue, Room 122, inside Cleveland City Hall. The office issues certified copies of birth certificates for anyone born in Ohio from 1909 to now. Death certificates are available for deaths in Cuyahoga County, except Lakewood and Parma. Each certified copy costs $25.00, with an extra processing fee if you pay by credit card.
Hours run Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Same-day service is there for walk-in customers who show up before 3:45 PM with a valid ID. The office takes cash, Visa, MasterCard, and personal checks if you have an Ohio driver's license with a matching address. They also issue burial and cremation permits for deaths in Cleveland city limits.
Cleveland Birth Certificate Resources
The Cleveland Department of Public Health website shows the vital statistics page with hours, fees, and what to bring when you visit.
This page lists the $25.00 fee and the forms of payment the office takes for walk-in and mail orders.
Pre-1909 Cleveland Birth Records
The Cuyahoga County Probate Court at 1 Lakeside Avenue, Room 146, has birth and death records from 1867 to 1908. Compliance with early record-keeping rules was not always consistent, so some gaps exist. The court charges about $1.00 per certified copy for marriage records and similar rates for other old documents. They have an online search portal for marriage records going back to 1810. The court is open weekdays from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.
The Cuyahoga County Archives at 2905 Franklin Boulevard holds birth records from 1849 to 1908 and death records from 1840 to 1908. The research room is open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM. It is closed on Tuesdays. Research is free and staff can help you find what you need. The Archives also keeps marriage records from 1810 to 1941, naturalization records from 1818 to 1972, and coroner case files.
Cleveland Birth Certificate Fees
Cleveland charges $25.00 per certified copy. That is higher than the state minimum. Under Ohio Revised Code Section 3705.24, the base fee for certified copies is twelve dollars. A five-dollar surcharge on each copy goes to the state general fund. Local offices can set their total fee above the minimum. The state office in Columbus charges $21.50, so going through the Ohio Department of Health may save a few dollars if you don't need same-day service.
Under Ohio Revised Code Section 3705.23, certified copies carry the same legal weight as original records in all Ohio courts.
Birth Record Research in Cleveland
The Western Reserve Historical Society at 10825 East Boulevard is one of the largest genealogy libraries in the country. They hold microfilm of Cuyahoga County birth and death records from 1867 to 1908, marriage records from 1810 to 1914, and thousands of family histories. The library is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Non-members pay an admission fee. Research by mail costs $40.00 per hour with a half-hour minimum.
The Cleveland Public Library at 325 Superior Avenue has the Cleveland Necrology File, which indexes death notices from the 1830s to 1975. They hold full runs of the Cleveland Plain Dealer and Cleveland Press on microfilm. Ancestry Library Edition and HeritageQuest are free to use inside the library. City directories for Cleveland go back to 1837.
The Cleveland District Round Table connects local genealogical societies and shares info about events, workshops, and research opportunities in the area.
Nearby Cities
Several qualifying cities near Cleveland have their own birth record pages: