Harrison County Birth Records Search
Harrison County birth records are on file at the health department in Cadiz, Ohio. Certified birth certificates cost $26.50 each and can be picked up the same day if you visit in person. The office at 538 North Main Street handles requests by phone, mail, and walk-in. For older records from 1867 to 1908, the Harrison County Courthouse in Cadiz is the place to go. This page explains every option for getting Harrison County birth certificates, along with fees, hours, and what you need to bring.
Harrison County Birth Records at a Glance
Harrison County Health Department Records
The Harrison County Health Department issues certified birth certificates for anyone born in Ohio. Each copy costs $26.50 and is printed on security paper with the seal of the State of Ohio Registrar. The office is at 538 N Main St, Cadiz, OH 43907. Hours run Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 4 PM, and the office is closed on government holidays.
Walk-in requests get same-day service. The normal wait is just 5 to 10 minutes. To make sure you get same-day service, arrive at least 15 minutes before closing. Payment methods include cash, check, and credit card. If you pay by credit card, there is a 6% surcharge added to the total. You can also order by phone at 740-942-2616 using a credit card, with the same 6% surcharge applied.
Mail orders go to Harrison County Health Department, 538 N. Main Street, Suite G, Cadiz, Ohio 43907. Include a letter with the full name and date of birth of the person on the record, plus a daytime phone number. Send $26.50 per copy.
Harrison County Birth Certificate Resources
The Harrison County Health Department website shows their birth and death certificate page with ordering details and fees.
This page lists the $26.50 fee, payment options, and the three ways to place an order. It also explains the 6% surcharge for credit card payments both in person and by phone.
The Harrison County government certificates page provides the same ordering info with a focus on what to include in a mail request.
This second page reminds you that death certificates are filed in the county where the death took place, not where the person lived. Birth certificates work differently and can be pulled from any Ohio health department.
Harrison County Courthouse Birth Records
Older birth records from 1867 to December 19, 1908 are at the Harrison County Courthouse in Cadiz. Marriage certificates are also on file there. Before statewide registration started in late 1908, the probate court kept birth and death entries in ledger books. These are not certificates in the modern sense but single-line entries with the child's name, parents, and date of birth. They can still be useful for genealogy work and some legal purposes.
The Ohio History Connection holds microfilm copies of probate court birth records for many Ohio counties. For Harrison County, check their online catalog to see what they have. The FamilySearch Ohio vital records page also has digitized county birth records from the 1800s that you can browse for free.
Harrison County Birth Record Fees
Each certified copy from the Harrison County Health Department is $26.50. Credit card orders add a 6% surcharge, bringing the total to about $28.09 per copy. The Ohio Department of Health charges $21.50 per copy from their Columbus office. Under Ohio Revised Code Section 3705.24, the state sets minimum fee requirements for all vital record copies. A five-dollar surcharge per copy goes to the state general fund.
Under Ohio Revised Code Section 3705.23, certified copies carry the same legal weight as originals in any Ohio court. The copy must show the date it was issued, the registrar's signature, and the official seal.
Note: Hospital-issued birth records are not certified and will not work as legal ID for passports, driver's licenses, or similar purposes.
Nearby Counties
Harrison County sits in eastern Ohio. These neighboring counties have their own birth record pages:
Cities in Harrison County
Harrison County's largest community is Cadiz, the county seat. No cities in the county meet the population threshold for a separate page. Other communities include Jewett, Scio, Freeport, and Hopedale. All birth record requests for these areas go through the Harrison County Health Department in Cadiz.