Access Portage County Birth Records
Birth records for Portage County are handled by the Kent City Health Department, which serves as the vital statistics office for Portage County Primary District Number 6700. The office in Kent issues same-day certified birth certificates for all Ohio counties and death certificates for deaths in Portage County. You can order online through VitalChek, walk in during office hours, or send a request by mail. Older records from 1867 to 1908 are at the probate court in Ravenna. This page covers every method for getting Portage County birth certificates.
Portage County Birth Records at a Glance
Kent City Health Department
The Kent City Health Department is at Kent Central Gateway, 201 East Erie Street, 2nd Floor, Kent, Ohio 44240. Call (330) 678-8109 or fax (330) 678-2082. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Each certified copy costs $24.00 per Ohio Revised Code 3705.242.
The office provides same-day certified birth certificate copies for all Ohio counties and death certificates for deaths in Portage County. You have several ways to order. Online through VitalChek is one option, and you can pick up in person or have it shipped. Walk-in service is available during business hours. Mail requests should go to Kent City Health Department, Attention: Vital Statistics, 201-G East Erie Street, Kent, Ohio 44240, with a completed form and a self-addressed stamped envelope.
Online orders placed for in-person pickup are typically processed the same business day. Birth records from 1867 to 1908 are at the Portage County Probate Court, while 1908 to now is at the health department.
Portage County Birth Certificate Resources
The Kent City Health Department birth records page shows fees, office hours, and all the ordering methods available for Portage County vital records.
This page lists the $24.00 fee per copy and explains how to order online through VitalChek, by mail, or in person at the Kent office.
Portage County Probate Court Records
The Portage County Probate Court in Ravenna maintains birth and death records from 1867 to 1908. This is the period when Ohio law required birth registration at the county level. For records from 1908 onward, go to the Kent City Health Department. The probate court handles guardianship cases, estate administration, adoptions, name changes, and marriage licenses as well.
Records at the probate court are public and can be viewed at the courthouse during regular business hours. You can also search the Portage County Clerk of Courts' CourtView database to look up cases by category, including guardianship, civil probate, or trusts. The court provides certified copies for legal and genealogy purposes. Fees are set by Ohio law.
The court records page shows the types of vital records and case files available through the Portage County court system.
Order Portage County Birth Records Online
VitalChek is the authorized online ordering service for the Kent City Health Department. You can order certified copies of Portage County birth certificates online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. VitalChek adds a processing fee on top of the base $24.00 certificate fee. You can pick between regular USPS mail or faster UPS shipping. For the quickest option, order online and choose in-person pickup at the Kent office. Those orders are usually ready the same business day.
VitalChek takes Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express. The service covers birth certificates for events in Ohio from 1909 to present and death certificates for events in Portage County from 1909 to present.
State Office Birth Records
The Ohio Department of Health also keeps Portage County birth records from December 20, 1908 to now. Their office is at 4200 Surface Road, Columbus, OH 43228, phone 614-466-2531. The state fee is $21.50 per certified copy as of January 1, 2025. Online orders process in about five business days and take roughly three weeks for delivery.
Under Ohio Revised Code Section 3705.24, the base fee is twelve dollars per copy with a five-dollar surcharge going to the state fund. For genealogy requests, use the mail-in paper application. The Portage County Health Department at 449 South Meridian Street, Ravenna, OH 44266, phone (330) 296-9919, is another option. The probate court number is (330) 297-3870.
Birth Record Research in Portage County
The Ohio History Connection Archives and Library has indexed Portage County birth records. This is one of the 28 Ohio counties in their collection. Researchers can get copies of birth records from 1867 to 1908 through their standard request process. These are ledger entries from the probate court era.
FamilySearch has a Portage County genealogy page with free digital collections. These include Ohio County Births from 1841 to 2003, the Ohio Birth Index from 1908 to 1998, and Ohio County Marriages from 1789 to 2013. Birth records from 1867 forward, death records from 1867 forward, and marriage records from 1808 forward are listed in their guides. Under Ohio Revised Code Section 3705.23, certified copies of vital records are treated the same as originals in all Ohio courts.
Nearby Counties
Portage County is in northeastern Ohio. These neighboring county pages may be useful for birth record searches in the area:
Cities in Portage County
Portage County includes several communities but does not have any cities meeting the population threshold for a dedicated page on this site. The county seat is Ravenna. Kent is the largest city and home to the vital statistics office and Kent State University. Other towns include Aurora, Streetsboro, and Tallmadge (partly in Summit County). For birth records in any Portage County community, the Kent City Health Department handles all requests.