Scioto County Birth Records
Scioto County birth records are split between the Health Department and the Probate Court in Portsmouth. The Health Department handles records from 1908 forward, while the probate court keeps birth and death records from 1867 to 1908. The City of Portsmouth also has its own Vital Statistics office with certificates from 1908 onward. If you need a certified birth certificate for a legal matter or for genealogy work, Scioto County has several offices that can help. This page explains where to go, what the fees are, and how to place your request.
Scioto County Birth Records at a Glance
Scioto County Health Department Records
The Scioto County Health Department is at 602 Seventh Street, Room 210, Portsmouth, OH 45662. Phone: (740) 354-3241. The office has birth and death records from 1908 to the present. Ohio made birth and death certificates a legal requirement on December 20, 1908. Since then, the Health Department and the Ohio Department of Health have kept copies of all certificates filed in the county.
The City of Portsmouth Vital Statistics also holds certificates from 1908 or 1909 onward for births and deaths that happened within the city limits. So if the person was born inside Portsmouth, you might try the city office as well. Fees can change without notice. Call ahead or check the website for the current cost before sending payment. The Health Department issues certified copies for both legal and genealogy use.
Note: Fees at the county and city offices may differ slightly from each other.
Scioto County Birth Certificate Resources
The Scioto County OHGenWeb page has a detailed breakdown of where to find birth records depending on the time period.
This page lists the Health Department, Probate Court, and City of Portsmouth offices with addresses and phone numbers for each.
Scioto County Probate Court Birth Records
The Scioto County Probate Court has birth and death records from 1867 to 1908. The court is at 602 7th Street, Portsmouth, Ohio 45662-3998. Phone: (740) 355-8290. These old records cover the era before the state took over vital statistics. They are ledger entries with basic facts like the child's name, date of birth, and parents' names.
The probate court handles estate cases, guardianships, and marriage licenses as well. Older vital records may be in bound volumes that can be hard to read. If you are doing genealogy research, the court staff can help you locate the right volume and page. Not every birth was recorded during this era, so some gaps exist. Check the FamilySearch collections for additional transcriptions of Scioto County vital records from this period.
The Scioto County records site lets you look up court cases and other public records online.
Ohio State Birth Records for Scioto County
The Ohio Department of Health keeps Scioto County birth records from December 20, 1908 to the present. The state fee is $21.50 per certified copy as of January 1, 2025. Online orders go through the ODH website and take about three weeks to arrive. The state takes Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express for online payments. Mail orders go to 4200 Surface Road, Columbus, OH 43228.
Walk-in service at the Columbus office runs from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM on weekdays. Under Ohio Revised Code Section 3705.24, a five-dollar surcharge on each certified copy goes to the state general fund. The base fee set by law is twelve dollars. Local offices add their own charges on top.
Birth Record Research in Scioto County
FamilySearch has a Scioto County genealogy page with links to vital records including birth records from 1867 to 1962 and records from the Scioto County Children's Home. These collections are free with a FamilySearch account. The Ohio History Connection lists Scioto County among counties with indexed birth records from 1867 to 1908, so their archive is another option for older records.
The Scioto County USGenWeb project has free transcriptions of vital records, cemetery listings, and census data put together by volunteers. These can help you narrow down which records to request from the official offices. Under Ohio Revised Code Section 3705.23, a certified copy of a vital record carries the same legal weight as the original in all Ohio courts. The copy must show the issuing date, officer's name and signature, and the office seal.
Nearby Counties
Scioto County is in southern Ohio along the Ohio River. These neighboring county pages may help:
Cities in Scioto County
Portsmouth is the county seat and the largest city in Scioto County. No cities in Scioto County meet the population threshold for a separate birth records page. The City of Portsmouth has its own Vital Statistics office for births within city limits. Other communities like New Boston, Wheelersburg, and Lucasville use the Scioto County Health Department for vital records.