Search Washington County Birth Records
Washington County birth records can be obtained from the health department in Marietta for births from 1908 to now. The probate court holds the older records from 1867 to 1908. Certified copies cost $25.00 each at the local office, and you can order online with a debit or credit card. Washington County sits along the Ohio River in southeast Ohio and was one of the first settled areas in the state. This page covers every way to get a birth certificate in Washington County, from the health department to the state office in Columbus.
Washington County Birth Records at a Glance
Washington County Health Department Records
The Washington County Health Department provides certified copies of birth and death records from 1908 to the present. Each certified copy costs $25.00. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. You can pay online with a debit or credit card, but a processing fee applies to card payments.
Mail-in requests need a completed application form, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and payment by check or money order made out to the Washington County Health Department. The health department is in Marietta, Ohio. Since 2010, all Ohio health departments can issue birth certificates for any Ohio birth through the statewide electronic system. So even if you were born in a different county, Washington County can pull your record.
For births before 1908, the health department will send you to the Washington County Probate Court. Those older records are not in the electronic system.
Washington County Birth Certificate Resources
The Ohio Department of Health ordering page explains the statewide process for getting birth certificates, which also covers Washington County requests submitted through the state office.
The state page shows the $21.50 fee, accepted payment methods, and the three ways to order: online, by mail, or in person at the Columbus office.
Washington County Probate Court Birth Files
The Washington County Probate Court maintains birth and death records from 1867 to 1908. The court is in the Washington County Courthouse in Marietta. Along with vital records, the probate court handles estate administration, guardianships, marriage licenses, and other court matters.
For birth and death certificates from 1908 forward, the probate court will refer you to the Washington County Health Department. The court's historical records are useful for genealogy research, especially for families with roots in southeast Ohio going back to the 1800s. The Ohio History Connection lists Washington County among the counties with indexed birth records from 1867 to 1908, which means those early entries have been cataloged and are available for research requests.
Ohio State Office for Washington County Births
The Ohio Department of Health Bureau of Vital Statistics has Washington County birth records from December 20, 1908 to now. The office is at 4200 Surface Road, Columbus, OH 43228. Call 614-466-2531 for questions. You can order online, send a mail request, or visit the Columbus office for same-day walk-in service from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. The fee is $21.50 per certified copy as of January 1, 2025. That fee applies whether or not a record is found.
Online orders process in about five business days. Delivery by USPS takes around three weeks. The state takes Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express for online orders. If you need a record for genealogy, marriage abroad, or dual citizenship, use the paper application and mail it in.
Birth Record Research in Washington County
FamilySearch has a Washington County genealogy page with digitized records. Collections include Ohio County Births from 1841 to 2003 and the Ohio Birth Index from 1959 to 1998. Marriage records are also available. These are free to access with a FamilySearch account.
The Washington County USGenWeb Project provides free transcribed records including births from 1867 forward, deaths from 1867 forward, and marriage records from 1788 forward. That marriage date of 1788 makes Washington County one of the oldest for such records in Ohio.
Under Ohio Revised Code Section 3705.24, the state base fee for certified copies is twelve dollars, with a five-dollar surcharge going to the general fund. Per Section 3705.23, certified copies are treated the same as originals in any Ohio court. They need the issue date, the officer's name and signature, and the office seal. Birth records in Ohio are public records that anyone can request.
Nearby Counties
Washington County borders several other Ohio counties and West Virginia across the Ohio River. These neighboring county pages may help with birth record searches:
Cities in Washington County
Washington County includes Marietta, which is the county seat, along with Belpre, Beverly, and other smaller communities. None of these cities meet the population threshold for a dedicated birth records page. For all birth record requests in Washington County, contact the health department in Marietta or the probate court for records before 1908.