Find Terre Haute Birth Records
Terre Haute birth records are kept by the Vigo County Health Department. Terre Haute is the county seat of Vigo County and the largest city in western Indiana. If you need a certified birth certificate for someone born in Terre Haute, the county health department is the place to start. They hold birth records dating back decades and can issue certified copies for eligible people. You can visit the office in person for same-day service, send a request by mail, or order through an online service to get your Terre Haute birth certificate.
Terre Haute Quick Facts
Where to Get Terre Haute Birth Records
The Vigo County Health Department is the main office for birth records in Terre Haute. The office is at 147 Oak St., Terre Haute, IN 47807. Since Terre Haute is the county seat, the health department is right in town. You do not need to drive to another city to get your records. Call 812-462-3431 to check hours or ask what documents to bring when you visit. Walk-in service is available during business hours and is the fastest way to get a certified copy of a Terre Haute birth certificate.
You need to be an eligible person to get a certified birth record in Terre Haute. Under IC 16-37-1-10, eligible people include the person named on the certificate, a parent, a legal guardian, or someone with a court order. Bring a valid photo ID when you visit the office. The staff will search the Vigo County files and print a certified copy if the record is on file. The fee is $10 per certified copy as set by IC 16-37-1-11.
| Office | Vigo County Health Department |
|---|---|
| Address | 147 Oak St., Terre Haute, IN 47807 |
| Phone | 812-462-3431 |
| Website | vigocountyhealth.org |
Ordering Terre Haute Birth Certificates
There are a few ways to order a birth certificate if you were born in Terre Haute. In person is the quickest. Mail works if you live far away. Online is convenient if you prefer not to visit the office. All three methods give you the same certified copy.
For walk-in requests, go to the Vigo County Health Department at 147 Oak St. during business hours. Bring your photo ID and know the full name and date of birth for the person on the record. The staff can usually have your Terre Haute birth certificate ready within a few minutes. If you are picking up for someone else, you may need a signed authorization letter along with their ID and yours. It helps to call ahead at 812-462-3431 to find out exactly what the office requires for your situation.
The screenshot below shows the Vigo County Health Department page on the state website, which provides contact details and service information for Terre Haute birth records.
For mail requests, send a letter to the Vigo County Health Department at 147 Oak St., Terre Haute, IN 47807. Include the full name on the certificate, date of birth, place of birth, mother's maiden name, your name and relationship to the person, and a copy of your photo ID. Add a check or money order for $10 per copy payable to the Vigo County Health Department. Mail requests take about one to two weeks to process. This is a good option for people who were born in Terre Haute but no longer live in the area.
Online Options for Terre Haute Birth Records
VitalChek is an online service you can use to order Terre Haute birth certificates from home. VitalChek works with health departments across Indiana, including Vigo County. The state fee is $10, and VitalChek adds its own service charge on top. You pay by credit or debit card. The certified copy ships to your address by mail. It usually takes about a week to arrive, depending on how busy the office is and how fast the mail moves.
The Indiana Department of Health also has copies of Terre Haute birth records at the state level. They keep records from 1907 to the present for all Indiana births. You can call them at (317) 233-2700 or toll-free at (866) 601-0891 to place a phone order. The state office does not offer walk-in service. Under IC 16-37-1-8, the state keeps a central index of every birth registered in Indiana, so they can find a Terre Haute birth record even if you are not sure about the exact details.
Note: For the fastest service on Terre Haute birth records, walk-in at the Vigo County Health Department is your best bet.
Birth Registration in Terre Haute
Every birth in Terre Haute must be registered with the Vigo County Health Department within five days. IC 16-37-1-7 puts this duty on the hospital or the person who attended the birth. Regional Hospital and Union Hospital in Terre Haute handle this automatically for births that take place there. The hospital records staff files the birth registration with the county, and the record also goes into the state's central index.
Home births in Terre Haute need to be reported separately by the midwife or attendant. If a Terre Haute birth was never registered, you can file a delayed birth registration through the state office. That process needs extra proof like hospital records, baptismal records, or sworn statements. The Vigo County government website and the City of Terre Haute website can point you to local resources, though neither office handles birth records directly.
Why People Request Terre Haute Birth Records
A certified birth certificate from Terre Haute serves as a primary identity document. You need one for a passport, a driver's license, a Real ID, or school enrollment. Legal matters like name changes, estate proceedings, and custody cases often require a certified copy too. Some people need a replacement because their old one was lost or damaged. Others are requesting a copy for the first time.
Whatever the reason, the process is the same. Go to the Vigo County Health Department, show your ID, pay $10, and get your certified copy. If you need more than one, each additional copy is also $10. Under IC 16-37-1-11, the fee covers a search of the records and one certified copy if the record is found. That search fee does not get refunded if the record is not in the Vigo County system. If the birth happened in another county, the staff will let you know and you can try the state office or the correct county for your Terre Haute area birth record.
Correcting Terre Haute Birth Certificates
If a Terre Haute birth certificate has an error, you can get it fixed. Contact the Vigo County Health Department at 812-462-3431 to start the process. Minor mistakes like a misspelled name or wrong date are usually corrected with a form and supporting documents. Major changes, such as adding a parent's name, often need a court order from a Vigo County judge. There is a separate fee for corrections. Some fixes can be done in a single visit. Others take longer if the state office needs to review the change.
Vigo County Birth Records
Terre Haute is the county seat of Vigo County, and all birth records for the city are filed through the Vigo County Health Department. The county office handles records for every town in Vigo County. For full details on fees, hours, and all available resources, visit the Vigo County birth records page.
Nearby Cities
These nearby Indiana cities also have birth records pages with local details.