Vital Records

Vital records are records of life events kept under governmental authority, including birth certificates, marriage licenses, and death certificates. In some jurisdictions, vital records may also include records of civil unions or domestic partnerships.

Birth Records, Pre-1898

No governmental agencies were required by law to record births prior to 1898. Though not required to do so, Salt Lake City and Ogden began registering births in 1890 and Park City began registering births in 1892.

Birth Records, 1905-1911

In late 1904, the Utah Dept. of Health assumed responsibility for creating birth certificates for all individuals who were born in Utah.

Search Vital Records and Statistics Birth certificates, 1905-1917

Birth Records, 1912-present

Certificates may be obtained by the individual listed on the record or an immediate family member of the person whose record is being requested. An "immediate family member" is defined as a a spouse, parent, sibling, child, grandparent or grandchild.

Records no longer maintained by the Office of Vital Records and Statistics are found at the Division of Archives & Records Service. This includes 1) death records 50 years old or more; 2) birth records 100 years old or more; and 3) marriage and divorce records 75 years old or more.

From Utah State Department of Health Bureau of Vital Records: For Records for births less than 100 years old. 

You can also apply for Birth, Death Certificates, Marriage, and Devorice Records at: vitalchek.com

Marriage 1887-present

Marriage licenses as a civic record issued by a government agency begin in Utah with the Edmunds-Tucker Act of 1887 (read the entire text from 24 Stat. 635). The law primarily meant to end polygamy required a record of marriage as a means of enforcement, though only in Territories of the United States where Congress had such powers. The new process was described in a Deseret News article of April 18, 1888, "Filing Marriage Certificates," which references the new "marriage law." Beginning with Section 2589 of the Compiled Laws of Utah , Volume II, 1888.

Today, the statute concerning marriage licenses is found in UCA 30-1-7, updated to reflect the succession of probate court clerks into county clerks as those tasked with issuing licenses. Records of licenses are public, while applications are considered private and are available only to the subject of the record for up to 100 years.

Links to online Marriage records:

Death Records, Pre-1898

No governmental agencies were required by law to record deaths prior to 1898. Though not required to do so, some cities registered deaths prior to 1898. For other areas of Utah, try cemetery and burial records, newspaper obituaries, or private family and church records.

Death Records, 1898-1905

Beginning in 1898, each physician, clergyman, justice of the peace, and undertaker was required to keep a registry of the name, age, residence, and time of death of the decedent. Each person registering deaths filed quarterly with the county clerk or the local board of health in the case of incorporated cities (Revised Statutes of Utah 1898, Title 57, p. 474-475).

In 1905, the Utah legislature passed a law that required uniform death certificates to be filed with the local registrar who in turn filed with the State Bureau of Vital Statistics.

A name index to all counties prepared by the Utah Genealogical Society is available in the Research Center.

Utah Archives: About the Utah County Death register, 1898-1905, Series 24144

Death Records, 1904-1961

In late 1904, the Utah Deptment of Health assumed responsibility for creating death certificates for all individuals who died in Utah.

Online Links to Death Records: