Fairfax County Birth Records Search

Fairfax County birth records are official state documents maintained by the Virginia Department of Health. Fairfax County is Virginia's most populous county, located in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Unlike most Virginia counties, Fairfax has local vital records offices where you can obtain birth certificates in person without traveling to Richmond. Certified copies of birth certificates for births in Fairfax County can be requested at multiple local health department offices or through the state system online and by mail.

Fairfax County Office of Vital Records

Fairfax County is unusual among Virginia localities in that the county health department operates its own Office of Vital Records, which can issue certified copies of birth certificates for births anywhere in Virginia. This is a major convenience for Fairfax residents. You do not have to mail to Richmond or travel there in person. Walk-in service is available at multiple locations throughout the county.

The Fairfax County Office of Vital Records issues certified birth certificates for births from June 1912 to the present. The fee is $12 for the first copy and $10 for each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same visit. Payment by cash, check, money order, Visa, or Mastercard is accepted. Checks and money orders should be made payable to State Health Department.

To request a record, bring the person's full name, date of birth, place of birth, parents' full names including mother's maiden name, and your relationship to the person whose record you are requesting. You also need valid photo identification. One primary ID (driver's license, passport, military ID, or government photo ID) is sufficient. If you do not have a primary ID, bring two secondary documents such as a Social Security card, birth certificate, marriage license, voter registration card, or a recent bank statement or utility bill.

The Fairfax County Office of Vital Records at the Joseph Willard Health Center provides walk-in birth certificate service for Fairfax County residents, allowing same-day processing without traveling to the state office in Richmond.

Applications submitted after 2:00 PM are processed the next business day. The office cannot search for records over the phone. Each certificate must be printed individually upon request at the time of your visit.

Additional Vital Records Locations in Fairfax County

Walk-in vital records service is available at several locations throughout Fairfax County, making it convenient for residents across this large county to obtain birth certificates without a long drive.

Call the Joseph Willard Health Center at (703) 246-7122 to confirm current hours for each satellite location before making a trip. Hours vary by location and may change. All locations issue birth certificates for births anywhere in Virginia, not only Fairfax County births.

Fairfax County Circuit Court Historic Records Center

The Fairfax County Circuit Court's Historic Records Center maintains the county's historical birth and death registers from the pre-state registration era. These are the records you need for research, not for getting a certified birth certificate. The Historic Records Center holds three sets of birth and death registers: 1853-1869, 1870-1897, and 1912-1917. After 1917, birth and death registration transferred to the Virginia Department of Health.

The 1853-1869 registers record births and deaths of white residents, free Black residents, and enslaved people. The 1870-1897 registers consist of large oversized sheets. These materials are in fragile condition, and staff cannot make copies from the originals. The 1870-1897 registers are incomplete due to damage and poor storage conditions over 150 years. Note that no records exist for the years 1860-1865 due to the Civil War. A card catalog index is available at the Historic Records Center for the birth and death registers.

The Fairfax County Circuit Court Historic Records Center holds birth and death registers from 1853-1869, 1870-1897, and 1912-1917. Self-service copies are $0.50 per page. The center is closed from 12:00 to 1:00 PM for lunch.

Fairfax County Public Library Virginia Room

The Fairfax County Public Library maintains the Virginia Room at the Fairfax County Regional Library branch. This specialized collection holds local history books, city directories, telephone directories, cemetery records, school yearbooks, maps, family histories, oral history recordings, and photographs of historic sites and families. Genealogy databases available include Ancestry.com Library Edition, HeritageQuest Online, Fold3, Newspapers.com, and the Digital Public Library of America.

The Virginia Room at the Fairfax County Regional Library in Fairfax provides genealogy resources and research assistance for Fairfax County and Northern Virginia family history research. In-library access to Ancestry.com is free for all library patrons.

Fairfax County Birth Records History

Fairfax County was established in 1742. The General Assembly passed a law requiring official recording of births and deaths in 1853. Each county's Commissioner of Revenue registered births and deaths annually. The clerk of court compiled this information into registers and forwarded a copy to the Auditor of Public Accounts. The law continued until 1896, when the legislature repealed it. For Fairfax County, the birth and death registers from 1853 to 1869 are in good condition. The 1870-1897 registers are incomplete due to the large format and poor storage conditions.

No statewide birth registration system existed from 1897 through June 13, 1912. Statewide registration resumed June 14, 1912. Records from 1912 to 1917 are held at the Historic Records Center. After 1917, records transferred to the Department of Health. The Library of Virginia holds Fairfax County birth register microfilm for the applicable periods and also holds chancery court records, land office records, military service records, and tax lists that can supplement birth research.

The Library of Virginia's collection is particularly valuable for researching Fairfax County families before 1900, as many original records have been transferred to the state archives. Microfilm reels can be borrowed through Interlibrary Loan at local Fairfax County library branches without traveling to Richmond.

Fees and How to Request a Fairfax County Birth Certificate

Certified birth certificates for Fairfax County births can be obtained locally at any Fairfax County Health Department vital records office (walk-in, same-day service) or through the state system. The fee is $12 for the first copy and $10 for each additional copy of the same record at the same visit. This fee is set by state law under Virginia Code Title 32.1.

Online ordering is available through the state system or through VitalChek. Mail requests go to P.O. Box 1000, Richmond, Virginia 23218-1000. The central Richmond walk-in office is at 8701 Park Central Drive, Suite 100, Richmond, Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM. For Fairfax County residents, the local offices listed above are more convenient.

Birth records in Virginia are restricted for 100 years. Eligible requesters include the person named, parents, spouse, child, sibling, or grandparent. Legal guardians with proof of custody also qualify. Valid government-issued photo identification is required with every request.

Nearby Counties

Fairfax County is Virginia's most populous county and borders several Northern Virginia counties. The independent cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, and Falls Church are within or adjacent to the county.