I have recently noticed a few article discussing the increased cost of obtain vital records in certain areas. It appears that the cost for official copies is going up on both the county and state levels. This may be just one more way governments are using to bring in funds during these trying economic times.
Here are excerpts from three recent articles on this issue:
Posted in the Sacramento Bee:
Cost of getting vital records copies risin
The Associated Press
Published: Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012 – 6:09 am
JUNEAU, Alaska — It will soon cost more to get a certified copy of vital records, like marriage and birth certificates, in Alaska.
The section chief for the Bureau of Vital Statistics says the increase is needed both to offset rising personnel and other operational costs and to maintain services at the current level.
Fees for most of the records are going up by $5.
Click here to read the full article.
Posted on Wicked Local – Norwell:
Norwell vital records to have price increase
Norwell — Copies of birth, death, and marriage certificates (vital records) will now cost $10 each — a $2 increase — after selectmen acted upon the recommendation of Norwell Town Clerk Pat Anderson.
Selectmen had asked Anderson to review town fees and inform the board as to whether those fees were too high, too low or just right. Anderson updated the board on that topic at a recent meeting.
“We should increase birth, death and marriage certificates,” Anderson said. “We’re charging under $10. The majority of towns are over $10.”
Currently the town charges $8 for a copy of a vital record. Although the increase to $10 doesn’t seem like much, it is over the course of a year.
“It adds up,” Anderson said during a later interview. “[Vital Records] are one of our highest requested items.”
Posted in the Fruita Times:
State raises cost of death certificates
Submitted by CDPHE Mark Salley, State Of Colorado
Effective Aug. 1, the cost for death certificates will be $20 for the first copy and $13 for additional copies of the same record ordered at the same time. This is an increase from $17 for the first copy and $10 for additional copies.
The change is a result of HB 12-1041 which directed the Office of Vital Records of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to begin providing electronic death records to vital records offices statewide. The improvement to the system allows customers to go to a vital records office in any county (or at the state office), and obtain a certified copy. Currently, the customer has to go to the vital records office in the county where the death was registered or the state office. The public will not be able to access death certificates electronically.
The increased revenue will be used to defray system improvements.
I know when I started my genealogy quest *less than 10 years ago), the cost for getting vital records was a mere $5. Today that cost is $20, four times as it was less than ten years later. Now that is inflation.
Regards, Jim (Hidden Genealogy Nuggets)