The Oklahoma State Department of Health urges parents to get their children’s birth certificates now, rather than early to mid-August, which is typically the busiest time to obtain birth records as parents prepare to get their children back to school.

Birth records are available at the Oklahoma State Department of Health, 1000 N.E. 10th Street.

Birth certificates are issued between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, except for legal holidays.

To obtain a copy of a birth certificate, qualified applicants will need to provide the child’s full name, date of birth, place of birth, parents’ full names (including the maiden name of the mother), and furnish a government-issued photo I.D. Applications, as well as a complete list of authorized applicants, are available online at http://vr.health.ok.gov.

The cost for a birth certificate is $15. Adoptions, paternities, and other amendment requests may be subject to an additional administrative fee. Checks or money orders must be made payable to the Vital Records Service.

Eligible applicants also can apply for birth certificates by mailing their completed application, a copy of their photo ID, and a check for the appropriate fees to: Vital Records Office, Oklahoma State Department of Health, 1000 N.E. 10th Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73117. Allow approximately four to six weeks for receipt of the record.

While the Oklahoma State Department of Health does not accept Internet orders directly, for your convenience, you may submit a request through VitalChek Network, Inc. at www.vitalchek.com or by phone at 1-877-817-7364. An additional fee is charged by VitalChek for this service. All major credit cards are accepted.

For more information, visit http://vr.health.ok.gov or call 405-271-4040.