This webpage is developed as a resource to assist county recorders and staff by providing updated reporting forms available for downloading, as well as instructions related to marriage registration. DO NOT share or link this portal to your own website or any other webpage.
List items for County Recorders
The Vital Records Staff Contact list is a valuable resource for stakeholders seeking assistance with inquiries or issues related to the processing of birth, death, and marriage records. It also includes contact information for individuals who can provide technical support for the Iowa Vital Event System (IVES).
Iowa Code
Administrative Rules
- Table of Contents
- Chapter 95 - VR General Administration
- Chapter 96 - Birth Registration
- Chapter 97 - Death Registration & Disposition
- Chapter 98 - Marriage Registration
- Chapter 99 - VR Modifications
- Chapter 100 - VR Registries & Reports
Types of forms to use when requesting certified copies:
- Application Certified Copy - Generic: This form is to be use for entitled applicants who requests for certified copies of birth, death, marriage or fetal death records. Entitled persons include the person named on the record or that person’s spouse, children, parents listed on record, grandparents, grandchildren, siblings, or legal representative or guardian. Proof of entitlement must be provided. See Entitlement Direct and Tangible Interest- General Public for further information.
- Application Commemorative - Generic: This form is to be used for requests of a commemorative/certificate for a birth, marriage or a birth resulting in stillbirth. These requests are processed ONLY at the State.
- Proof of Entitlement Addendum - Attorneys This addendum to application for certified copy of an Iowa vital event by an attorney on behalf of the entitled client. This completed and notarized Proof of Entitlement must accompany each request for a certified copy of an Iowa vital event by applicants alleging to be the registrant’s or the registrant’s immediate family’s attorney at law.
- Proof of Entitlement Addendum - Genealogy This addendum to applications for a certified copy of an Iowa vital event for the purpose of genealogy and family History. This completed Genealogy and Family History Entitlement Chart must accompany each request for a certified copy of an Iowa vital event by the entitled applicant.
- Application Certified Copy - Forward to State
All other types of requests can be found on the Bureau of Health Statistics, Vital Records website.
Application may be made in person in the Lucas State Office Building at our office in the front lobby from 7:00 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.
The following forms are provided to customers. DO NOT LINK this document, or this portal, to your own website or any other webpage, which then makes it available to Google users and results in the form being submitted to the State improperly. The reporting forms are to be printed on plain bond paper.
The following are the field fillable .pdf master templates for typing certified copies from older books and/or when a photocopy of the record does not meet quality standards.
Please type in upper and lowercase letters—NOT ALL CAPS. There are no editing features that will capitalize the title case.
Dates must be entered, for instance, like 01/01/2000, and will convert to spelled out (e.g., January 1, 2000).
Enter a capital X if the County record does not have a particular item. Exception: If only the age of the parent is on a birth record, do not enter anything for the date and enter only the age in the field titled "or Age." The same exception will apply when the long-form marriage master is available.
The following internal forms are in use at the County Registrar offices.
All official forms are to be printed on plain bond paper. DO NOT LINK this document, or this portal, to your own website or any other webpage, which then makes it available to Google users and results in the form being submitted to the State improperly.
See IVES Support