Birth certificate information can be obtained by contacting the department of health and human services of the state in which you were born. These state agencies will always have a toll-free hotline you can call for birth certificate information. By now, they also should have official websites up and running that can help you get the information you need to request a birth certificate.
Specific birth certificate information, such as the birth record information of a particular individual, is limited to that person and his or her closest of kin. In many states, a spouse, a designated legal representative, or a person researching for genealogical purposes may also have access to the birth data of an individual. However, other than these examples, birth records are securely guarded.
Why Birth Certificate Information Is Kept a Secret
The reason for the high security climate of birth records offices is because of the ever-increasing frequency of crimes such as identity theft. Your personal information is a powerful tool that can be used as a weapon against you if you're not careful. Never divulge your personal information to someone you don't know, especially if you don't know what they want it for.
If you need access to your own birth information, such as obtaining a copy of your birth certificate, then you can contact the vital records office of the county in which you were born. They will make you fill out an application proving that you are the person listed on the birth certificate. This process can be annoyingly bureaucratic, however, which is why many people turn to convenient and secure online services to complete these requests for them.
