Duplicate birth certificates are useful to have for many reasons. First of all, if you should ever misplace your certified copy of birth certificate, you will have another to fall back on. For this reason, some people keep duplicates filed away in different safe areas of their home and/or office, just in case.

Another reason some people apply for duplicate birth certificates is to give to other close family members for safekeeping. You never know when a family member might need access to your birth records. It's better to be prepared than to be taken off guard and be helplessly searching.

More about Duplicate Birth Certificates

How do you obtain duplicates of your birth certificate? You can apply to the vital records office of the county or parish in which you were born, specifying how many copies you want. An alternative, to save time and hassle, is going through one of the popular online birth certificate services.

One rule of thumb about duplicate birth certificates is to never, ever give a certified copy to an employer or some other organization that needs proof of your identity. Rather, you should give them a photocopy of the certified copy. Reputable employers do not demand originals, and anyone who insists on an original is raising a flag of suspicion.