Find Birth Records in Anne Arundel County
Anne Arundel County birth records are issued by the Anne Arundel County Department of Health in Annapolis. The office handles certified birth certificates for births from 1942 to the present. Service is by appointment only, so you must call before coming in. If you need a birth record from Anne Arundel County, this page covers the appointment process, fees, ID rules, and alternate ways to get your birth document.
Anne Arundel County Overview
Anne Arundel County Health Department
The Anne Arundel County Department of Health issues birth certificates at its office in Annapolis. The building is in the Health Services complex on Harry S. Truman Parkway. You must have an appointment before you show up. Walk-in visits are not accepted. This policy is in place partly because the Maryland Vital Records system recently went through a major transition to a new registration platform, which slowed down processing across the state. Anne Arundel County moved to an appointment-only model to manage the backlog and make sure each person gets proper attention.
Hours at the vital records window are split into two blocks each day. The morning session runs from 8:30 a.m. to noon. Then the office closes for a lunch break until 12:45 p.m. The afternoon session runs from 12:45 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. Do not arrive during the noon gap, since staff will not be available to help with Anne Arundel County birth record requests during that time. The office is open Monday through Friday only.
| Address | Health Services Building, 3 Harry S. Truman Parkway, Annapolis, MD 21401 |
|---|---|
| Phone | 410-222-4462 (appointments) |
| Fax | 410-222-4424 (funeral directors only) |
| Hours | Mon-Fri, 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon and 12:45 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. (closed noon to 12:45) |
| Service | By appointment only |
| Fee | $20 per certified birth certificate |
| Website | aahealth.org/vital-records |
How to Schedule Your Appointment
Call 410-222-4462 to set up your appointment. This is the direct line for vital records at the Anne Arundel County Health Department. Staff will give you a date and time and let you know what to bring. Plan to call a few days ahead if your schedule allows, since slots can fill up.
When you come in for your appointment, bring a completed request form if you can download and fill one out beforehand from the state health website. Also bring valid photo ID, your payment, and any supporting documents that may be needed. Supporting documents are most relevant if you are requesting the Anne Arundel County birth record on behalf of someone else, such as a child or a person whose estate you are handling. If you arrive without an appointment, you will be turned away, so do not skip the call. The appointment-only system is firm at this location.
The system transition mentioned on the county's site means some requests take longer than they used to. Staff at the Anne Arundel County vital records office are working through the transition, but wait times for both appointments and processing have stretched in recent months. Build in extra time if you need the birth document by a specific date.
Important: The Maryland Vital Records system is in transition to a new platform. Processing times are slower than usual. Plan ahead and schedule your appointment as early as possible.
Who Can Request an Anne Arundel County Birth Certificate
Maryland law limits who can get a certified birth document. The rules exist to protect personal information on official records.
The person whose name is on the birth certificate is always eligible to request a copy of their own Anne Arundel County birth record. A mother or father listed on the certificate can also get a copy. If a parent is not named on the record, they will need to show court papers to prove their legal connection to the child. An individual who has been granted custody through the courts may also request a birth certificate for a minor child in their care. They must bring those custody papers to the appointment. A representative acting for someone who qualifies can make the request if they bring a notarized letter giving them authority to do so. If none of these situations fit, a court order is the path to getting access to an Anne Arundel County birth record.
Anne Arundel County Birth Records for REAL ID
Many Anne Arundel County residents need a certified birth certificate to renew their Maryland driver's license under the Federal REAL ID Act. The REAL ID requirements apply to anyone who wants to use their Maryland driver's license as ID at TSA checkpoints or to access federal facilities. If your current license is not REAL ID compliant, the Maryland MVA will ask for a certified birth document as one of the proof-of-identity documents during the renewal process.
A certified birth certificate from Anne Arundel County will meet this requirement. It must be the official certified version, not a photocopy or an informational copy. If you are getting your birth record specifically for REAL ID compliance, mention that when you call to schedule your appointment at the health department. Staff can confirm the format you need. Keep in mind that the MVA may also accept other documents in place of a birth certificate, so check the MVA's current REAL ID document list at the Maryland MVA website before your appointment for your Anne Arundel County vital record.
Registering Home Births in Anne Arundel County
Anne Arundel County has a specific process for births that happen at home rather than in a hospital or birth center. The process depends on whether the birth had a midwife or other licensed attendant present.
For assisted home births, where a licensed midwife or other provider was present, the attendant typically files the birth registration paperwork. If the attendant did not file or if the birth was completely unassisted with no medical professional present, the parents must register the birth through a different channel. In Anne Arundel County, unassisted home births are handled by the HDSQI coordinator. You can reach that office by phone at 410-222-7223 or by email at HDSQI@aacounty.org. Under Maryland regulation COMAR 10.03.01.03E, the local health officer must verify the facts when registering an unassisted birth. Anne Arundel County also has a pre-registration option for families planning an unassisted home birth. Fill out the Unassisted Home Birth Preregistration Form from the state site at health.maryland.gov/vsa/Pages/homebirth.aspx and return it to the HDSQI coordinator by email or by mail to SQI Coordinator, HD #14, Anne Arundel County Department of Health, 3 Harry S. Truman Parkway, Annapolis, MD 21401. Getting the process started before the birth is strongly encouraged because it makes the registration much easier after the baby arrives, and an official Anne Arundel County birth record cannot be issued until registration is complete.
Fees and Payment at Anne Arundel County
The fee for an Anne Arundel County birth certificate is $20 per certified copy. This applies to all in-person requests at the Annapolis office.
The health department accepts cash, checks, and credit or debit cards. Checks should be made payable to "Controller, Anne Arundel County." Credit and debit card payments carry a 2.2% surcharge on top of the base fee. That adds about $0.44 to a $20 request, which is modest but worth knowing. There is no way to waive the surcharge if you pay by card. If you want to avoid any extra charges, bring cash or a check. Cards accepted include Discover, MasterCard, and Visa. Debit cards with those network logos are also accepted at the Anne Arundel County vital records window.
Online and Mail Options for Anne Arundel County Birth Records
If you prefer not to make an appointment in Annapolis, you can order an Anne Arundel County birth certificate through two other channels. Both routes go through the state rather than the county office directly.
VitalChek is Maryland's only authorized online vendor for birth records. Go to vitalchek.com to place an order for your Anne Arundel County birth document from any device. VitalChek charges a service fee in addition to the state fee. Orders are processed in Baltimore and mailed to your address. Same-day service is not available online. VitalChek does offer several shipping options if you need the certificate faster.
The mail-in route also goes to the Maryland Division of Vital Records. Download the request form from health.maryland.gov/vsa/Pages/birth.aspx, complete it, attach a photocopy of your ID, enclose a $10 check or money order payable to "Division of Vital Records," add a self-addressed stamped envelope, and mail the whole package to P.O. Box 68760, Baltimore, MD 21215-0036. The $10 state mail fee is less than the county in-person fee. Processing time depends on current state volume. If birth records were not registered in Anne Arundel County until after 1942, the state archives may be needed for births from 1940 and 1941 specifically. The Maryland State Archives are at 350 Rowe Boulevard, Annapolis, MD 21401, phone 410-260-6400.
Anne Arundel County Health Department Vital Records Page
The Anne Arundel County Health Department posts current information about birth certificate requests, appointment scheduling, and accepted forms of payment on their vital records page. The screenshot below shows the official page as of the last capture date.
Visit the Anne Arundel County vital records page directly for the most up-to-date appointment procedures and any notices about system delays affecting Anne Arundel County birth record requests.
The page includes details on what to bring to your appointment, how to request records on behalf of another person, and how to register a home birth in Anne Arundel County.
Cities in Anne Arundel County
Two cities in Anne Arundel County have dedicated pages on this site. Both Glen Burnie and Severn are served by the same Anne Arundel County Health Department in Annapolis for all birth certificate requests. There is no separate vital records office in either city.
Other communities in Anne Arundel County include Odenton, Crofton, Pasadena, Severna Park, and Arnold. All of them use the Annapolis health department for Anne Arundel County birth records regardless of where in the county the birth occurred.
Nearby Counties
Anne Arundel County shares borders with several other Maryland counties. If you are unsure which county issued a birth record, check the county where the birth took place and contact that county's health department.