Vital records office in Iowa
How to obtain certified copies of birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates from Iowa for immigration filings, USCIS evidence, school enrollment, or any other purpose.
Iowa
Minus
Related Pages
Birth
Event: Birth Cost of copy: $15.00 Address: Iowa Department of Health and Human Services Lucas Office Building 321 East 12th Street Des Moines, IA 50319-0075 Remarks: The State of Iowa vital records office has Birth, Death & Marriage records since July 1880. Personal check or money order should be made payable to Iowa Department of Health and Human Services . Information on how to obtain certified copies is also available via the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services website. Death
Event: Death Cost of copy: $15.00 Address: Iowa Department of Health and Human Services Lucas Office Building 321 East 12th Street Des Moines, IA 50319-0075 Remarks: The State of Iowa vital records office has Birth, Death & Marriage records since July 1880. Personal check or money order should be made payable to Iowa Department of Health and Human Services . Information on how to obtain certified copies is also available via the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services website. Marriage
Event: Marriage Cost of copy: $15.00 Address: Iowa Department of Health and Human Services Lucas Office Building 321 East 12th Street Des Moines, IA 50319-0075 Remarks: The State of Iowa vital records office has Birth, Death & Marriage records since July 1880. Personal check or money order should be made payable to Iowa Department of Health and Human Services . Information on how to obtain certified copies is also available via the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services website.
Last Reviewed: August 15, 2022 Source: National Center for Health Statistics
Syndicate
Iowa vital records office details
- CDC W2W (Where to Write) page: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w/iowa.htm
Why immigrants need certified vital records
USCIS, courts, schools, and many other US agencies require certified vital records (not photocopies) for:
- I-130 family petition — birth certificate proves family relationship
- I-485 adjustment of status — birth certificate of applicant and beneficiaries
- N-400 naturalization — marriage certificate if applying under spouse-of-USC 3-year rule
- Apostille — for use of US documents in foreign countries (your home country may require US apostille)
- School enrollment — proof of date of birth
- Real ID applications — proof of identity
Apostille and authentication
If you need to use a Iowa vital record OUTSIDE the United States (e.g., for use at your home country’s consulate), you typically need an apostille from the Iowa Secretary of State’s office. See /procedures/apostille-document/ for the process.
Related procedural information
- Consulate of your country in the US — your home country’s transcription/legalization of US records
- Translate documents for USCIS — certified-translation standard
- Apostille (document legalization) — for use abroad
- USCIS Form I-130 — family petition — uses vital records as evidence
- USCIS Form N-400 — naturalization — vital records for marriage-based 3-year rule
Last verified: 2026-05-27. General procedural information — not legal advice. Fees and processing times change; verify with the Iowa office.