Lost Birth Certificate Affidavit
Declare under oath that your certified birth certificate has been lost, stolen, or destroyed to support an application for a certified replacement from your state or county vital records office. Also used to explain a missing birth certificate to passport agencies, the DMV, schools, and immigration authorities while a replacement is pending.
Prefer to fill in by hand?
Download a blank PDF template to print and complete manually.
Download Blank TemplateLost Birth Certificate Affidavit Affidavit — Frequently Asked Questions
How do I replace a lost birth certificate?
Order a certified copy from the vital records office of the state or county where you were born, either online, by mail, or in person. You will typically need government-issued photo ID, a completed application, and a fee, and some offices ask for a notarized affidavit or sworn statement explaining that the original was lost or stolen.
Is a photocopy of a birth certificate valid if I lost the original?
No. Passport agencies, the DMV, the Social Security Administration, and most government offices only accept certified copies bearing the registrar's seal, not photocopies. If your certified copy is lost, request a new certified copy from vital records; an affidavit of loss can document what happened while you wait.
How do I make a lost birth certificate affidavit affidavit legally valid?
Fill in the lost birth certificate affidavit affidavit, print it, and sign it in front of a Notary Public — do not sign beforehand. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID. Notaries are available at UPS Stores, banks, law offices, courthouses, and through online notarization services, and fees typically range from $2 to $25 per signature depending on your state.
Is this lost birth certificate affidavit affidavit template free?
Yes. You can generate a completed lost birth certificate affidavit affidavit PDF or download a blank printable template completely free, with no sign-up required. Your information is used only to generate the document and is not stored after the PDF is created.