Are Nebraska Vital Records Open to the Public?
Per the Nebraska Administrative Code, certified copies of vital records are open to the person named on the record, immediate family members, and authorized legal representatives. Likewise, persons who can demonstrate a tangible interest in the vital record can obtain informational copies of vital records once the statutory period of confidentiality expires.
What Information Shows Up in Nebraska Vital Records?
Vital records are a category of government-issued documents that provide:
- Legal evidence of an individual's significant life milestones.
- Supporting the establishment of identity.
- Family connections.
- Eligibility for various benefits and services.
Nebraska vital records are administered by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. Nebraska Revised Statutes §71-601 to §71-616 define the requirements for registering, maintaining, and accessing vital records in the state. These records are critical for facilitating Nebraska's public health surveillance and research initiatives.
What Information Do I Need to Search for Nebraska Vital Records Online?
Persons performing a vital record search must know the necessary details to facilitate the search. These include:
Full name of the person named on the record
- The date of the life event
- The location of the life event
- The father's name (if applicable)
- The mother's maiden name (if applicable)
Besides the aforementioned details, the record custodian will also need to provide a reason for requesting the vital record as well as proof of relationship to the person named on the vital record. The Nebraska Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) is the record custodian for vital records and maintains certified copies of these records as far back as 1904.
How Do I Obtain Nebraska Vital Records?
To obtain vital records in Nebraska, the requester will need to provide adequate details and relevant identity documents, as well as payment for the search, valid identification, and copying fees. The requester must submit these to the Office of Vital Records along with the application form.
Publicly available vital records are managed and disseminated by some third-party aggregate sites. These sites are generally not limited by geographical record availability and may serve as a convenient jump-off point when researching specific or multiple records. However, third-party sites are not government-sponsored. As such, record availability may differ from official channels. To find a record using the search engines on third-party sites, the requesting party will be required to provide:
- The location of the record in question, including the city, county, or state where the case was filed.
- The name of someone involved, provided it is not a juvenile.
Requesters must provide relevant information associated with the record to conduct an online search for vital records. Some of these include:
- The registrant's name
- Date of the event
- Place of the event
- City or county where the life event occurred
- First and last name of parents
- Presiding judge (for marriage or divorce records)
Certified Copy vs. Informational Copy: Understanding the Difference
A certified copy of a vital record is issued by the Nebraska DHHS to qualified applicants. Certified copies are viewed as official documents and provided on multi-colored security paper with an official government seal. Informational copies are notifications that are not considered official documents.
Are Nebraska Marriage Records Public Information?
Certified Nebraska marriage records are typically only available to statutorily eligible persons to obtain the vital record and show evidence of eligibility to receive the record. Generally, these include the persons named on the marriage record, immediate family members, and authorized legal representatives. Meanwhile, an informational index of persons married in Nebraska is available to the public. These indexes are available at the clerk's office in the county where the marriage license was issued.
How Do I Obtain Nebraska Marriage Records?
Certified marriage records are maintained by the DHHS. Interested persons must submit a request to the DHHS to receive these records. Requests for records can be made by mail or in-person. The DHHS retains files on marriages from 1909. If the required record pre-dates this, a written request should be sent to the clerk's office in the county where the marriage occurred. Record requests cost $16 for a copy of the retrieved record. Intending requesters must complete an application for a certified marriage record and mail it to:
Vital Records Office
1033 O Street, Suite 130
P.O. Box 95065
Lincoln, NE 68509-5065
Phone: (402) 471-2871
Attach a check or money order for the complete payment for the record and a copy of a valid photo ID with the application form. Enclose the application packet in a stamped, self-addressed business-sized envelope before mailing it out.
How to Get a Nebraska Marriage Certificate
Obtain a Nebraska Marriage Certificate from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) or the County Clerk's office where the marriage license was issued. Couples married in Nebraska are eligible to request a certificate.
Are Nebraska Divorce Records Public Information?
Divorce records in Nebraska become public information after fifty years. Until this statutory period of confidentiality elapses, only eligible requesters may obtain divorce records in Nebraska, including the persons named on the record, immediate family members, and authorized legal representatives.
How Do I Obtain Nebraska Divorce Records?
Divorce records in Nebraska are maintained by the DHHS. The DHHS has records of divorces dating back to January of 1909. For divorces that happened prior to this, the clerk's office in the county where the divorce was granted is the record custodian. Requests for certified divorce records must be submitted to the vital records office in person or by mail. To begin, interested persons must complete an application for a certified copy of the divorce certificate. Then, the requester must include a check or money order for the complete payment, a copy of a valid photo ID, and enclose the application packet in a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Mail or send requests to:
Vital Records Office
1033 O Street, Suite 130
P.O. Box 95065
Lincoln, NE 68509-5065
Phone: (402) 471-2871
How to Get a Certified Divorce Certificate in Nebraska
Certified Divorce Certificates can be acquired through the DHHS or Clerk of the District Court in the county where the divorce was granted. Either party involved or their legal representatives can obtain the certificate.
Are Nebraska Birth Records Public Information?
Certified birth records that occurred in the state of Nebraska are customarily available only to a specified set of people. However, anyone may obtain a publicly available index of the names of persons born in a particular period from the Office of Vital Statistics. Asides from this, only the following persons may obtain certified birth records in Nebraska:
- The person named on the record
- A spouse of the person named on the record
- Parents of the person named on the record
- An adult child of the person named on the record.
- An authorized legal representative
How Do I Obtain Nebraska Birth Records?
The DHHS maintains all records of births that occurred in the state of Nebraska from 1904. For records of births that occurred prior to 1904, the clerk's office in the county where the birth happened is the record custodian. To order a birth certificate or birth certificate replacement, first, complete an application for a certified birth record. Then, attach a check or money order for the fees as well as a valid, government-issued photo ID. Submit or mail the record to:
Vital Records Office
1033 O Street, Suite 130
P.O. Box 95065
Lincoln, NE 68509-5065
Are Birth Certificates Public in Nebraska?
Nebraska Birth Certificates are not public; the statute outlining provisions for the disclosure of Nebraska birth certificates is Neb. Rev. Stat. § 71-612.
Are Nebraska Death Records Open to the Public?
Death records in Nebraska become public records after fifty years. Until then, only a defined set of individuals may obtain certified death records in Nebraska. In fact, an individual who wishes to submit a request for a death certificate search must present evidence to show a tangible, legitimate interest in the death record. Generally, Nebraska death records are available to the following persons:
- The deceased's spouse, child, or parents
- Authorized legal representatives of these persons
- Persons with a certified court order
How Do I Obtain Nebraska Death Records?
The DHHS is the custodian of death records documented from 1904 to date. Individuals looking for older public death records must send a written request to the clerk's office in the county where the death happened. Requests for death records typically go to the vital records office by mail or in-person. Generally, the requester must complete an application for a certified death record and prepare a check or money order for the search fees. Next, the requester must attach a valid photo ID, and enclose the application packet in a self-addressed, stamped envelope and mail it to:
Vital Records Office
1033 O Street, Suite 130
P.O. Box 95065
Lincoln, NE 68509-5065
How Do I Obtain Sealed Vital Records?
Because vital records contain sensitive information, these documents are sealed from public inspection until a statutory period of confidentiality elapses. Persons who wish to obtain sealed vital records in Nebraska must petition a court of competent jurisdiction to issue an order granting that individual access to the specified document of interest. Generally, courts only issue court orders when the petitioner demonstrates tangible, legitimate interests in the vital record. For example, persons who need the death record to protect personal or property interests involving the deceased.
What are Vital Statistics in Nebraska?
Vital statistics in Nebraska involve essential life events and health indicators. The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services is tasked with collecting and analyzing this data. These statistics are invaluable for tracking public health patterns, guiding policy-making, disease control and facilitating resource allocation to improve the overall well-being of Nebraska's residents.
