Certified Copies in Mississippi: Where and What It Costs
Certified copies
Ordering Certified Copies in Mississippi
Where to order a certified vital record or corporate record issued in Mississippi, what it costs, what the office requires, and what happens to it afterwards.
- Birth certificate
- $17.00, additional copies $6.00
- Death certificate
- $17.00, additional $6.00
- Marriage
- $17.00 statistical record only
- Divorce
- $17.00 index search per five-year increment; no certified copies
Vital records
Issued by: Mississippi State Department of Health, Vital Records
Post to: Vital Records, State Department of Health, P.O. Box 1700, Jackson, MS 39215-1700
Verify current fees: (601) 206-8200
| Record | Certified copy |
|---|---|
| Birth | $17.00, additional copies $6.00 |
| Death | $17.00, additional $6.00 |
| Marriage | $17.00 statistical record only |
| Divorce | $17.00 index search per five-year increment; no certified copies |
What Mississippi requires
- Certified divorce copies are not available from the state; use the county Chancery Clerk.
- Money order or cashier cheque only.
- Records from 1912.
Corporate records
A certificate of good standing and certified copies of formation documents for a Mississippi entity come from Mississippi Secretary of State, normally online and often the same day.
Mississippi Secretary of State
- Order from the state where the entity was formed, not where it trades.
- A certificate of good standing is a statement of current status. A certified copy of the articles is a different product; if a foreign authority asks for the formation documents, you need the latter.
- Ask for a certified or exemplified copy. A plain download from the state website carries no seal and cannot be authenticated.
What happens next
Once you hold the certified copy, authentication in Mississippi goes through Mississippi Secretary of State.
Questions people actually ask
Where do I order a Mississippi birth certificate?
From Mississippi State Department of Health, Vital Records. Post to Vital Records, State Department of Health, P.O. Box 1700, Jackson, MS 39215-1700. A certified copy is $17.00, additional copies $6.00.
Does the Mississippi Secretary of State issue birth certificates?
No. Vital records come from the health department; the Secretary of State handles corporate records and, in most states, the apostille. They are separate offices with separate fees.
Can I get a certified marriage certificate from the state of Mississippi?
Not in the ordinary way. $17.00 statistical record only Plan on dealing with the county rather than the state office.
What will Mississippi reject?
Certified divorce copies are not available from the state; use the county Chancery Clerk.
Can I have it apostilled straight away?
Yes, and that is the right order. Order the certified copy first, then send it for authentication. Do not sign, stamp or laminate it in between, and do not open a sealed envelope.
This guide is published by a private document processing service. It is not legal advice and we are not a government agency. Requirements change without notice, so confirm anything critical with the mission before you post documents.
