1. Home
  2. County Services
  3. Register of Deeds
  4. Vitals
  5. General Information

Contact Information

  • Donna Hicks Spencer, Register of Deeds
  • (828) 465-1573
  • Contact via email
  • Main Location:100 Government DriveDepartment C Newton, NC 28658

General Information

General Information about Obtaining Vital Records

Birth, Death and Marriage Certificates: All certified copies of birth, death and marriage certificates are available for purchase in person, online or through the mail. Beginning July 1, the on-site drop box will no longer be available and the online service charge will no longer be waived. At that time, online purchasers be charged the regular cost of the certificate at $10 per certified copy and a third party convenience fee of $3.50. To purchase a certificate, visit https://www.getcertificatenow.com:8443/Catawba.

Funeral home requests may be made online, by mail or in-person. If made online, the requestor can choose the pickup option and certificates will be placed in a marked tray at the front of the Register of Deeds office for signature. All requests made by 4:00 p.m. will be responded to by mail the same day.

  • Certified Copies $10 each
  • Uncertified copies $0.50 each
  • Uncertified mail request $1.00 each (with no return envelope)

View fee schedule

  • Self
  • Spouse
  • Parents/Step Parents
  • Brother/Sister
  • Child/Step Child
  • Grandparents/Grandchild
  • Funeral Services Director/licensee (death certificates only)
  • Any person seeking information for legal determination of personal/real property rights (proof required)
  • An authorized agent, attorney, or legal representative of the applicant (proof required)
  • A driver’s license with photograph
  • State issued Identification Card (ID Card)
  • Passport
  • Military Identification Card with photograph
  • Agents, attorneys or legal representatives must also furnish documentation of authority in order to receive a certified certificate for an individual
  • If you do not have any of the above, please contact our office where we will then ask questions to see how we can best assist you but still protect the identity of the vital records.

We can only issue a certified copy of a birth (see options for other NC births below) or death that occurred here in Catawba County and a marriage license that was issued from here. See below summary and how to requested a vital record.

  • Make your request online which includes an additional $3.50 service charge per request Click here . Records will be mailed out upon completion of request.
  • In person - You can use one of the below-mentioned forms or complete one upon arrival. You must also present a valid picture ID.
  • Mail - Submit a written request to include: (view tab of Summary of Requirements or Click here for PDF)
    1. Full name of the person named on the certificate (required: birth & death records);
    2. The groom's | applicant#1 full name (required: marriage records);
    3. The bride's | applicant #2 full name (required: marriage records);
    4. The bride's | either applicants’ full maiden name (required: marriage records);
    5. The date of birth | date marriage | date birth & death (for death record)
    6. Father/parent's full name (required for birth record)
    7. Mother/parent's full maiden name (required for birth record);
    8. Facility | Place you believed they were at the time of passing(for death record); or
    9. You may go online for an electronic format that can be printed and filled in or completed online and printed, Click here.
    10. For a form to request a Birth, Death, and/or Marriage,Click here. This form can be printed and filled in or completed as a fillable PDF then printed.
    11. For a form to request up to three birth certificates, Click here.This form can be printed and filled in or completed as a fillable PDF then printed.
    12. For a form to request up to four death certificates, Click here.This for can be printed and filled in or completed as a fillable PDF then printed.
    13. En espanol, haga Clic aqui
  • For form to request a birth that occurred in another county in North Carolina since 1971 for a fee of $24, Click here.
  • An authorized agent, attorney, or legal representative of the applicant (proof required)

Click here for PDF

Summary Of Required information for Certified and UnCertified copies

Requestor needs

Birth Certificate

Death Certificate

Marriage Record

Name

Name on certificate

Name on certificate

Name of bride/applicant Name of groom/applicant

Additional Names / Information

Father’s/Parent's full name & Mother’s/Parent's full maiden name

Date of birth

If applies, maiden name(s)

Date

Date of birth

Date of death

Date of marriage

Place

Place of birth (facility, city or county in NC)

Place of death (facility, city or county in NC)

Place where license was issued (city or county in NC )

Requestor’s relationship to the person(s) named on the certificate

Required for a certified copy - YES

REquired for uncertified copy - NO

Required for a certified copy - YES

Required for uncertified copy - NO

Required for a certified copy - YES

Required for uncertified copy - NO

Requestor’s Photo ID

Required for a certified copy - YES

REquired for uncertified copy - NO

Required for a certified copy - YES

REquired for uncertified copy - NO

Required for a certified copy - YES

REquired for uncertified copy - NO

Requestor’s printed/typed name & signature

Required for a certified copy - YES

REquired for uncertified copy - YES

Required for a certified copy - YES

REquired for uncertified copy - YES

Required for a certified copy - YES

REquired for uncertified copy - YES

Requestor's relationship for a Certified copy must be one of the following:

NCGS: 130A-93(c)

Self

Self

Spouse

Spouse

Spouse

Parents/Step Parents

Parents/Step Parents

Parents/Step Parents

Brother/Sister

Brother/Sister

Brother/Sister

Child/Step Child

Child/Step Child

Child/Step Child

Grandparents/Grandchild

Grandparents/Grandchild

Grandparents/Grandchild

Any person seeking information for legal determination of personal/real property rights (proof required)

Any person seeking information for legal determination of personal/real property rights (proof required)

Any person seeking information for legal determination of personal/real property rights (proof required)

An authorized agent, attorney, or legal representative of the applicant (proof required)

An authorized agent, attorney, or legal representative of the applicant (proof required)

An authorized agent, attorney, or legal representative of the applicant (proof required)

Funeral Services Director/licensee (death certificates only)

Click here and follow the instructions to submit and pay by major credit/debit cards for a Birth Record Request online.

  • For the protection of the record you are requesting YOU MUST download, email or mail a LEGIBLE copy of your ID or you will be DENIED if requesting a certified copy
  • You will be REQUIRED to do one of the above with your ID before your request will be processed so please make sure to follow instructions all the way through until this has been completed if requesting a certified copy.
  • You pay online, BUT your request will be mailed out via regular mail to the address of the REQUESTOR which meets North Carolina statute requirements.
  • Feefor Certified copies are $10.00 each REQUIRES an ID.
  • Fee for Uncertified copies are $1.00 each.
  • Additional fees will apply and are noted by Courthouse Computer Systems