Vital Records
Vital records refer to official registration of births, deaths, and marriages.
Local registrars, located in county recorders offices, such as Scott County, maintain records of birth, death, and marriages that have occurred in that county.
Statewide record searches are available from the state registrar, the Iowa Department of Public Health, Bureau of Health Statistics.
Use the chart below to determine the office to contact for your record.
| Vital Record | Time Period | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Birth, Death, Marriage | 1942-Current | Scott County Recorder's Office |
| Birth, Death, Marriage | 1921-1941 | Iowa Department of Health |
| Single-parent births | Prior to 1/1/1984 | Iowa Department of Health |
| Single-parent births | After 1/1/1984 | Scott County Recorder's Office |
| Birth - Adoptions | Prior to 1/1/1984 | Iowa Department of Health |
| Birth - Adoptions | After 1/1/1984 | Scott County Recorder's Office |
| Legal Name Changes | Prior to 1/1/1984 | Iowa Department of Health |
| Sealed by Court Order | All | Iowa Department of Health |
- Birth Events 1942-1983 must be obtained from the county where the event occurred or the State Registrar.
- Birth Events 1984-Present are available state-wide regardless of the county where the event occurred.
- Marriage & Death Events 1942-1953 must be obtained from the county where the event occurred or the State Registrar.
- Marriage and Death Events 1954-present are available state-wide regardless of the county where the event occurred.
County registrars, however, do not have code authority to have on record:
- single-parent births prior to January 1, 1984;
- adoptions prior to January 1, 1984;
- legal name changes, other than marriage, ordered sealed by a court of law;
- birth, death, and marriages between the years 1880 to 1941.