Author: FFP Ai Bot

Illustration: The Fostoria Free Press.

SENECA COUNTY- You need a certified birth certificate for a passport, a REAL ID or school enrollment, and families often need several certified death certificates to settle an estate. In Seneca County, both come from the health district’s vital statistics office. Here is how to get them.

Where to go

Certified copies are issued by the Seneca County General Health District’s Vital Statistics office.

• Office location: 92 E. Perry St., Tiffin
• Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed noon to 1 p.m. for lunch
• Phone: 419-447-3691, ext. 6300 or 6301

Cost

• $25 for each certified copy of a birth or death certificate.
• The health district accepts cash, check, money order and debit or credit cards. Card purchases carry an added processing fee.
• Because of a change in state law, the health district cannot provide uncertified copies.

Four ways to order

1. In person. The health district says that in most cases a certificate is processed and issued in about 15 minutes.
2. Online. Orders can be placed through the health district’s online ordering portal. Expect an added online fee.
3. By phone. Call 419-447-3691, ext. 6300, and pay with a debit or credit card. Certificates are sent by U.S. mail.
4. By mail. Send the completed request form, a self-addressed stamped envelope and a $25 check or money order per copy to: Vital Statistics, Seneca County General Health District, 71 S. Washington St., Suite 1102, Tiffin, OH 44883. The health district says it mails certificates back within two business days of receiving a request, and you should allow 7 to 10 business days for return mail.

The health district says all sales are final and it is not responsible for lost or undelivered mail orders.

Births from anywhere in Ohio

The health district can issue certified birth certificates for anyone born in Ohio from 1908 to the present, regardless of the county of birth. That means a Fostoria resident born in Columbus or Toledo can get a copy locally. Death certificates are available for people who died in Ohio.

What to have ready

Have the full name on the record and the date and place of the birth or death. For a birth record, the parents’ names, including the mother’s maiden name, help the clerk find the right record. The application forms for birth and death record copies are posted on the health district’s page.

Social Security numbers on death certificates

The health district notes that, under a 2015 change in Ohio law, a person who wants a death certificate showing the Social Security number must show why they are entitled to it. That rule applies for the first five years after the date of death. Ask the office what proof you need, for example if you are handling an estate.

Forms

The health district posts an Application for Ohio Certified Birth Record Copies and an Application for Ohio Certified Death Record Copies, which are used for mail orders. It also posts an adoption records request form and a packet for registering a birth that happened outside a hospital or other institution. Call the office if you are not sure which form fits your situation.

Records before 1908 and genealogy

Older Seneca County records are kept by the Seneca County Probate Court, which offers genealogy searches. The court is at 103 E. Market St., Suite 301, Tiffin, and can be reached at 419-447-3121. The court’s genealogy page lists a $5 search fee for up to five names. It also says that probate birth and death records from 1867 to 1908 are currently unavailable while they are being scanned, so call before you plan a research trip.

Tips

• Order more than one copy if you are settling an estate. Banks, insurers and agencies may each want an original certified copy.
• Check every certificate for spelling errors before you leave the counter.
• For someone born outside Ohio, contact the vital records office in the state of birth.

Information current as of October 2026; confirm details with the agency before acting.

Sources

Seneca County General Health District, Birth and Death Certificates page (senecahealthdept.org)
Seneca County General Health District online vital records ordering portal (senecaoh.permitium.com)
Seneca County Probate Court, Genealogy page (senecajpcourt.com)