The City Archives has:
- Birth and death records from July 1860 to June 1915.
- Marriage records from July 1860 to December 1885.
Cemetery returns from 1803 to June 1860 are available too.
You can also find birth, death, and marriage records from other sources:
- The Pennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Records has birth and death records from 1906 to the present.
- The PA State Archives has birth certificates for 1906-1913 and death certificates for 1906-1968.
- The Register of Wills keeps records for marriages after December 31, 1885.
Mail or in person
Visit the City Archives in person, or complete a birth, death, or marriage record application and mail it to:
Department of Records
City Archives
548 Spring Garden Street
Philadelphia, PA 19123
Hours of operation: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
If you mail your request, the record will arrive in two to four weeks. If there’s no record, the department will issue a “No Record Statement.”
The Historical land and vital records search also has digital images of birth, death, marriage, and naturalization records. You must pay for a subscription to use the search.
Cost
- Birth or death certificate – $10 per certificate
- Cemetery return – $10 per name search
- Marriage registration – $10 per certificate
You can pay by cash, money order, business, or certified check. We do not accept personal checks, credit, or debit cards. Make checks payable to “City of Philadelphia.”