Birth certificate number definition
Author: US Birth Certificates Team
Almost all birth certificates issued by a U.S. State include an 11-digit number written in XXX-XX-XXXXXX format. The birth certificate number is formed by:
- A 3-digit area code number.
- A 2-digit year of registration, which is usually the year of birth.
- A 6-digits serial registration number, assigned sequentially to each birth as it is filed.
This format was adopted by all states in 1948, making the birth certificate number uniform across the country.
Where is the Document Number on a Birth Certificate?
In all birth certificates issued in the United States of America, the birth certificate identification number is located in the upper right corner of the certificate copy.
How to Identify the Birth Area Code
The birth area code consists of the first 3 digits of the birth certificate number. It is useful to identify the location where the birth occurred.
Find below a list of birth area code numbers by state as well as applicable exceptions:
| Birth Area Code By States | |
| State | Area Code |
| Alabama | 101 |
| Alaska | 150 |
| Arizona | 102 |
| Arkansas | 103 |
| California | 104 |
| Colorado | 105 |
| Connecticut | 106 |
| Delaware | 107 |
| D.C. | 108 |
| Florida | 109 |
| Georgia | 110 |
| Hawaii | 151 |
| Idaho | 111 |
| Illinois | 112 |
| Indiana | 113 |
| Iowa | 114 |
| Kansas | 115 |
| Kentucky | 116 |
| Louisiana - Birth certificates issued before 1988 in Louisiana may start with 119. New Orleans birth certificates started with 117 until 7/01/74 |
117 |
| Maine | 118 |
| Maryland - Baltimore birth certificates issued before the 1970s may start with 154 |
119 |
| Massachusetts - Boston does not have an area code for birth certificates |
120 |
| Michigan | 121 |
| Minnesota | 122 |
| Mississippi | 123 |
| Missouri | 124 |
| Montana | 125 |
| Nebraska | 126 |
| Nevada | 127 |
| New Hampshire | 128 |
| New Jersey | 129 |
| New Mexico | 130 |
| New York - New York city uses the birth area code 156 for its birth certificateS |
131 |
| North Carolina | 132 |
| North Dakota | 133 |
| Ohio | 134 |
| Oklahoma | 135 |
| Oregon | 136 |
| Pennsylvania uses a 7-digit number, which always ends in 0, followed by an - and the year of birth | |
| Rhode Island | 138 |
| South Carolina | 139 |
| South Dakota | 140 |
| Tennessee | 141 |
| Texas | 142 |
| Utah | 143 |
| Vermont | 144 |
| Virginia | 145 |
| Washington | 146 |
| West Virginia | 147 |
| Wisconsin | 148 |
| Wyoming | 149 |