Birth records are a very important type of record for a number of reasons. A birth record is the best indicator of an individual's age and is used as proof of age to obtain a variety of legal documents, including driver's licenses, passports, and other identification documents.

Birth records are considered private information by the government, so access to a particular birth record is normally limited to the individual named on the birth record, their parents or legal guardians, their children, and the named individual's legal representative. In some cases, the birth record information can be viewed on line, but either in a severely limited form or after the identity of the individual has been authenticated in some way.

Copies of birth records can be obtained from the local registrar in the city where the birth occurred and are normally based on the submission of birth certifications from the hospitals in the area. If the individual is no longer located in the city where the birth occurred, in most cases they will be able to order the document online from the city that hold the birth records that they are interested in. Copies of birth records can range anywhere from $9.99 to $24.99.