Kansas Marriage, Death, Birth Records

Births and Deaths in Public Records | Marriage Jurisdictions | Types of Marriage Records |
Divorce Records | Locating Marriage Records |
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The State of Kansas didn't start keeping records of births and deaths until July 1, 1911. Marriage licenses were required beginning in 1867, but they were not recorded at the state level until May 1, 1913. For copies of vital records after those dates, you need to contact a separate state agency, the Office of Vital Statistics, Charles B. Curtis State Office Building, 1000 SW Jackson Street, Suite 120, Topeka, KS 66612-1221; 785-296-1400.

Between about 1885 and 1911 births, deaths and marriages may have been recorded at the county or city clerk's office in register volumes. Not all of these registers have survived. At the Kansas Historical Society we have copies of some county and city vital records available on microfilm. Please consult our Local Government Records on Microfilm lists to see what we have available for each county. Additional information may be gathered from copies of church records, newspapers, cemetery books and other materials in our library collection.

Sometimes vital statistics registers can still be found at the local office that recorded the event or in a local genealogical collection. Contact information for county courthouses, historical and genealogical societies, public libraries and other local places that might have preserved vital records are available on the Kansas libraries web site. The information contained in these early records varies from place to place.

In addition, marriage licenses before May 1913 were recorded in the district court. Divorce records were recorded at the district courts up till July 1951. There is a directory of Kansas district courts on their web site.

The recording of births and deaths began at the state-wide level in July 1911. Marriage records are on file from 1 May 1913 as are divorces from 1 July 1951. These records are located in the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Office of Vital Statistics, Landon State Office Building, 900 South Jackson, Topeka, Kansas 66612. Divorces which occurred prior to 1951 are in the office of the clerk of the district court in which the case was filed.

Territorial records of marriages and deaths located in Kansas newspapers from 1854–61 were published in several issues of Volume 18 of the Kansas Historical Quarterly (1960). Births and deaths were published in volume 19 (August and September 1961), and marriages were published in volume 21 (Summer 1955): 445–86. Reprints are available from the Midwest Historical Genealogical Society, Box 1121, Wichita, Kansas 67201, and Jefferson County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 174, Oskaloosa, Kansas 66066. The First Bicentennial Report of the State Board of Agriculture also lists some vital statistics taken in the territory. Before statewide registration some births and deaths were kept at the county level. Compliance was inconsistent and sporadic. The researcher should consult the Historical Records Survey—Kansas, entitled Guide to Public Vital Records in Kansas, which lists the location of vital records not held by the Bureau of Vital Statistics. It is divided into type of record—birth, marriage, death, and divorce—and then by county.

As recently as 1987, Kansas law was changed to allow access to records of births, marriages, and deaths which occurred between 1885–1913. The Kansas State Historical Society is currently involved in a cooperative microfilming project with the Genealogical Society of Utah. The film is available at the Kansas State Historical Society, Center for Historical Research (see Archives, Libraries, and Societies). Published indexes, abstracts, and transcriptions of vital records from a number of sources are in the collections at the society as well.

Choose A County in Kansas

   Office of Vital Statistics, 1000 S W Jackson, Suite 110, Topeka, KS 66612; (785) 296-1400 Info; (785) 296-3253. 

All Fees below cover a five-year record search – one certified copy is issued if the record is found and if not found, the fee is retained. You will receive either the certified copy or a letter explaining the search conducted and that no record was located.
All Request Filled requests take 2-4 weeks when ordered by mail (Application for Birth, Marriage, Divorce or Death) or 2-5 Days when you order ONLINE.

They have the following records:

  • Birth Certificates: In Kansas, Birth certificates began being filed with the Office July 1, 1911. The Kansas Historical Society and/or the County Clerk holds birth records before July 1, 1911.
    • Cost: $12.00 fee for a certified birth certificate copy is $7 for each additional copy of same record ordered at same time.
    • Delayed Certificates of Birth: are on file with dates of birth dating back to the 1860's. In 1940, statutory authority was received by the Office which allowed individuals still alive in 1940 and later with no prior birth record filed to submit certain documentation to file a Delayed Certificate of Birth. A request for a Delayed Certificate of Birth is made in the same manner as one for a regular birth certificate – just specify the date of birth. If the date specified is between the late 1860's and July 1, 1911, a Delayed Certificate of Birth search will be conducted.
  • Death Certificates: In Kansas, Death certificates began being filed with the Office July 1, 1911. The Kansas Historical Society and/or the County Clerk holds death records before July 1, 1911.
    • Cost: $13.00 fee for a certified birth certificate copy is $8 for each additional copy of same record ordered at same time.
  • Marriage Certificates: In Kansas, Death certificates began being filed with the Office May 1, 1913. The Kansas Historical Society and/or the County Clerk holds marriage records before May 1, 1913.
    • Cost: $12.00 fee for a certified birth certificate copy is $7 for each additional copy of same record ordered at same time.
  • Divorces: Divorce Certificates began being filed with this office July 1, 1951. The divorce decree is not filed with this office. The decree is the court document detailing the settlement of the divorce. The divorce certificate is completed by the plaintiff's attorney and contains only basic information – names of husband and wife, date of marriage, date of divorce, etc. Certified copies of divorce decrees are obtained from the Clerk of the District Court in the county where the divorce was filed.
    • Cost: $12.00 is the cost for the search, which includes one copy of the divorce certificate, if found. Additional copies of the same record, requested at the same time as the first, are $7.00 each.

Order On-Line:  To obtain a certified copy of a vital record by on-line purchase with a credit card, please link to VitalChek.

Order In Person: Go to Curtis State Office Bldg., 1000 SW Jackson, Ste. 120, Topeka, KS 66612. Open 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. weekdays.Payment made by cash, check, money order, or credit card.

Search Online Click Here to Search Kansas Birth, Marriage & Death Records! - Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information. Look also for baptism, christening, and burial records in this collection.

Below is a list of online resources for Kansas Vital Records.

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