How to Find Arkansas Birth Records

Statewide registration of births began in 1914 in Arkansas with general compliance by the mid-1930s.

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Next Step: When did the birth occur?

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 * Birth Records
 * Choose a time period:


 * Before 1881
 * 1881 thru 1913
 * After 1913
 * Birth year unknown


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Births before 1881
Before 1881, no births were recorded by county or state officials. Use this chart to get earlier birth information.

In the chart below, find the approximate year of birth for a person, and search the records listed.

Return to top: Choose another birth year

Births from 1881 thru 1913
In 1881, some Arkansas counties and cities, such as Little Rock and Fort Smith, began recording births. If you cannot locate your ancestor in the databases below, try searching for birth information in other records.

For births that exist during the time period, try the following database:

Obtain the Record
With approximate birth years and places, you can locate birth records by contacting the appropriate county clerk's office, or on microfilm available through the FamilySearch Catalog by searching ARKANSAS [COUNTY] VITAL RECORDS. Return to top: Choose another birth year

Births after 1913
Statewide registration of births began in 1914 in Arkansas with general compliance by the mid-1930s. Currently, there are no complete online indexes to Arkansas births from 1914 to the present. A few entries for births between 1914 and 1965 are indexed in the database at FamilySearch.org.

Obtain the Certificate
With full names, dates and places of an event, you can order a copy of the birth certificate for a fee from the Arkansas Department of Health or VitalChek.

Restrictions for persons born within the last 100 years: To obtain a copy of the birth certificate for those born within the last 100 years, you must be:


 * The person on the certificate
 * Specific relatives
 * Anyone who has legal interest in the certificate
 * NOTE: A copy of the birth certificate cannot be obtained by anyone except those listed above until 100 years have passed from the date of the birth.

'''If you do not want to order the birth record, there are other records with birth information you can search. ''' Return to top: Choose another birth year

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