Certified Copies – Birth, Marriage & Death
Certified copies of Birth Certificates are issued only for births that have taken place in the Borough of Morris Plains. If a Morris Plains resident gives birth in a local hospital the certified copies must be obtained in the municipality where the hospital is located.
Certified copies of Death Certificates are issued by this office only for deaths that take place in the Borough of Morris Plains. In the event an original Death Certificate was obtained from this office by our local funeral director, any additional certificates must be obtained in the municipality where the death occurred.
Frequently Asked Questions
What forms of identification can I use to get a certified copy of a record?
What forms of identification can I use to get a certified copy of a record?
Main Forms of ID
- Valid photo driver’s license showing your current address
- Photo identification card issued by the department of Motor Vehicles
- Valid driver’s license without photo and an alternate form of identification with a current address
- Two alternate forms of identification (one must contain your current address)
Alternate Forms of ID
- Auto insurance card
- Auto registration card
- Resident card
- U.S. or foreign passport
- School/work identification
- Government issued identification (state/county/military)
- Public assistance identification
- Rent or mortgage documents
- Utility bills (last 90 days) – electricity, gas, telephone, water
- Bank statement (last 90 days)
- Tax Return/W-2 forms – recent or previous year
- Letters sent in your name from a government agency
- Crib card and admission or discharge papers from the hospital
- Court correspondence
- A court order
- Naturalization papers
- Notification of unemployment
Who is authorized to receive a certified copy of a marriage or civil union certificate?
The following persons are authorized to obtain a certified copy of a record. Proof of relationship to the person named on the record is required.
- The registered couple named on the marriage or civil union certificate.
- The parents of the individuals listed on the record.
- A child of the person named on the record if of legal age. (You will need to show your own birth certificate.)
- A sibling of the person named on the record. (You will have to show a certified copy of your birth certificate.)
- A legal representative (You will be required to show a court order.)
- A guardian with legal custody of a minor child. (You will have to show the court order.)
- A federal, state, or local government agency for official use only. Identification is required.
Can I authorize another person to obtain a certified copy of a marriage or civil union certificate?
Cost
The cost of certified copies of any record is $15.00 for each copy. The application must be filled out and returned with the require identification. Cash, Checks or Money Orders made payable to the Borough of Morris Plains are acceptable.
Individuals requesting a record of Birth, Death or Marriage must provide exact information on a form provided by the Borough of Morris Plains and available for download on the bottom right section of this page. The relationship between the requestor and the person named on the form provided will be the determining factor in deciding whether the Registrar issues a Certified Copy of the record. You will need:
- Exact names as recorded on record
- Exact place where the event occurred
- Exact date of the event (multiple years will not be searched)
- Birth – Exact mother’s maiden name / exact father’s Name
- Death – Exact name of the deceased
In addition to the above information you must provide a Photo ID with an address or one (1) additional form of ID with address or two (2) alternate forms of ID such as non-photo drivers license, vehicle registration insurance card, voter registration, passport, green card, County ID, school ID, or utility bill.