Vital Records

You may request copies of vital records held by the Franklin County Recorder's Office. Each certified copy costs $15.00 (US). We recommend you request a certified copy if the document is to be used in any legal proceeding. If you need to obtain a copy of an uncertified record, please contact the Franklin County Historical Society at 641-456-5777 about hiring someone to perform a search for an uncertified record or other genealogical record search.

The Franklin County Recorder's Office does not issue records dated prior to 1942. You will need to request these from the State of Iowa at the address on the instruction sheet of the request form, which can be downloaded by clicking the link below.

When requesting a vital record by mail, the applicant must

1. Make sure he or she is entitled through a close blood relationship
2. Fill out an Application for Certified Copy of an Iowa Vital Record
3. Enclose a copy of their photo I.D., such as a drivers license
4. Have the signature of the applicant notarized
5. Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope
6. Include a check or money order for $15 per copy requested made out to Franklin County Recorder's Office

Please download the following application for requesting either county-certified or state-certified copies of a vital record.

Application for Certified Copy of an Iowa Vital Record (33.9 KB)