Milford Birth Records Search

Milford sits on the line between Kent and Sussex counties, and that makes the search for Milford Birth Records a bit different from most Delaware cities. A birth on the north side of Mispillion River gets filed through Kent County. A birth on the south side gets filed through Sussex County. Both ends lead to the Office of Vital Statistics in Dover. This page walks you through how to order Milford Birth Records, which branch office to use, and where to find older files held by the Delaware Public Archives. Use the tool below to start your search.

Milford Birth Records and the County Line

Milford is the only Delaware city that sits in two counties at once. The Mispillion River cuts the town in half. North of the river is Kent County. South of the river is Sussex County. When a child is born at Bayhealth Sussex Campus, which is on the south side, the birth is filed under Sussex. When a birth takes place at home or at a clinic on the north side, the file goes to Kent. This split shapes how you order Milford Birth Records. You need to know which county holds your file before you head to an office.

Both county branch offices work under the same state rules. The central office in Dover, set up by 16 Del.C. § 3104, keeps the master file for all Delaware Birth Records. The county branch offices are service points that pull from the same state system. So if you pick the wrong county, the staff can still help you, but it may take longer. Call first if you are not sure.

Where to Order Milford Birth Records

You have two local choices and two state-level choices for Milford Birth Records. Local picks are the Kent County OVS in Dover and the Sussex County OVS in Georgetown. State picks are the central OVS office in Dover and the two online vendors the state has picked. Each route ends with a certified copy of a Milford birth certificate sent to you or handed to you at the counter. Milford City Hall at 201 South Walnut Street, Milford, DE 19963 does not issue birth certificates; city staff will send you to one of the two county offices.

Kent County OVS sits at 417 Federal St., Dover, DE 19901. Call 302-744-4549. Sussex County OVS sits at 546 S. Bedford St., Georgetown, DE 19947. Call 302-515-3190. Both open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. A Milford resident can walk into either site with a valid photo ID, pay $25, and leave with a certified copy of a Milford birth certificate.

The Milford Delaware certificates guide walks through the options for ordering vital records locally.

The guide lists birth, marriage, and death certificate service and notes that Milford Birth Records flow through the state vital records system.

Order Milford Birth Records by Mail

Mail orders for Milford Birth Records go to the Office of Vital Statistics, 417 Federal Street, Dover, DE 19901. Send the completed application form, a clear copy of your photo ID, and a check or money order for $25 made out to the Office of Vital Statistics. The office will pull the file, verify your right to the record, and mail back the certified copy. Kent County and Sussex County birth files both end up at this Dover address by mail.

You can also skip the mail and go online. Delaware has picked two vendors for online Milford Birth Records orders. GoCertificates and VitalChek both ship certified copies to your door. Expect a service fee on top of the $25 state fee. Most orders arrive in a week or two.

The Delaware Office of Vital Statistics site lists the full fee schedule and the mail-in form for Milford Birth Records.

Historical Milford Birth Records

Milford Birth Records older than 72 years sit at the Delaware Public Archives, not at the Office of Vital Statistics. Under 16 Del.C. § 3110, records pass into the public domain on that timeline and move to the Archives each year. The Archives building is at 121 Duke of York Street, Dover. Phone (302) 744-5000. For Milford, old files are organized by which county filed the record, so Kent County and Sussex County have their own file stacks.

Because Milford straddles two counties, a genealogy search can take longer. You may need to pull index cards from both county sets before you find the right file. The Delaware Public Archives Guide to Vital Statistics Records walks you through which years are held in which format. Note that statewide birth registration in Delaware began in 1861, was repealed in 1863, and was re-enacted in 1881. Full compliance took until 1921. So Milford Birth Records before 1921 are uneven at best.

The GenealogyBank Milford birth records page has old newspaper birth notices for Milford residents.

Newspaper notices can fill gaps where the state file is thin or missing, and they often give the doctor, address, and parent names in one printed line.

Who Can Request Milford Birth Records

Delaware Birth Records are not open for general inspection while under 72 years old. Section 3110 of Title 16 sets the rule. The Office of Vital Statistics releases a certified copy of a Milford birth record only to the person named on the record, a spouse, a child, a parent, a guardian, or an authorized representative. A court order is the other way in for a third party. Once a record turns 72, that shield lifts and the Archives opens the file to any researcher.

An authorized representative is most often an attorney acting for one of the named parties. Bring a letter on letterhead, signed by the lawyer, that states the client's tie to the record. Adoption attorneys, estate lawyers, and family court lawyers request Milford Birth Records this way.

Here is a quick list of the ID types the state accepts for a Milford Birth Records request:

• Delaware driver's license or state photo ID
• United States passport or foreign passport
• Government work ID, such as state or federal employee badge
• Military ID or veteran ID card

Milford City Hall and Local Offices

Milford City Hall is at 201 South Walnut Street, Milford, DE 19963. City Council meets on the second and fourth Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. The annual budget runs about $12.5 million. City Hall does not issue Milford Birth Records. Those flow through the county OVS branch offices. But City Hall handles voter registration, city permits, and local tax items that may cross with a birth record request.

The Milford Public Library, at 11 SE Front St, Milford, DE 19963, helps with genealogy research. Staff can point you to city directories, old yearbooks, and online databases that cover Milford families. The library is a good first stop if you are hunting for a Milford birth before 1921.

For the south-of-river side, the Sussex County Recorder of Deeds is at 2 The Circle, Georgetown. For the north-of-river side, the Kent County Clerk of Court is at 414 Federal Street, Dover. Neither office issues Milford Birth Records, but both keep allied files that help trace a family link.

Milford Birth Record Fees

The state fee for a certified copy of a Milford birth certificate is $25. That fee is set by 16 Del.C. § 3132. The same fee covers both the search and the copy. If the office can not find a record, the $25 stays with the state as a search fee. Heirloom birth certificates cost $35. These are printed on framed, security paper and make a nice keepsake.

Online vendors add a service fee. Plan on $40 to $55 total for a standard order through GoCertificates or VitalChek, and more for rush shipping. The fee caps are set by state law, not by the city of Milford. So you will not find a cheaper route at a local office.

Fees at the Delaware Public Archives for old Milford Birth Records run a bit different. Self-service microfilm copies cost $0.10 per page. Staff-made copies are $0.50 per page. A certified vital statistics copy from the Archives is still $25.

Amendments and Adoption Records

Adoption leads to a new Milford birth certificate under 16 Del.C. § 3126. The court clerk files a report with the State Registrar after the final decree. The Registrar seals the old record and files a new one with the adoptive parents named. The new file shows the child's new name, the adoptive parents, and the true date and place of birth. Delaware adoptees 21 and older can ask for their original Milford birth record through the OVS adoptee service.

Paternity amendments follow § 3127. A signed acknowledgment of paternity or a court order triggers an amended or new Milford birth certificate. The fact that paternity was added after birth is not printed on the new file.

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