Arkansas County Birth Records

Arkansas County has a unique setup with two county seats, De Witt and Stuttgart, and birth records here follow the same statewide system managed by the Arkansas Department of Health. Whether you need a certified copy for ID, passport, or personal use, you can get Arkansas County birth records at the local health unit in Stuttgart, by mail, or through the state vital records office in Little Rock.

Get Arkansas County Birth Records Locally

The Arkansas Department of Health runs a health unit in Stuttgart that issues certified birth certificates for Arkansas County residents. Since 2018, all 75 county health units across the state can issue birth records for births that took place anywhere in Arkansas, not just local births. That means if you were born in a different county, you can still walk into the Stuttgart office and get your certificate the same day.

The Arkansas County Health Unit in Stuttgart is at 904 S. College Street, Stuttgart, AR 72160. The phone number is (870) 673-1608. Hours run Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. If you arrive before 3:00 PM with all your paperwork and ID in order, you will usually get your certificate the same day you visit.

Arkansas County is unusual in that it has two county seats. De Witt handles the Southern District and Stuttgart handles the Northern District. For birth certificate purposes, the Stuttgart health unit is the primary local option. Residents in the De Witt area who want to avoid the drive can use the mail or online request options described below.

How to Request an Arkansas County Birth Certificate

You have three main ways to get a certified birth certificate tied to Arkansas County. Each method ends at the same place, the Arkansas Department of Health's Division of Vital Records, but the speed and cost differ depending on which route you pick.

In person: Go to the Stuttgart health unit or travel to the state office at 4815 West Markham Street, Slot 44, Little Rock, AR 72205. The state office can be reached at (501) 661-2174 and uses the same hours, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Same-day service is offered at both locations if you come before 3:00 PM with complete information.

Online: The state partners with VitalChek for online orders. Visit VitalChek's Arkansas vital records page to place an order. Processing times vary, and additional service fees apply on top of the standard certificate fee. Cards are accepted.

By mail: Send a completed application, a copy of your photo ID, proof of relationship to the person named on the record, and a check or money order payable to Arkansas Department of Health. Mail to the address in Little Rock noted above. Allow extra time for mail requests, typically two to four weeks round trip depending on volume.

You can also call (501) 661-2174 to ask questions before submitting your request. The office can tell you if the birth was registered and what documents they will need from you. Email contact is available at adh.VitalRecords@arkansas.gov for general questions, though they cannot process requests by email alone.

What You Need to Apply

Birth certificates less than 100 years old are restricted under Arkansas Code 20-18-305. You must show you have a right to access the record. The state requires valid photo ID for every request. Accepted forms include a driver's license, state ID card, U.S. passport, or military ID. Expired ID is not accepted.

Beyond ID, you need to show your relationship to the person named on the certificate. If you are requesting your own record, your ID is usually enough. If you are requesting a child's record, bring proof of parentage such as a prior birth certificate, hospital record, or court document. Authorized persons include parents, legal guardians, adult children, siblings, spouses, and legal representatives with written authorization.

You also need to provide the following details about the birth itself:

• Full name at birth (including any name changes if applicable)
• Date of birth
• Place of birth (city, county, hospital if known)
• Mother's full maiden name
• Father's full name (if listed on the record)
• Your name, mailing address, and phone number
• Your relationship to the person on the record

Note: If the person was born before statewide registration began in 1914, a delayed certificate or alternative proof of birth may be the only option available.

Birth Certificate Fees in Arkansas County

Fees are set statewide by the Arkansas Department of Health and are the same whether you visit the Stuttgart health unit, the Little Rock state office, or submit by mail. The first certified copy costs $12. Each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time costs $10. There is also a $12 non-refundable search fee that applies when a record is not found after a search is conducted.

The search fee is important to understand. If you pay $12 and the Department of Health searches but cannot locate the record, you do not get that $12 back. This is true even if the birth was never properly registered or if you provided incorrect information. Double-check names, dates, and spellings before you submit your payment.

Payment at the Stuttgart health unit is accepted by cash, personal check, or credit and debit card. For mail requests, send a check or money order payable to the Arkansas Department of Health. Do not send cash by mail. Online orders through VitalChek accept credit cards and include an additional processing fee charged by VitalChek on top of the state fee.

Historical Birth Records in Arkansas County

Arkansas County is the oldest county in Arkansas, created on December 13, 1813. That history matters for genealogy researchers because records here go back further than nearly anywhere else in the state. Statewide birth registration did not begin until February 1, 1914, and full compliance wasn't reached until the mid-1930s. If the person you are researching was born before 1914 in Arkansas County, you are unlikely to find a birth certificate in the Department of Health database.

For pre-1914 births, the Arkansas State Archives is your main resource. Some delayed birth registrations were filed after statewide recording began, but coverage is uneven. The FamilySearch Arkansas County genealogy page is a good starting point. The Family History Library has microfilmed many Arkansas County records, including marriage records from 1837 and probate records dating back to 1814.

The Arkansas County Clerk's office can be valuable for older records as well. Because the county has two seats, records may be split between De Witt and Stuttgart depending on which district the event occurred in. Researchers should check both locations. The Stuttgart Public Library and the Museum of the Arkansas Grand Prairie also hold local historical materials that can help fill in gaps left by missing birth records.

The CDC's Where to Write for Vital Records page for Arkansas shows where state birth records are kept and what the ordering process looks like.

The CDC guide outlines the Arkansas vital records system, confirming that the Department of Health in Little Rock is the central repository for all statewide birth certificates.

Related Records at the Arkansas County Circuit Court

The Arkansas County Circuit Court operates from two locations. The Stuttgart courthouse is at 101 S. Main Street, Stuttgart, AR 72160. The De Witt courthouse is at 101 Court Square, De Witt, AR 72042. The Circuit Clerk maintains divorce records, civil case filings, and court records for the county.

Divorce records can be relevant when you need to confirm a name change, establish a legal identity, or complete genealogy research. Certified copies of divorce decrees are available from the Circuit Clerk for events that took place in Arkansas County. Court records are generally public, though sealed records and adoption records require a court order to access. The Arkansas Court Connect system may allow online access to some case information without a visit to the courthouse.

Marriage records for Arkansas County go back to 1837 and are held by the County Clerk. These records are split between the De Witt and Stuttgart offices depending on where the license was issued. The County Clerk can provide certified copies of marriage licenses. Marriage records can serve as supporting documents when older birth records are missing or incomplete.

Note: For adoption records or any sealed case files in Arkansas County, you will need to file a motion in circuit court to request access.

Nearby Arkansas County Counties

Counties bordering or near Arkansas County also maintain birth records through local health units and the state vital records system.