Find Craighead County Birth Records

Craighead County birth records are maintained by the Arkansas Department of Health, which has kept statewide vital records since February 1, 1914. If you need a certified birth certificate for a birth in Craighead County, you can go to the Jonesboro health unit, order online through VitalChek, or visit the state office in Little Rock. Craighead County is one of a handful of Arkansas counties with two county seats, so it helps to know which district applies to your request.

Where to Get Craighead County Birth Records

The Craighead County Health Unit in Jonesboro is the local access point for birth certificates in this county. It is at 3418 E. Johnson Avenue, Jonesboro, AR 72401. You can reach them by phone at (870) 933-4585. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. If you arrive before 3:00 PM, you can expect same-day service on your certificate. This is the fastest option for anyone in the Jonesboro area.

The Craighead County Health Unit page on the ADH website lists current contact information and any updates to hours or services. The state office in Little Rock at 4815 West Markham Street, Slot 44, Little Rock, AR 72205 is another option. Phone is (501) 661-2174. Both locations serve the same statewide records system, so the records available at one are the same at the other.

Craighead County has two county seats: Jonesboro for the Western District and Lake City for the Eastern District. Birth certificates are all part of the ADH system regardless of which district applies, so you do not need to sort out the district question to get a birth record.

How to Request a Craighead County Birth Certificate

In-person requests at the Jonesboro health unit are the quickest way to get a Craighead County birth certificate. Bring your photo ID, complete the application, pay the fee, and you should have your certificate the same day if you get there by 3:00 PM. No appointment is needed, but calling ahead can confirm current wait times.

Online orders go through VitalChek, the state-authorized ordering service. You fill out a form, upload your identification, pay by credit card, and select a shipping option. VitalChek adds a service fee to the state's base fee. Most orders are processed within a few business days and then shipped based on the method you choose. VitalChek also accepts phone orders if you prefer to speak with someone rather than use the website.

Mail requests are also accepted. Send your completed application, a photocopy of your ID, and a check or money order to the Division of Vital Records in Little Rock. Allow extra time for mail-in requests since processing is slower than in-person or online orders. Note: whichever method you use, make sure your application information matches the original record as closely as possible to avoid delays.

What You Need to Apply

Before you request a Craighead County birth record, gather the key details about the person named on the record. This will speed up the process no matter which request method you use.

• Full name on the birth record (including any variations or name changes)
• Date of birth
• City or county of birth in Arkansas
• Full names of both parents as listed on the original certificate
• Your relationship to the person on the record
• Valid government-issued photo ID
• Payment for the required fee

People requesting records on behalf of a minor or a deceased person may need additional documentation to establish a lawful right of access. Legal guardians, attorneys, and certain government officials may request records with appropriate authorization. The ADH will follow up if anything is missing from your application.

Birth Certificate Fees in Craighead County

The standard fee for a certified birth certificate in Craighead County is $12 for the first copy. Additional copies of the same record ordered at the same time are $10 each. These fees are set by the state and apply at all Arkansas health units and the Little Rock state office.

The ADH also charges a $12 non-refundable search fee when no record is found. This is a flat charge that covers the cost of searching the system, regardless of the outcome. If you are ordering a certificate for an older or rural birth and are unsure whether a record exists, it is worth knowing that the search fee applies either way.

VitalChek online and phone orders add a service fee on top of the state's base cost. Exact VitalChek fees vary but typically run several dollars per order. Paying in person at the Jonesboro health unit avoids those add-on charges.

Who Can Get Craighead County Birth Records

Under Arkansas Code 20-18-305, birth records are restricted for 100 years from the date of birth. During that period, access is limited to a defined set of people. These include the subject of the record (if 18 or older), parents, legal guardians, spouses, adult children, and authorized legal representatives. Anyone outside that group needs a court order or other formal authorization to get a certified copy.

Birth records that are more than 100 years old are open to the public and can be requested by anyone. This means records from the early twentieth century are now publicly accessible, which is useful for genealogists and family historians. Researchers who need recent records but do not qualify for a certified copy may be able to access index data or informational abstracts that confirm basic details without serving as legal identification documents.

Historical Birth Records in Craighead County

Craighead County was formed in 1859, but statewide birth registration did not start until February 1914. For the first several decades of the county's existence, there was no formal system for recording births. Researchers looking for Craighead County births before 1914 will need to use alternative sources. The Craighead County Genealogy page on FamilySearch is a strong starting point, offering access to census records, church registers, and other historical documents.

The Jonesboro Public Library holds extensive genealogy collections that go beyond what is available online. The library has newspapers, family histories, and local records that can fill in details not found in any digital archive. For researchers doing serious genealogy work in Craighead County, the library is a resource worth using. The Craighead County Historical Society also maintains records and provides research assistance. The society focuses on preserving local history and can help genealogists navigate records specific to this county.

Even after 1914, some births in rural parts of Craighead County were not registered right away. Delayed birth certificate filings came later when people needed documentation for school enrollment, Social Security, or other purposes. If a record from the 1914-1930 period is not in the ADH system, a delayed certificate may exist under a slightly different date or spelling.

Craighead County Clerk Records

The Craighead County Clerk handles a range of records that complement birth certificate research. The clerk's office maintains marriage records dating back to 1859 and has made a portion of those records available through an online search system. You can search Craighead County marriage licenses at the online marriage license search portal. Records for the Western District are searchable, and the Eastern District records were added later.

The Craighead County Clerk's official citizen portal also provides access to probate information, business filings, and county court records. Probate records include estate filings, wills, and guardianship documents that often list family members and dates, which can be valuable for genealogical research. The clerk's office is also the contact for the quorum court and keeps county financial records.

For genealogists, the combination of marriage records going back to 1859 and ADH birth records since 1914 gives a fairly complete foundation for family research in Craighead County.

Craighead County Clerk Online Portal

The Craighead County Clerk's official portal provides access to marriage license searches and county government information. The screenshot below is from the clerk's website.

You can visit the Craighead County Clerk portal to search marriage licenses, access probate information, and find county government documents.

The portal is a useful starting point for any record that falls under county court jurisdiction in Craighead County.

The marriage license search system is also shown below, pulled from the CIS Arkansas portal used by Craighead County. The Craighead County marriage license search lets you look up licenses by name.

Images are attached to some records and more are being added over time, according to the clerk's office.

Nearby Counties

Craighead County borders several counties in northeast Arkansas, each with their own health units and birth records access.

Cities in Craighead County

Jonesboro is the largest city in Craighead County and has its own birth records information page.