• How to Order State Vital Records  •  Background of State Vital Records  • Searchable State Databases and other Helpful Links  •

Vital Records
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New Mexico Birth, Marriage, Divorce as well as Death records, also known as vital records, provide you with information about significant events in your ancestors life. Vital records, generally kept by a civic authority, gives you a more complete picture of one’s ancestor, help you differentiate between two people utilizing the exact same name, and help you find links to a completely new generation. They can comprise of information like the occurrence date and place, parents’ names, profession and residence. The cause of death is also provided in many New Mexico death records.

New Mexico vital records really are a foundation of New Mexico genealogy and family history research because they were normally recorded at or close to the time of the occurrence, helping to make the record more likely to be correct. This webpage includes links, details that can help you request copies from New Mexico state and county vital records keepers. Vital records (births, deaths, marriages, and divorces) mark the milestones of our lives and are the foundation of family history research.

New Mexico Division of Vital Records, issues, documents, and stores certified copies of vital records including birth, marriage, divorce death certificates for occurrences that took place in New Mexico.  To verify current fees and information the telephone number is 1-866-534-0051 or (505) 827-2338 24-Hour Information Line.

  • Ordering New Mexico Birth and Death Certificates: The State Division of Vital Records has records from 1920 to present and delayed records since 1880. The fee for a birth certified copy is $10, and death certified copy is $5.
  • Ordering New Mexico Marriage Certificates: The State Division of Vital Records does not have marriage records. Copies of certificates of marriage are with the County Clerk in the county where license was issued. Fees vary. Divorce decrees are available from the Magistrate Court in county where divorce was granted.
  • Ordering New Mexico Divorce Certificates: The State Division of Vital Records does not have divorce records. Available from Magistrate Court in county where divorce was granted. Fees vary. Divorce decrees are available from the Magistrate Court in county where divorce was granted.

How to Order New Mexico Vital Records

  • Physical Address: New Mexico Vital Records and Health Statistics, 1105 St. Francis Dr., Santa Fe, NM 87502; (505) 827-0121.
  • Mailing Address: New Mexico Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics, PO Box 25767, Albuquerque, NM 87125. All mail orders should include a Personal check or money order made payable to NM Vital Records. Do not send cash.
  • Website Address:   http://vitalrecordsnm.org/
  • Ordering Vital Records Online – get the certificates within 2-5 days with a credit or debit card from USAVital.com or VitalChek.com
  • Ordering Vital Records by Mail: You can download an application online for New Mexico Birth Certificate, Death Certificate Applications. Please allow up to 4-6 weeks for processing of all type of certificates ordered through the mail.

Background of New Mexico Vital Records

Marriage records in new Mexico are filed in the offices of each county clerk. However, deaths and births are recorded in a statewide index. That practice of recording those records statewide began in 1920, but there are some records from earlier years included. For example, real estate transactions from certain counties may be included because they include certain vital records. There are also some death certificates beginning in 1889 included, as well as some delayed birth certificates from 1866 to 1895.

The New Mexico Department of Health, New Mexico Vital Records has the death and birth index on file. However, death records are not available until they are at least 50 years old or accessed by direct descendants. Birth records are not available until they are 100 years old or accessed by the person themselves or members of their immediate family. Others with “tangible legal interest” may be allowed access to those records in some cases.

Death certificates from 1889 to 1945 have been placed on microfilm by the Genealogical Society of Utah. Native American deaths are also included in a separate list. All of that information can be found in Salt Lake City at the Family History Library (FHL).

The county clerk should be contacted for records of marriages. However, many of those records can also be found at the New Mexico State Records Center and Archives. The Online Archive of New Mexico also contains detailed lists for certain counties, as well as some justice of the peace records and coroner’s records.

The district court for a given county handles all divorce filings for that county. The New Mexico State Records Center and Archives has court dockets on file containing divorce records that predate 1912.

Searchable New Mexico Databases and other Helpful Links