HoodaThunk?

There have been a number of stories in the news lately about more stringent ID requirements coming down the road for all of us. (This morning’s story at the Washington Times has reminded me of this.) Whether we’re talking about boarding a plane or coming back in-country across the border or getting one of the projected new driver’s licenses one thing remains the same: you need more than your word and a smile to prove your identity. For all of these reasons and many more, you should act now to get official copies of your vital records.

Uh, Ric… what the heck are “vital records?”

Glad you asked. As I’ve mentioned before on this blog, one of my big hobbies is researching my family’s genealogy. The gold standard of documentation regarding an ancestor’s birth, death, marriage, divorce, etc., are official government or church documents pertaining to the event. These documents (e.g., a birth certificate) are collectively referred to as “vital records.” They contain the information about a person’s “vitals”, a term used to describe events like those I’ve mentioned. For virtually everyone born in the United States past 1950, vital records are on file with the state in which that person was born, died, married, etc. That means the state you were born in has a record of your birth.

I am recommending that each and every one of you go – today – and check to see whether you have a government-issued copy of your own birth certificate. (If you’re married and/or have kids, check for your spouse’s and kids’ certificate, too.) If you can lay your hands on said document, you’re golden.

If you cannot, however, and that means whether you know you don’t have one or “just can’t find it right now,” you should take action to get one right away. Every state has an agency that holds the vital records repository. Sometimes that agency is actually called the “Vital Records Department” but often it’s a part of the Public Health Department. Contact that agency to get the copies you need.

Now, I was about to tell you to get on-line and Google the term “vital records xx” (where the “xx” is the 2-letter identifier for your state) and follow the link that comes up. I found something way better. At the web site of (of all places) the CDC, there’s a set of pages that lists the contact information for every state’s vital records repository. Find that set at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/howto/w2w/w2welcom.htm and select the state of your birth to get the info. The contact information, the costs, the document requirements, etc., are all there.

You’d be well served to handle this now, before you need to have the copies in your hands. When these new ID laws actually get implemented, the crush to get these documents is going to be huge. Avoid the rush and get them now.

One other related item is the matter of a passport. If you’ve got one, check the expiration date on it and verify it’s still good. This is another document that takes time to get through channels so it’s best to get it handled before you actually need it. They’re valid for 10 years once renewed, so it’s well worth the effort.