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Safe Places To Store Your Birth Certificate

Safe Places To Store Your Birth Certificate

A person’s fingers pressing a dial pad of a home safe

A birth certificate and other vital records are essential documents used to show proof of identity, and it's crucial to find a safe, dry place to keep them secure. To help protect your records from being lost or stolen, State Vital Records is sharing our list of 4 Safe Places To Store Your Birth Certificate. Keep reading to find out more.

What Vital Documents Should I Secure?

Critical documents such as your birth certificate, marriage license, and social security card should be tucked away in a proper place in your home where you can always access them. It might be wise to store all vital records in one shared location. Critical documents include:

  • Original and certified copies of birth certificate
  • Medical and vaccination records
  • Passports
  • Social Security Cards
  • Vaccination Reports
  • Checkbook
  • Military ID
  • Citizenship papers
  • Marriage and divorce papers
  • Car title
  • Insurance cards

Places to Store Important Vital Records

You'll need your birth certificate and other vital records throughout your life to prove your identity. What's more, you'll need your birth certificate to enroll in school, the military, or to get a passport. Because of this, It's imperative that you keep these records in a highly-secure location inaccessible to visitors or guests that traffic your home. The best places to keep your vital records secure include the following options.

1. Home Safe

A home safe is a convenient place to store your birth certificate and other documents. Depending on the safe, you'll likely spend anywhere from $100 to upwards of $1,000 and can find a wide range of safes at your local hardware store. Most home safes are fire and water-resistant and can protect your documents in the unfortunate event of an emergency.

2. Safe Deposit Box

An Alternative option is securing copies of your vital records in a safe deposit box at the bank, post office, or credit union. Typically, a deposit box is kept inside a vault, making this one of the best options to go about protecting your essential documents. However, refrain from storing certain legal documents in a safe box, including durable power of attorney or living wills, as individuals may continually need to access them.

3. Cloud Storage

Individuals more tech-savvy may want to consider digitally backing up their birth certificates as well as keeping physical copies of original government-issued documents at home. Cloud storage offers a quick and easy way to access any of your vital records if something were to ever happen to your hard copies.

4. According Folder

Accordion folders can organize all essential documents, including a birth certificate, medical records, and more, making it quick and easy to find your files. Try placing your folder in your home office in a file cabinet or closet. These folders are great in case of emergencies, which lets you quickly grab and go. Despite their ease of use, accordion folders aren't as secure as home safes since they don't require a lock code or key. To prevent your vital records from being stolen, it's best to find a hidden, secure location to keep your accordion folder out of plain sight.

Why Keep Your Vital Records Safe

Vital records are government-issued documents that provide critical information about who you are and prove your identity. Traveling outside the country to register for government benefits and services requires you to show a certified copy of your birth certificate. You can reduce the chances of having your vital records lost or stolen by making up several copies of your birth certificate or passports, which you can order online. Once you submit your completed application, you'll receive a certified copy of your birth certificate in several days, delivered right to your front door.

Contact State Vital Records and Get a Copy of Your Certified Birth Certificate!

Eliminate future stress, and order a certified copy of your birth certificate or death certificate online from State Vital Records. Our quick, efficient process makes replacing your birth certificate easy and affordable. Just fill out an online application, and as soon as it's received, we'll get to work expediting the entire ordering process. Not only that, we provide tracking so you can stay up-to-date on your order's whereabouts to ensure your birth certificate securely gets delivered and in the right hands.

Order online to get a certified copy of your birth certificate today or to hear more about the other types of vital records we provide, including death certificates and passports. Contact us today!