Vitals Records Lookup

Vital records are used for personal, business and government purposes. Read more information on the vital records lookup options available to you today.

Vital records are used for personal, business and government purposes. They pertain to information and events of significant importance, such as births, deaths, marriages, and divorces. For business purposes, vital records are integral to the continued operation of a business during and after emergency and disaster scenarios such as floods, fires, security breaches and more. Government agencies such as the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) collect more than six million vital-event records from U.S. states and territories to disseminate the information and produce useful national health statistics. Continue reading for important information on vital records lookup options available today.

What Are Vital Records?

In short, vital records are documents or files containing information about significant events in life such (births and deaths, marriages, and divorces etc.). Vital records also include information integral to the operation and recovery of a business during and after a disaster or emergency. The security and recovery of business-related vital records often requires records management services, which are provided by third-party companies specializing in such processes.

The National Archives and Research Administration (NARA) contains catalogs for U.S. veterans’ and other military-based service records. NARA catalogs also contain educator resources and transcripts of America’s founding documents. The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) collects over six million vital-event records from every U.S. state and territory into a decentralized and cooperative government-facilitated system. This information is then processed, disseminated, and utilized to produce national health statistics. 

Disasters such as floods, fires, security breaches and environmental pollution are all capable of destroying data and vital records inside a business. Vital records require specialized backup systems for recall purposes when such disasters occur. The word “vital” is an appropriate term. Vital records are necessary for businesses to continue their normal operations, even if all other records are destroyed. 

Why Are Vital Records Made Public?

Vital records are made public for several reasons. They constitute legal documents for the people whose names are on them. Vital records are also utilized for multiple vital statistics measures and the study of human health, demographics, populations, and subcategories of populations. 

While a nominal five percent or less of all records are considered vital, the ones that are have immense value pursuant to characteristics of human health and behavior. Birth and death certificates are made public, so an accurate national and global population count is possible. Studying birth rates allows for a scientific assessment of population growth, not only overall but also in specific regions. Death certificate statistics allow for the necessary adjustment of these population counts. Death certificate also provide data about death rates and causes of death both nationwide and within specific regions.

Marriage and divorce records are typically matters of the U.S. court system, which are made public by default. These records are used to study human behavior and how marriage affects relocation, choice of new location and citizenship statistics. For marriage or divorce records to be sealed (meaning unavailable for public access), a specific request must be filed with the appropriate court.

Vital records pertaining to businesses include licenses, permits, articles of incorporation, tax status, employee statistics and more. These types of records are also made public as a matter of regulation and default. Business-related vital records are stored securely for fast access as needed for a wide variety of purposes.

Types of Vital Records

To understand the types of vital records available it is helpful to first separate them into three primary categories. Personal, business and government-based vital records are all available publicly. Government-based records serve broader purposes, however.

Personal

Personal vital records include birth and death certificates. Marriage licenses and certificates are also vital records, as are divorce decrees and certificates. Pregnancies and pregnancy terminations are vital records as are certain health records. Vital records are utilized by government statistics collection organizations to assess population growth and human behavioral trends. These records also help determine regions of the country where Americans prefer to live, which areas have economic affluence, and which are experiencing financial hardship.

Business

Vital records for businesses involve various nuances. Firstly, for a record to be classified as vital it needs to support and be integral to critical business operations. Vital records allow businesses to maintain normal operations during abnormal circumstances. The information contained in these records is necessary for a business to recreate its financial and legal status during and after disasters and other emergencies. Business-related vital records also preserve the rights of stakeholders, which include stakeholder obligations. Vital records also preserve rights and obligations pursuant to investors, employees, customers, clients, and citizens. Different types of vital records for businesses include:

  • Licenses, permits and articles of incorporation.

  • Certifications.

  • Contracts, leases, and deeds.

  • Intellectual property.

  • Patents.

  • Blueprints.

  • Quality assurance (documents and records).

  • Audio and video tapes (or hard drive recordings).

  • Company policy manuals.

  • Customer and client records.

  • Corporate papers and titles.

  • Maps, drawings, notebooks (laboratory, accounting. etc.).

  • X-rays, photographs, and cultural artifacts.

  • Advertisements.

Government

Vital records pertaining to government agencies have a broad reach and variety of purposes. Some of the same types of records apply to government agencies as they do to businesses. Some government agencies have the sole purpose of collecting, processing, and analyzing vital records. Others have dedicated departments where vital records processes are handled. For example, the NCHS provides data and statistics, which are useful for creating public actions and policies. These public actions and policies are then purposed for the collective improvement of American health.

How Can I Access Vital Records?

Vital records are accessible through a variety of agencies both privately and government operated. Each state has its own vital records archives and agencies. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides helpful resources for people who wish to apply for their vital records based on origin by state. VitalChek is a company designed specifically to help people access their vital records with more convenience and speed than is normally associated with government applications and processes. VitalChek has over thirty years of experience helping people access vital records. This company has also developed relationships with various government agencies, which makes VitalChek a trusted and reliable source for accessing your vital records fast.

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