Vital Records & Requests (Births, Deaths & Marriages)

Vital Records

Please note: All Vital Records must be requested in advance by phone call or written statement of 24hrs.

The Town Clerk is the keeper of vital records, including birth and death certificates.  According to the Registry of Vital Records, Massachusetts is one of just 5 "open data" states, but steps must nevertheless be taken to safeguard the records and protect residents from identity theft. This office records all Vital Statistic Records (births, deaths and marriages) and issues certified copies of same at a cost of $10.00 each. Our records date back to 1853 when we were incorporated (although some of the earlier records are missing).

TO PAY ONLINE: CLICK HERE: https://www.lakevillema.org/home/pages/online-payments


BIRTH CERTIFICATE (1853-present)

How May I Obtain a Certified Copy of a Birth Certificate?

It may be obtained through the Town/City Clerk's office in the city or town where you were born or in the city or town where the parents were living at the time of the birth. The fee for a certified copy of a birth certificate is ten dollars ($10.00).

Births of children born in RI or any other state have to be obtained from that particular state because the records do not crossover the state line.

If you are unable to make the request in person, please fill out a Birth Certificate Request Application and mail it in with the appropriate documentation, including a photocopy of a driver's license/governmental ID.The fee for a certified copy is $10 per copy.    We will mail the certificate back to you.  Please note that we strive for same-day turnarounds of your request, but very infrequently the time to process the request may take up to 10 days.

If you need more immediate access to your birth record, the Registry of Vital Records can provide you with a certified copy if you order on-line and pay an additional fee.  They also provide next day delivery service for another additional fee.  Further, they can provide in-person service over the counter at 150 Mt. Vernon Street, Dorchester, MA 02125.  Go to Mass.gov - Ordering a Birth, Marriage, or Death Certificate for more information.

In rare circumstances, issuance of a certified copy of a birth certificate may be restricted due to the child being born out of wedlock (non-marital birth).  In that case, only the following may receive a copy of the record:  the subject of the record (child), parents listed on the record, the father not listed on the record with documentary proof that he is the father (such as a paternity adjudication, stipulation or properly completed Voluntary Acknowledgment of Parentage), the legal guardian of the child, or the legal representative of the child.  If you are unsure what documentation you need, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Aboard or U.S Military Base-Outside of the United States

How to order a U.S. Birth Certificate When You Were Born Aboard or on a U.S. Military Base-Outside of the United States- Click here


DEATH CERTIFICATE (1853- present)

How May I Obtain a Certified Copy of a Death Certificate?

Certified copies of death records are available in the Town Clerk's office if the decedent resided in Lakeville at the time of his or her death, or if he or she actually died in Lakeville. The fee for a certified copy of a Death Certificate is ten dollars ($10.00).

If you are unable to make the request in person, please fill out a Death Certificate Request Application and mail it in with the appropriate documentation, including a photocopy of a driver's license/governmental ID.  The fee for a certified copy is $10 per copy.  We will mail the certificate back to you.  Please note that we strive for same-day turnarounds of your request, but very infrequently the time to process the request may take up to 10 days.

If you need more immediate access to a death record, the Registry of Vital Records can provide you with a certified copy if you order on-line and pay an additional fee.  They also provide next day delivery service for another additional fee.  Further, they can provide in-person service over the counter at 150 Mt. Vernon Street, Dorchester, MA 02125. Go to Mass.gov - Ordering a Birth, Marriage, or Death Certificate for more information.


MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE (1853- present)

How May I Obtain a Certified Copy of a Marriage Certificate?

If you previously filed your intentions to be married in the Lakeville Town Clerk's Office and would like a certified copy of your marriage license/certificate, and are unable to make the request in person, please fill out a Marriage Certificate Request Application and mail it in with the appropriate documentation, including a photocopy of a driver's license/governmental ID.  The fee for a certified copy is $10 per copy.  We will mail the certificate back to you.  Please note that we strive for same-day turnarounds of your request, but very infrequently the time to process the request may take up to 10 days. The fee for a certified copy of a marriage license is ten dollars ($10.00).

If you need more immediate access to a marriage record, the Registry of Vital Records can provide you with a certified copy if you order on-line and pay an additional fee.  They also provide next day delivery service for another additional fee.  Further, they can provide in-person service over the counter at 150 Mt. Vernon Street, Dorchester, MA 02125. Go to Mass.gov - Ordering a Birth, Marriage, or Death Certificate for more information.


BY MAIL:

To obtain a certified copy of a vital record through the mail, please use the forms below:

Fill out the form and send it to the address below with the necessary fee.

Checks should be made payable to: Town of Lakeville
 
Mail to:  Town of Lakeville
              Town Clerk's Office
              346 Bedford Street
              Lakeville, MA 02347
 

Please enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope.