Unless mandated by federal or District of Columbia law or ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction*, you CANNOT use vital records for legal, administrative, or other actions that directly affect a particular individual or establishment. However, Vital Records Division data ARE often requested for health statistical, epidemiological, and other research activities under strict confidentiality requirements and data security protections.

*Subpoenas and Orders may be required to be domesticated through DC Superior Court.

All subpoenas must be served and found legally sufficient by DC Health's General Counsel before an application can be processed.

You may email a completed subpoena to [email protected] for initial review, before mailing or delivering the original. You may mail or deliver your subpoena in person to: Attn: CSCO Vital Records Division District of Columbia Department of Health 2201 Shannon pl. SE 1st Floor Washington, DC 20020

Please review the Subpoena Request Instruction Sheet for details on how to place an order and make payment once General Counsel has found the subpoena sufficient.

Each request is reviewed to determine whether the intended use of the data conforms to established standards of confidentiality.

Data kept confidential by law includes births, deaths (including fetal deaths), marriages, divorces, and domestic partnerships, as well as any other supporting document used to amend vital records.

Data permitting the identification of any particular individual or establishment can ONLY be disclosed under specified conditions designed to protect the privacy of, or prevent potential harm to, those who provided the data.

Each use of the data must be approved by the State Registrar. This includes use of data for a different purpose when the original stated use has already been approved.

Vital records are not subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

• Download the request form or request a copy by mailing the
  DC Registrar
  2201 Shannon pl. SE, , First Floor
  Washington, DC 20020
  or calling 202-442-5955.
• This form includes a Statement of Assurances that the data will be used only for the proposed study and that the data’s confidentiality will be protected. You will need to sign this.
• You will also need to get Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval from the District of Columbia’s Department of Health Institutional Review Board for Public Health or approval by any IRB constituted according to federal guidelines for the protection of human subjects. You will need to include the approval letter with your request.
• Send the completed Request Application form (the original form, not a copy) to:
  The Registrar Vital Records Division State Center for Health Statistics
  DC Department of Health
  2201 Shannon pl. SE , First Floor
  Washington, DC 20020

Send an email to [email protected] outlining the purpose and information needed from unidentifiable data.

• You must submit a separate request form for EACH project that uses Vital Records Division data.
• Failure to provide sufficient detail may delay review or prevent approval.
• Allow 30 days for your request to be processed.
• For ongoing research projects, you must resubmit each year an IRB approval and signed Statement of Assurances that includes your Vital Records approved request/application number.