SALT LAKE CITY — Utah-born adoptees will now be able to get a non-certified copy of their original birth certificate without having to go to court, thanks to a new law passed by the Utah Legislature in 2020.
Under the new law, effective November 1, if the birth parents give permission or are deceased, adoptees will be able to receive this document (original birth certificates are sealed when a child is placed for adoption) which can help them find siblings or other relatives through the Utah Adoption Registry (Registry).
Through the Registry, a voluntary, mutual consent system created nearly 35 years ago, adoptees older than 18 have a tool to reunite with their birth parents and blood-related siblings.
LINK: Utah Adoption Registry
Individuals need to create an account with the Registry in order to give permission for records to be shared or to access records. If there are two birth parents listed on a birth certificate and only one gives permission, information about the non-consenting parent will be redacted.
“The registry has been updated to allow adoptees access to these records according to the law, as well as for birth parents to update important information like health histories and to give permission to share records with their adopted children when they turn 18,” said Linda Wininger, director of the Utah Department of Health Office of Vital Records and Statistics.
Under the new system, users can update and review information, provide contact information, and register consent for adoptees to receive a non-certified birth certificate and other vital documents to be released by the birth parents without providing contact information.
Individuals who are interested in finding their birth families or accessing these records need to create a user account with the Utah Adoption Registry, even if they had previously registered with it. For people who weren’t previously registered, there is a $25 fee.
“The system is set up and ready. I would encourage anyone who is looking for information about their birth parents or adopted children to create their account as soon as possible. Matching these records to the right people and making sure everyone has given consent to share information takes time,” said Wininger.
Changes to the Registry were made under House Bill (HB) 345 Personal Records Amendments, introduced by Representative Stewart Barlow.
Click here To learn more about the Utah Adoption Registry or to create an account.
