When the child being adopted was born in the United States, it is recommended that the adoption be placed on file in the state where the birth occurred. Please contact the birth state for more information on filing an adoption.
Placing a Domestic Adoption on file in New Jersey
When a child is born in New Jersey and adopted, the adoptive parent(s) should place the adoption on file with the Office of Vital Statistics and Registry.
To place a domestic adoption on file and receive a certified copy of the new birth certificate, the following must be provided:
- A completed Report of Adoption form (REG-44)
- A certified copy of the original final judgment or decree of adoption.
- A check or money order for $2 payable to: Treasurer, State of New Jersey to process the adoption. A certified copy of the certificate can be ordered for $25 for the first copy and $2 for each additional copy of the same certificate.
Please mail the above information to:
New Jersey Office of Vital Statistics and Registry
Attn: - Domestic Adoption Processing
PO Box 370
Trenton, NJ 08625
Once an adoption has been processed and recorded with the New Jersey Office of Vital Statistics and Registry, a new birth certificate is prepared using only the information contained in the court order. Amendments to post-adoption birth certificates may only be processed if an updated or new court order is provided. The original court order, birth certificate and related documents are placed under seal; this seal can only be broken by court order.
