Order a Preadoption Certificate

As a result of Measure 58, an initiative passed by Oregon voters in 1998, an Oregon-born adoptee age twenty-one and older can order their Preadoption Birth Record - the original birth certificate which lists the adoptee's birth parents.

Checklist to Order a Preadoption Birth Certificate





Be 21 Years Old or Older.






Meet Eligibility Requirement to Receive the Preadoption Record and, if Necessary, Provide Proof of Eligibility.



Only the Adoptee may order their preadoption birth record.



• Adoptee must be born in Oregon.
  

• Adoptee must be 21 years of age or older.



Provide Proof of ID

​Acceptable Proof of ID



Important:


• Words must be legible and photo must be clear.

• Expired documents are not acceptable.
  
  

Any ONE of the following documents are acceptable:​​​​​



1. Current, valid driver's license, permit, or ID card.

2. Current, valid passport or passport card with photo.

3. Tribal Membership or ID card with photo and address (without photo accepted as one of three pieces of ID).

4. US Armed Services ID Card with photo.

5. Current student body card with name and photo (High school students only).

6. Consulate Card (Matrícula Consular) with photo and address.

7. Citizen ID with photo.

8. Permanent Resident Card with photo.

9. State or federal government ID badge with photo.
   
   

OR...



Any THREE of the following documents, as long as at least one shows your current address:

 


1. Selective Service Card or military discharge paper (Must be original).

2. US Immigration or naturalization papers.

3. Concealed weapon permit with photo.

4. Official papers issued by courts of record which include date of birth.

5. Official corrections department or parole papers showing date of birth and full name.

6. Vehicle registration or title.

7. Personalized check or savings account passbook.

8. Monthly banking or mortgage account statement. (Document must be no more than 30 days old.)

9. Pistol or firearms permit.

10. State hunting or fishing license.

11. Recent utility or other bill with current address (Document must be no more than 30 days old.)

12. Recent paycheck stub or paycheck (Official company type only). (Document must be no more than 30 days old.)

13. Voter registration card issued by a county elections department.

14. Valid food stamp, welfare, or unemployment identification.

15. Medical or hospital insurance card.

16. Tax statements – W-2 forms, etc.

17. Auto insurance policy.
    

18. Union membership card.

19. Rental Agreement that displays the rental property header/logo, is the current property of residence, is signed by the property manager, and shows that ID verification has taken place.




If there are differences between information provided and information on the record, or questions about the validity of any document, staff are authorized to request additional information or documents.


​


A printable version of the identifying documents list is available in both English and Spanish.





Gather Information You Will Need

​Post adoption information about adoptee listed on birth record



• Full legal name on record (after adoption)

• Date of birth

• Place of birth - city and/or county

• Adoptive Mother/Parent A's legal name at their birth (prior to first name/maiden name) 

• Adoptive Father/Parent B's legal name at birth (prior to first marriage)
  ​

Adoptee information as the applicant​
 


• Your reason for ordering the certificate

• Your current legal name and mailing address

• Your contact information (daytime telephone number and/or email)



  Complete the Order
  (See specific order methods below for information on how to order including links and order forms.)

• By Drop Box 

• By Mail



Pay Fee(s)   
(See “Ways to Order a Certificate" below.)

Preadoption Birth Records: Information for Adoptees



What the Adoptee Will Receive

What the Adoptee​ Receives when Applying for a Preadoption Birth Certificate:

 


• Original Birth Certificate:

  The information on a preadoption birth certificate was provided by the birth parent(s) at the time of birth and is in a sealed file. Certified copies of the original birth record will be clearly marked as a preadoption record. These records will not be accepted by government agencies as legal birth certificates for purposes of identification.
  Note: If the applicant has been adopted several times, they will only receive the first, original birth certificate they received immediately following their birth. 
  
  

• Contact Information/Medical History Information

  If the birth parent(s) provided any Contact information, this will be on the Contact Preference Form for Birth Parents of Adopted Children. If any medical history was provided, this will be indicated by the presence of a Certificate of Receipt of Birth Parent Updated Medical History Form. The certificate of receipt will have information on which organization to contact to obtain the medical history (Oregon voluntary adoption registry or other adoption agency).​​​
  

 


Adoptees will not receive any legal documents or any other forms or documents that may be in their sealed file.

 

-OR-



• No Record Letter

  In a few cases a sealed file is located and opened but no original birth certificate is found. Frequently this means that no birth record was found at the time the adoption occurred. 
  In other cases, no file may be found after a search is completed. This may indicate that no adoption took place or was recorded.
  If either of these scenarios occurs, the applicant will receive a letter from the State Registrar with an official seal stating no record was found. ​

 ​


Please note: 

The information on a preadoption certificate may, or may not, be complete. A birth parent may have chosen to leave the name of the child blank or to give them the last name of a person not listed on the birth record. The mother's name and the father's name on this document may, or may not, be complete.

 

As of 2024 OAR 333-011-0277 allows an adoptee 21 years of age or older has the ability to amend that birth record to add the name of a biological parent if parentage is confirmed by DNA testing. Visit the Amending an Original Record of Live Birth Prior to Adoption page which can be accessed from Change a Record menu of our home page. 

Locating Birth Parents

If you want more information about locating birth parent(s), you have several options:


 


If you know which adoption agency handled your adoption (such as Albertina Kerr, Boys and Girls Aid Society, or Waverly) you can contact that adoption agency directly. Many other private agencies in the state maintain their own mutual consent registries. ​


​


The Voluntary Adoption Registry was created in 1983 to assist adoptees, birth parents, biological siblings, and other eligible persons who wish to learn more about an adoption that was completed in the State of Oregon. The registry is maintained by the ​State Children, Adults and Families and creates a method of communicating information if both parties consent.




If you were party to an adoption completed in Oregon and would like more information, contact:



     Department of Human Services


     Adoption Search and Registry


     500 Summer Street NE, E71

     Salem, OR 97301-1068




If the adoption was arranged by Albertina Kerr, Boys and Girls Aid Society, or Waverly, contact that agency directly. Many other private agencies in the state maintain their own mutual consent registries.​


​


Counseling Referrals

If you would like to speak with a counselor about meeting a biological parent, you can obtain a list of counselors from any adoption agency, or from Adoption Services in the Department of Human Services. ​

Information for Birth Parents of Adoptees



Access to Records

​Under Oregon law, the biological parents of a child who has been adopted cannot order a copy of their child's original birth record or a copy of the legal birth record after adoption unless they obtain a court order from an Oregon court. For reference, see Oregon Revised Statutes 432.245(4); 432.228(1); and 432.250. ​


Birth Parents May State Their Preference for Personal Contact With the Adoptee

​The 1999 Oregon Legislature passed HB3194 to provide a way for birth parents to file a form with the Oregon Center for Health Statistics (CHS) stating their preference about personal contact with the adoptee. The completed preference form will be filed at CHS along with the original birth certificate in a sealed file. Contact preference forms are mailed to adoptees when the birth records are released. If the preference form is filed within six months of issuance of the preadoption birth certificate, Vital Records will forward the contact preference form to the address of the adoptee listed on the order form.



To match the Contact Preference Form to the birth record, it is very important to provide an accurate
 

• Date of birth

• Place of birth

• Facility of birth
  
  

In some cases a match to the original birth record may not be possible without this information.



If a birth parent wants contact;



• ​Complete a Contact Preference Form

  
  

Mail the Contact Preference Form directly to:



Oregon Center for Health Statistics

Certification Unit

PO Box 14050

Portland OR 97293-0050 





If a birth parent does not want contact;



• ​Complete a Birth Parent Updated Medical History Form​ 

  
  

Please note: This form requires legal size (8.5 x 14) paper​. 

File the Birth Parent Updated Medical History Form with the adoption agency involved, or directly to:



Department of Human Services

Adoption Services/Registry, 2nd Floor South

500 Summer Street NE, E71

Salem, OR 97301-1068





Once the medical history form has been received, a certification statement will be forwarded to the Oregon Center for Health Statistics office. Without this certification document, CHS cannot file and release the contact preference form for birth parents who do not want contact.

​

If you have any questions about the forms or the filing of these forms, you may call either the Oregon Center for Health Statistics at 971-673-1190, or Adoption Services/Registry at 503-63​2-2264.

 Measure 58 Updates and Anniversary Reports



Full History of Measure 58 with Timeline

​November 3, 1998 - Voters passed Ballot Measure 58.

Before December 3, 1998 when the law was scheduled to go into effect, a group of birth mothers filed a court appeal questioning the constitutionality of the law. They put forward arguments that they were promised confidentiality which could not legally be withdrawn. Pending the outcome of the review, Marion County Court issued a stay, stopping the implementation of the law. The Court review of the appeal was delayed while additional birth mothers joined the opponents and some individuals and organizations asked to be recognized as intervenors and respondents in the appeal. The Oregon Department of Justice acted on behalf of the State of Oregon to defend the new law before the Marion County Court. Immediately after the law passed, the Vital Records Office began to receive orders for the records which could not be processed due to the legal challenge and resulting court stay.





July 19, 1999 - The Marion County Court upheld the constitutionality of Ballot Measure 58.

Before the ruling was signed and the law could go into effect, the opponents of the law requested and were granted an injunction, stopping implementation while an appeal was filed with the Oregon Court of Appeals. By July 19, 1999, almost 600 orders had been received which could not be processed.





July 1999 - The Oregon Legislature amended Ballot Measure 58 to allow birth parents to file statements about their preference for contact.

The Oregon Legislature passed HB 3194. This bill provided a means for birth parents to file a statement about their preference for contact. If they want contact, birth parents provide addresses where they can be reached. If birth parents do not want contact, they are required to file updated medical history forms for use by the adoptee. Vital Records became responsible for matching the forms to legal birth records and filing the forms in the related sealed files. If a preadoption birth record is released which has been matched to a preference form, it is issued as well.

By the end of July 1999, the Vital Records office had more than 1000 orders pending for preadoption birth records.





August 4, 1999 - The Oregon Court of Appeals set a deadline of August 12 to respond to a motion to stay judgement pending a new appeal.





August 16, 1999 - The Marion County Court extended the stay on enforcing the law for 90 days or until the court could decide the appeal.





September 13, 1999 - The stay is extended until January 2000.


​

December 29, 1999 - The Oregon Appeals Court issued an opinion upholding the constitutionality of Ballot Measure 58.

The law became effect immediately with the Appeals Court action, and the Oregon Vital Records began processing orders by requesting sealed files from the archives. Almost 1600 orders were pending, but no records were issued due to a new stay.





December 30, 1999 - The Oregon Appeals Court approved a seven-day stay while a new appeal was prepared.





January 7, 2000 - The Oregon Supreme Court ruled that the stay should continue indefinitely while the Court considered whether to review the case.





March 21, 2000 - Oregon Supreme Court denied a request for review, but kept the stay in effect for 21 days.

By the end of March 2000, more than 2000 orders were pending for preadoption birth records.





April 10, 2000 - The Oregon Supreme Court extended the stay until May 2.





May 3, 2000 - The opponents of the law petitioned the Oregon Supreme Court to reconsider their earlier decision not to review the law. The stay was extended while the Court considered the petition.





May 16, 2000 - The Oregon Supreme Court denied the request for reconsideration and extended the stay for 14 days.





May 24, 2000 - The Oregon Appeals Court denied the request for an extension of the stay.


With the denial of the extension, the date for processing of orders was set for May 31, 2000.





May 31, 2000 - Appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court failed, and the processing of orders began.The first records were mailed on June 2.

Oregon Vital Records started processing the 2200 orders on hand, beginning with the earliest orders placed. By the end of June 2000, another 1600 orders had been received, for a total of 3800 orders.





September 5, 2000 - Oregon Vital Records caught up on the backlog of orders and began processing new requests as they arrived.

By the end of the first week of September, about 4400 preadoption birth records were issued, and all backlogged orders were researched. Some orders remained which could not be filled without special searches due to problems with locating the sealed files or identifying the correct sealed file numbers.​


Annual Reports

​

---

​ May 31, 2001 - First Year Anniversary Report

The first anniversary for the implementation of the law that allowed adoptees to order birth certificates listing their biological parent(s). Oregon born adoptees over the age of 21 or their legal representatives had placed 5832 orders for these birth records and the Center for Health Statistics completed and issued 5565 birth certificates. By May 31, 2001, 411 Contact Preference Forms from biological parents were received. Of this total, 305 birth parents wanted direct contact, 27 stated they wanted contact through an intermediary, and 79 filed statements saying they did not want contact but provided an updated medical history form for the adoptee.

(NOTE: The data presented below is cumulative since implementation in 2000. These are not annual totals.)


​


May 31, 2002 - Two Year Anniversary Report
Total records ordered since implementation:	6,722
Total records issued since implementation:	6,439
Total Contact Preference Forms submitted by birth parents:	444
Number asking for contact with adoptee:	336
Number asking for contact through an intermediary:	28
Number asking for no contact:	80

May 31, 2003 - Three Year Anniversary Report
Total records ordered since implementation:	7,459
Total records issued since implementation:	7,296
Total Contact Preference Forms submitted by birth parents:	469
Number asking for contact with adoptee:	359
Number asking for contact through an intermediary:	29
Number asking for no contact:	81

May 31, 2004 - Four Year Anniversary Report
Total records ordered since implementation:	8,021
Total records issued since implementation:	7,811
Total Contact Preference Forms submitted by birth parents:	463
Number asking for contact with adoptee:	354
Number asking for contact through an intermediary:	28
Number asking for no contact:	81

May 31, 2005 - Five Year Anniversary Report
Total records ordered since implementation:	8,486
Total records issued since implementation:	8,190
Total Contact Preference Forms submitted by birth parents:	503
Number asking for contact with adoptee:	391
Number asking for contact through an intermediary:	29
Number asking for no contact:	83

May 31, 2006 - Six Year Anniversary Report
Total records ordered since implementation:	8,956
Total records issued since implementation:	8,661
Total Contact Preference Forms submitted by birth parents:	513
Number asking for contact with adoptee:	401
Number asking for contact through an intermediary:	29
Number asking for no contact:	83

May 31, 2007 - Seven Year Anniversary Report
Total records ordered since implementation:	9,366
Total records issued since implementation:	9,020
Total Contact Preference Forms submitted by birth parents:	545
Number asking for contact with adoptee:	432
Number asking for contact through an intermediary:	29
Number asking for no contact:	84

May 31, 2008 - Eight Year Anniversary Report
Total records ordered since implementation:	9,790
Total records issued since implementation:	9,423
Total Contact Preference Forms submitted by birth parents:	569
Number asking for contact with adoptee:	455
Number asking for contact through an intermediary:	29
Number asking for no contact:	85




May 31, 2009 - Nine Year Anniversary Report
Total records ordered since implementation:	10,189
Total records issued since implementation:	9,772
Total Contact Preference Forms submitted by birth parents:	613
Number asking for contact with adoptee:	494
Number asking for contact through an intermediary:	34
Number asking for no contact:	85




May 31, 2010 - Ten Year Anniversary Report
Total records ordered since implementation:	10,594
Total records issued since implementation:	10,151
Total Contact Preference Forms submitted by birth parents:	638
Number asking for contact with adoptee:	518
Number asking for contact through an intermediary:	35
Number asking for no contact:	85




May 31, 2011 - Eleven Year Anniversary Report
Total records ordered since implementation:	10,943
Total records issued since implementation:	10,450
Total Contact Preference Forms submitted by birth parents:	653
Number asking for contact with adoptee:	533
Number asking for contact through an intermediary:	35
Number asking for no contact:	85




May 31, 2012 - Twelve Year Anniversary Report
Total records ordered since implementation:	11,287
Total records issued since implementation:	10,748
Total Contact Preference Forms submitted by birth parents:	662
Number asking for contact with adoptee:	541
Number asking for contact through an intermediary:	36
Number asking for no contact:	85




May 31, 2013 - Thirteen Year Anniversary Report
Total records ordered since implementation:	11,547
Total records issued since implementation:	10,990
Total Contact Preference Forms submitted by birth parents:	673
Number asking for contact with adoptee:	551
Number asking for contact through an intermediary:	36
Number asking for no contact:	86




May 31, 2014 - Fourteen Year Anniversary Report
Total records ordered since implementation:	11,838
Total records issued since implementation:	11,224
Total Contact Preference Forms submitted by birth parents:	675
Number asking for contact with adoptee:	553
Number asking for contact through an intermediary:	36
Number asking for no contact:	86




May 31, 2015 - Fifteen Year Anniversary Report
Total records ordered since implementation:	12,054
Total records issued since implementation:	11,476
Total Contact Preference Forms submitted by birth parents:	682
Number asking for contact with adoptee:	559
Number asking for contact through an intermediary:	37
Number asking for no contact:	86




May 31, 2016 - Sixteen Year Anniversary Report
Total records ordered since implementation:	12,278
Total records issued since implementation:	11,733
Total Contact Preference Forms submitted by birth parents:	691
Number asking for contact with adoptee:	568
Number asking for contact through an intermediary:	37
Number asking for no contact:	86




May 31, 2017 - Seventeen Year Anniversary Report
Total records ordered since implementation:	12,512
Total records issued since implementation:	11,953
Total Contact Preference Forms submitted by birth parents:	699
Number asking for contact with adoptee:	575
Number asking for contact through an intermediary:	37
Number asking for no contact:	87




May 31, 2018 - Eighteen Year Anniversary Report
Total records ordered since implementation:	12,801
Total records issued since implementation:	12,201
Total Contact Preference Forms submitted by birth parents:	702
Number asking for contact with adoptee:	577
Number asking for contact through an intermediary:	37
Number asking for no contact:	88




May 31, 2019 - Nineteen Year Anniversary Report
Total records ordered since implementation:	13,024
Total records issued since implementation:	12,428
Total Contact Preference Forms submitted by birth parents:	703
Number asking for contact with adoptee:	578
Number asking for contact through an intermediary:	37
Number asking for no contact:	88

May 31, 2020 - Twenty Year Anniversary Report
Total records ordered since implementation:	13,138
Total records issued since implementation:	12,530
Total Contact Preference Forms submitted by birth parents:	704
Number asking for contact with adoptee:	579
Number asking for contact through an intermediary:	37
Number asking for no contact:	89

May 31, 2021 - Twenty One Year Anniversary Report Total records ordered since implementation: 13,233 Total records issued since implementation: 12,721 Total Contact Preference Forms submitted by birth parents: 706      Number asking for contact with adoptee: 580      Number asking for contact through an intermediary: 37      Number asking for no contact: 89 May 31, 2022 - Twenty Two Year Anniversary Report Total records ordered since implementation: 13,344 Total records issued since implementation: 12,856 Total Contact Preference Forms submitted by birth parents: 707      Number asking for contact with adoptee: 581      Number asking for contact through an intermediary: 37      Number asking for no contact: 89 May 31, 2023 - Twenty Three Year Anniversary Report Total records ordered since implementation: 13,433 Total records issued since implementation: 12,948 Total Contact Preference Forms submitted by birth parents: 709      Number asking for contact with adoptee: 583      Number asking for contact through an intermediary: 37      Number asking for no contact: 89 ​​ May 31, 2024​ - Twenty Four Year Anniversary Report Total records ordered since implementation: 13,536 Total records issued since implementation: 13,051 Total Contact Preference Forms submitted by birth parents: 709      Number asking for contact with adoptee: 584      Number asking for contact through an intermediary: 37      Number asking for no contact: 90 ​​




Average Annual Record Orders

​The following table summarizes the average number of new orders per month for preadoption birth records received by the Center for Health Statistics annually.


​


Year	Average New Orders Per Month
2001	293.4
2002	74.2
2003	61.4
2004	46.8
2005	38.8
2006	39.2
2007	34.2
2008	35.3
2009	33.3
2010	32.8
2011	20.1
2012	28.7
2013	21.7
2014	24.3
2015	18.0
2016	18.7
2017	19.5
2018	24.0
2019	18.5
2020	9.5
2021	7.9
​2022	9.2
2023	9.2
2024	8.6

​