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Check eligibility to get a pre-adoption birth record

Access to birth records established prior to an adoption may be restricted. Find out if you are able to order a pre-adoption birth certificate.

Can I apply?

You are able to apply for a copy of a birth record established prior to an adoption (without first obtaining a court order) if you are:

  • An adoptee who was born in Massachusetts on or before July 17, 1974.  
  • An adult child (18 years or older) of a deceased parent who was an adoptee born in Massachusetts on or before July 17, 1974.  
  • The parent or legal guardian of a child (under 18 years of age) whose deceased parent was an adoptee born in Massachusetts on or before July 17, 1974.
  • The adoptive parent of a child (under 18 years of age) born in Massachusetts on or after January 1, 2008.
  • An adult adoptee (18 years or older) who was born in Massachusetts on or after January 1, 2008.
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