Cedar County Courthouse, Tipton, Iowa (2001 Connie Street)

VITAL RECORDS

Vital records are birth, marriage, and death records. On Jan.12, 2001, the state health department ordered all county recorders in Iowa to follow this policy regarding vital records:

"Uncertified, plain copies of vital records may NOT be provided to mail-in requests. Only certified copies to entitled recipients, at a $10 [now $15] fee each, may be issued through mail-in applications.

Uncertified copies may only be issued when stamped "Not for Legal Purposes" (or something similar) to customers who have come into your office IN PERSON and looked up the record.

Chapter 144.43 clearly gives the public the right to 'inspect' and copy vital records in the custody of county registrars (that have not been sealed, etc.).

 "Inspect" can only be done in person by the customer and with the major searching done by the customer. Copying may be done by hand (abstracting) by the customer on-site or in the form of a photocopy made by the county registrar for a reasonable copy fee." 

"Mail-in customers who are doing extensive genealogy of older records and do not need, or want, certified copies may be better served by providing them names of local professional genealogists." 

To secure a certified copy of a record from the county-of-event, applicants must have direct or tangible interest in the record. In other words, you must be the person named on the record or have a lineal relationship to the registrant, such as a legal parent, grandparent, child, legal guardian, or legal representative. All requests or applications for each certificate must be in writing and include the purpose for the certificate. Cost for birth certificates was increased to $15 July 1, 2003.

 More recently, a new state mandate has been added to the rules: No scanners, laptops, cameras or other electronic devices may be used in the vital records area.

Libraries

Bennett Public Library
203 Main St., Bennett
Phone: (563) 893-2238
Map

Edna Zybell Memorial Library
309 6th Ave., Clarence
Phone: (563) 452-3734
Map

Durant Station Library
402 Sixth St., Durant
Phone: (563) 785-4725
Map

Lowden Public Library
605 Main St., Lowden
Phone: (563) 924-7629
Map

Mechanicsville Public Library
218 East First St., Mechanicsville
Phone: (563) 432-7135
Map

Stanwood Public Library
202 E. Broadway St. Stanwood
Phone: (563) 945-3531
Map

Tipton Public Library
206 Cedar St., Tipton
Phone: (563) 886-6266
Map

West Branch Public Library
300 N Downey, West Branch
Phone: (319) 643-2633
Map
 

Research for a fee:

Mary Weets,
Cedar County Genealogical Society
PO Box 52, Tipton, IA 52772-0052

Yvonne Gregory
c/o Cedar County Family Research
PO Box 205, Tipton, IA 52772

Cedar County Historical Society
1094 Highway 38 Tipton
Phone: 563-886-2899
Cchsmus@iowatelecom.net

Note: Vital records from 1921-1941 are at the Iowa Dept. of Public Health

• Births from 1880 (May be incomplete) Note: Single-parent births are closed up to July 1, 1995
   
• Marriages from 
   
• Death Records from 1880 (May be incomplete)
   
• Send your request for certified copies to: County Recorder's Office, Cedar County Courthouse, 400 Cedar St., Tipton, IA 52772-1752 (By Iowa law, phone requests are not accepted.) Enclose $10 for each certificate you order ($15 for births) and include book and page numbers if you have them. For an application,
   
• But remember, certified copies are not necessary unless you wish to join a society that demands them.
• Official Cedar County Government Website
• Cedar County Recorder's Office