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Based on the date of the vital event (birth, death, marriage, divorce), determine whether you are seeking a state, territory, county, or parish level record. If the record you are seeking has been digitized, you can access it online, through the projects described below. If it has not been digitized or if you need a certified copy, contact the appropriate state or county office to view the record.
Early vital events were recorded at the town level. Mandatory registration began in 1857. Records before that date are incomplete. Not all births, marriages, and deaths were recorded. More information about historical Vermont vital records may be found through the Vermont State Archives & Records Administration (VSARA).
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Adoption Records |
Note: Related records may be found in the community, outside of the legal system, such as baptismal records.
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Birth and Death Records |
Note: Through the Vermont State Archives and Records Administration some vital records from 1760-2008 are available online via subscription database services, such as Ancestry and FamilySearch. Also note: The Vermont Department of Health provides a searchable index for births and deaths from 1909 to present. |
| Marriage Records |
Note: Through the Vermont State Archives and Records Administration some vital records from 1760-2008 are available online via subscription database services, such as Ancestry and FamilySearch. Also note: The Vermont Department of Health provides a searchable index for births and deaths from 1909 to present. |
| Divorce Records |
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The subscription resources marked with a padlock 
are available to researchers on-site at the Library of Congress. If you are unable to visit the Library, you may be able to access these resources through your local public or academic library.
Using Ancestry Library Edition for Vermont
Begin your search through Ancestry's vast collections, by viewing the list designated as Vermont records External.
Using FamilySearch for Vermont
FamilySearch provides useful state and county wikis that make excellent starting points for research. The Vermont Wiki External includes links to each of its counties.
FamilySearch has digitized many of its microfilms containing county courthouse records including birth, death, and marriage. Not all records have been indexed yet, so search engine results may NOT show you the full range of FamilySearch data. You must browse the FamilySearch catalog External listings for each county to view the full set of records available. The vast amount of accessible original records is well worth your time to explore.
Contact the Vermont Department of Health, Vital Records Request Service to learn more about accessing state-level records and explore additional options for obtaining certified, legal copies.
Below are selected print publications for statewide vital records. The following titles link to fuller bibliographic information in the Library of Congress Online Catalog. Links to additional online content are included when available.
To locate additional published materials, go to the Print Resources section of this guide for search tips on locating published county courthouse records, abstracts, and indexes that may aide you in locating original records at the county level.
Sudbury, Vermont genealogies, vital records, and census records by Vital Records of Putney, Vermont, to the year 1900 by Vital Records of Rockingham, Vermont by 
