Is it legal to make photocopies of vital records?

It isn’t a matter of legality. The question is will they accept a photocopy? The telephone is your friend.

It’s perfectly legal to make copies, but many places won’t accept them. You can order “official copies” from your local vital records place, which will usually have an embossed seal on them, and send those in.

You can make as many copies as you want, just make sure none of the fine print says they need to see the original. As long as it doesn’t say they need the original, you should be fine with a copy. If they need to see the real thing, you should be able to go in person to show it to them. It’s pretty rare for places where you have to use the mail to demand to see an official copy.

Every college I have went to required transcripts mailed from the previous school.

@johnpowell It was my understanding that vital records meant things like birth certificates, marriage licenses, and death certificates. Many academic records must be official (transcripts, standardized test scores, etc.), but I didn’t think they were considered vital records.

Vitals records such as death, birth and marriage certificates. Thanks for your help!