A birth certificate is an important document which proves one's name and date of birth. It identifies an individual born in a given hospital on a given day, and is typically accepted as a required form of identification for employment or other official matters such as obtaining a driver's license or a passport. Getting a birth certificate in Detroit requires dealing with the Michigan Department of Community Health.

Download and print the Michigan Birth Record Application Form 2.

Fill in your personal information and the information for the person whose birth certificate you wish to obtain, if it is not your own.

Mark the eligibility requirement which applies to you. If none do, you will not be able to receive this birth certificate.

Calculate the fees required in the box at the bottom left corner of the front page of the form and write a check or money order for this amount.

Sign the form.

Place the check or money order, the form itself, and a copy of a photo ID which identifies you as the person requesting the birth certificate into an envelope.

Place a stamp on the envelope and address it to the following office:

Vital Records Requests PO Box 30721 Lansing MI 48909

Mail this envelope and be prepared to wait approximately six weeks.