Birth chart guidesBirth time
How to find your birth time in the United States
By the Hourwyn team
In the United States the most reliable record of your birth time is the full copy of your birth certificate, ordered from the vital records office of the state where you were born. The short certified copy many people carry often leaves the time off. If the state has no time on file, try the hospital's records office and family keepsakes.
Four places to look, in order
- The certificate you already have. Look near the date of birth for a line reading "Time of birth" or "Hour of birth". Short copies, often titled an abstract or a certification of birth, usually do not carry it.
- The full copy from the state. Ask the vital records office of your birth state for a copy that shows the time of birth. States call it different things: long form, full image, photocopy of the original, or vault copy. The CDC keeps a state-by-state directory of these offices, linked under Sources.
- The hospital. The medical records office of the hospital where you were born may still hold the delivery record. Hospitals keep records for a limited number of years, so this works best for younger adults.
- Family keepsakes. A baby book, a hospital bracelet or crib card, a birth announcement, or a note in a family Bible often has the time written down.
Why the short copy leaves it off
The US Standard Certificate of Live Birth, the model form that states base their own certificates on, has a field for the time of birth. The short copy that states issue for everyday use is a summary of that record, made to prove identity, age and citizenship. A time of birth serves none of those purposes, so it is commonly dropped.
Whether a time was recorded at all depends on the state and the year. Older records are more likely to lack one.
What to say when you order
- Say that you need the time of birth to appear on the copy. This is the detail that decides which version you are sent.
- Have your full name at birth, date and city of birth, and both parents' names ready. Most states also ask for a copy of your photo ID.
- Order from the state or county office itself. Fees and waiting times differ by state.
When all you have is a parent's memory
A remembered time is still useful. "Just after lunch" or "around 3 in the morning" narrows the rising sign from twelve possibilities to one or two. Enter it as an approximate time, and treat the house positions as a best guess. There is more on this in how exact a birth time needs to be.
If no record exists
Some people cannot get a time: the record was never made, was lost, or is sealed. A chart can still be calculated without the parts that depend on the hour. See what a chart can show without a birth time.
Common questions
Does my birth certificate show what time I was born?
The full copy often does. The short certified copy often does not. Check the copy you have for a "Time of birth" line, and if it is missing, ask your birth state for a copy that includes it.
Is the time on a birth certificate exact?
It is the time someone wrote down at the birth, and it may have been rounded. For most charts a few minutes makes little difference.
How long does it take to get the full copy?
It depends on the state and on whether you order online, by mail or in person. Expect anything from a few days to several weeks.
Can a hospital tell me my birth time over the phone?
Usually not. Expect to make a written request to the medical records office and to prove who you are.
See it on your own chart
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Keep reading
Sources
- Where to Write for Vital Records. CDC, National Center for Health Statistics.
- Revisions of the U.S. Standard Certificates and Reports. CDC, National Center for Health Statistics.
The guides are written by Hourwyn with the help of AI tools. Astronomical and historical facts are checked against the sources listed under each guide. Astrology is described as a tradition and offered for entertainment. Nothing here is medical, financial, legal or psychological advice.