Birth Records in Franklin County
Franklin County birth records are held at the city and town clerk level across 26 municipalities in northwestern Massachusetts. There is no central county office for vital records. If you need a Franklin County birth certificate, you go to the clerk in the town where the birth occurred. Greenfield is the county seat and handles the largest share of records requests in the county. The Greenfield City Clerk processes both in-person and mail requests and charges $20 per certified copy for births registered in Greenfield.
Franklin County Overview
No County Clerk Holds Franklin County Records
Franklin County operates without a county-level vital records office. Massachusetts abolished most county government functions over the years, and Franklin County is no exception. There is no county clerk you can call for a birth certificate. Birth records are divided across 26 independent city and town clerks, each responsible for births that took place within its borders. If someone searches for a "Franklin County birth records office," they will not find a single location that holds all the county's certificates.
The Franklin County Superior Court at 43 Hope Street in Greenfield handles civil and criminal court matters. It does not issue or hold birth certificates. The Franklin County Probate and Family Court is also at 43 Hope Street, P.O. Box 590, Greenfield, MA 01302, with a phone number of (413) 774-7011. The Probate Court handles adoptions, name changes, and guardianships. If you need to access a birth certificate tied to an adoption or a court-ordered name correction, the Probate Court may be part of your process. For all other birth certificate requests, the local clerk in the right town is your destination.
One common point of confusion worth clearing up: the Town of Franklin is located in Norfolk County, not Franklin County. They are separate places. If you need a record from the Town of Franklin, you contact Norfolk County clerks, not anyone in Greenfield.
Greenfield City Clerk and Birth Records
Greenfield is the county seat of Franklin County and the largest municipality in the county. The Greenfield City Clerk (sometimes referred to as Town Clerk) handles birth records for all births registered in Greenfield. The clerk's office is at 14 Court Square, Greenfield, MA 01301. You can reach the office by phone at 413-772-1555 x 112 or by fax at 413-772-1542. Email is available at townclerk@greenfield-ma.gov. The Greenfield clerk page has current details on hours, forms, and procedures.
The fee for a certified birth certificate from Greenfield is $20 per copy. Payment should be by check or money order made payable to the City of Greenfield. Mail requests must include a self-addressed stamped envelope along with your payment and ID documentation. The clerk does not accept online payments for mail requests, so plan accordingly if you are ordering remotely. For in-person requests, confirm current payment methods when you call ahead.
The screenshot below shows the Greenfield City Clerk page, which is the starting point for any Franklin County birth records request tied to a Greenfield birth.
The Greenfield clerk page provides contact information, request procedures, and links to help you get a Franklin County birth certificate for records registered in Greenfield.
Greenfield Birth, Death, and Marriage Records Page
Beyond the general clerk contact page, Greenfield has a dedicated page for vital records that covers birth, death, and marriage record requests in one place. This page is a useful reference because it explains what documentation to bring or send, how fees are calculated, and what to expect during processing. The Greenfield birth, death, and marriage records page is the more specific resource when you already know you need a birth certificate and want to get straight to the request process.
The image below shows that page, which lays out the key steps for requesting a Franklin County birth record from the Greenfield City Clerk.
This Greenfield vital records page consolidates the core information you need to submit a request for a Franklin County birth certificate tied to Greenfield.
Note: The Greenfield clerk can only issue certificates for births that were registered in Greenfield. For births in other Franklin County towns, contact that town's clerk directly.Other Franklin County Town Clerks
Franklin County's 26 municipalities include towns of varying sizes. Beyond Greenfield, you will find clerk offices in Montague, Deerfield, Sunderland, Shelburne, Conway, Bernardston, Gill, Hawley, Heath, Leverett, Leyden, Monroe, New Salem, Northfield, Orange, Rowe, Shutesbury, Warwick, Wendell, and Whately, among others. Each maintains its own birth records. Some of these towns are small and rural, with clerks who may hold office only a few hours per week.
Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield is the main hospital in the county. Many Franklin County births are registered in Greenfield as a result, even if the family lived in a nearby town. If you are unsure where a birth was registered, calling the Greenfield clerk first is often a reasonable move. They can tell you if they hold the record or point you to the right town.
Mail requests to smaller Franklin County towns follow the same general pattern as Greenfield: money order or check, plus a self-addressed stamped envelope. Fees can vary slightly from town to town, so call ahead to confirm the amount before you send payment.
State Registry for Franklin County Birth Certificates
The Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics (RVRS) holds copies of all birth records filed in the state, including every birth registered in Franklin County. The RVRS website explains how to request records and what to expect. The office is at 150 Mt. Vernon Street, Dorchester, MA 02125, with a main phone number of (617) 740-2600. For people who cannot easily reach a specific Franklin County town clerk, RVRS is a practical statewide alternative.
The state publishes a step-by-step ordering guide covering all request methods. The RVRS fee schedule lists current costs for certified copies. Fees generally fall between $10 and $25 depending on how you order. Online requests go through VitalChek, which is available at any hour and processes orders for RVRS. Phone orders are accepted at (866) 300-8535. Either path produces a certified copy valid for legal use.
Who Can Get a Franklin County Birth Record
Massachusetts restricts access to birth records less than 100 years old. Under MGL c.46 §2A, only the person named on the certificate, their parents, a legal guardian, or someone with a documented direct interest in the record can receive a certified copy. This applies at every Franklin County clerk office and at RVRS. You need valid photo ID, and in some cases you will need to show documentation that establishes your legal relationship to the person on the record.
Birth records that are 100 years old or older are public. For family history research involving Franklin County ancestors from the 1800s or early 1900s, you face fewer barriers. The Massachusetts State Archives at sec.state.ma.us holds vital records from 1841 to 1930 and is the main resource for older Franklin County birth research.
Adoptees born in Massachusetts may have rights to their original pre-adoption birth certificates under MGL c.46 §2B, depending on the circumstances. If you were born in Franklin County and are seeking your original birth record as an adoptee, contact RVRS directly to understand what applies to your situation.
Historical Franklin County Birth Records
Franklin County was established in 1811 when it was carved out of Hampshire County. Its towns have roots going back to the early colonial period, and many of the smaller communities have vital records that predate formal state registration. For births from 1841 to 1930, the Massachusetts State Archives is the central resource. FamilySearch offers free indexed Massachusetts vital records that cover many Franklin County births from the 1600s onward. Searching FamilySearch first can help you confirm town and date before you order a formal copy from a clerk or the archives.
The New England Historic Genealogical Society at americanancestors.org holds deep collections of Massachusetts records, including materials from Franklin County. Some collections require membership, but partial free searching is available. Local historical societies in towns like Deerfield, Northfield, and Shelburne also hold materials related to early Franklin County births that never made it into statewide databases. These are worth contacting if you are researching pre-1841 records in specific communities.
Note: Some Franklin County towns were established after 1841 through divisions and incorporations from older towns. If you cannot locate a pre-1841 record, the original parent town may hold what you are looking for.Neighboring Counties
Birth records in surrounding counties are kept by their own city and town clerks in Massachusetts.