VitalChek is generally considered legit and reasonably safe for ordering official vital records online, but it handles very sensitive data, so it is important to use it carefully and only through verified links.

What VitalChek Is

  • VitalChek is an online ordering service that partners with state and local government agencies to process requests for certified birth, death, marriage, and other vital records.
  • The actual certificates are issued and mailed by the government agency (health department, vital records office), not by VitalChek itself.

Security & Data Protection

  • VitalChek states that it uses SSL encryption (HTTPS) with strong 2048‑bit certificates and 128‑bit or greater encryption to protect personal and payment information in transit.
  • The company says it follows “generally accepted administrative, physical and technical security measures” and encrypts sensitive data like credit card numbers during transmission.
  • Contracts and public documents indicate compliance with Payment Card Industry (PCI) standards and Visa security requirements for handling cardholder data.

What Data They Collect

  • When you place an order, VitalChek can collect: name, contact details, payment card info, date of birth, driver’s license number, Social Security number and information about family members tied to the record you request.
  • They also log technical information like IP address, device details, and clickstream data, and some transactional order data is retained for at least 13 months and cannot be deleted during that period.

Is It “Safe” In Practice?

  • Many U.S. state health departments and vital records offices list VitalChek as an authorized or official online vendor, which is a strong legitimacy signal.
  • As of recent public information, VitalChek has not been widely flagged as a scam operation; problems people report are usually about fees, processing times, or identity verification friction rather than outright fraud.
  • However, because it deals with highly sensitive identity data, any breach or misuse would be serious, so users must factor that risk into their comfort level.

Common Complaints & Risks

  • Extra fees: You often pay a service fee on top of the government record fee and shipping, and some users feel the total cost is high compared with mailing a request directly to the agency.
  • Delays and communication: Some customers report confusion about who is responsible when delays happen (VitalChek vs. the government office), and tracking the process can feel opaque.
  • Impersonation and phishing: Scammers sometimes create copycat sites or ads using “VitalChek” style wording or look to trick people into entering personal data or paying fake fees.

How To Use VitalChek More Safely

  • Start from the government’s site:
    • Go to your state or county vital records website and click their link to VitalChek, rather than searching and clicking ads; this helps avoid spoofed or fake sites.
  • Check for HTTPS and domain:
    • Ensure the address bar shows secure HTTPS and the official vitalchek.com domain before entering any personal data or card details.
  • Limit device and network risks:
    • Use a trusted device, updated browser, and a secure private network (avoid public Wi‑Fi) when uploading ID or entering payment information.
  • Prepare documents in advance:
    • Have scans/photos of your ID ready and ensure they don’t include more information than necessary for the order (for example, avoid sharing unrelated documents).
  • Monitor accounts:
    • After ordering, monitor your payment card and, given the sensitivity of data, consider watching your credit reports for unusual activity.

When You Might Avoid It

You might prefer not to use VitalChek if:

  • You are uncomfortable sharing your SSN and full identity documents with any third‑party processor online, regardless of encryption.
  • Your local agency offers a reasonably fast, direct-by-mail or in‑person process that you trust more and the cost difference is significant.
  • You have had prior issues with identity theft and want to minimize the number of entities that hold your personal data.

Bottom Line

  • VitalChek is a legitimate, widely used processor that partners with many government vital records offices and uses industry‑standard encryption and payment security measures.
  • “Safe enough” is a personal judgment call: the service itself is not generally regarded as a scam, but it does collect highly sensitive information, so using official links, verifying the site, and monitoring your accounts are essential precautions.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.