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Welcome!
Welcome to the monthly newsletter for the Center for Health Statistics (CHS), Vital Records office. Here you will find information that is important for you and your facility like changes to the Oregon Vital Events Registration System (OVERS), updates to Oregon laws, process reminders, and links to available reports and statistics.
In the table of contents on the left, choose a category to jump to a news article of interest. CHS encourages everyone to read through other sections; something may pertain to you and your facility.
We would love to hear from you regarding future newsletter topics.
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Administrative Rulemaking Public Hearing for SB 163
As part of ongoing implementation of SB 163, the Oregon Health Authority will hold a public hearing to review proposed administrative rules. This hearing provides an opportunity for our partners and the public to provide testimony about changes to rules associated with the bill.
The public hearing on proposed administrative rules related to Senate Bill 163 will be held on October 20, 2026. A draft of the proposed rules and a link to the virtual hearing is available on the Oregon Health Authority’s Vital Records Rulemaking webpage.
Public Testimony Opportunities
Virtual Oral Testimony: Oral testimony may be presented at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on the day of the hearing. This hearing will close no later than 12:00 noon but may close as early as 11:30 a.m. if everyone who signs up to provide testimony has been heard. If possible, please submit your written testimony prior to giving oral testimony to: publichealth.rules@odhsoha.oregon.gov.
Written Testimony: Written testimony may be submitted by email or first-class mail and must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. on October 21, 2026.
Submit Written Testimony via Email: publichealth.rules@odhsoha.oregon.gov
Submit Written Testimony by Mail:
Oregon Health Authority
PH Policy Team – OHA Administrative Rules Coordinator
800 NE Oregon Street
Portland, OR 97232
If you have questions, comments, or would like to testify during the public hearing, please contact the OHA Administrative Rules Coordinator for the Center for Health Statistics. For any other questions related to SB 163 please contact Partner Services.
Vital Records Fee Overview
Funeral directors and vital records staff sometimes receive questions about vital records fees such as why they are charged, what they are used for, how they are set, and whether they can be waived.
In the United States there are 57 different vital records jurisdictions that are legally responsible for registering vital events such as birth, death, marriage, divorce, and fetal death. The jurisdictions include the fifty states, U.S. territories, Washington D.C., and New Yok City. Each has different laws, funding sources, and fees depending on the state or territory.
In Oregon, the vital records system is funded primarily through fees for services such as issuing birth and death certificates and contracts with government agencies that use vital records to conduct their work. A small percentage comes from federal grants such as the Social Security Administration and National Center for Health Statistics. The Center for Health Statistics does not receive general taxpayer funding for its day-to-day operations.
Fees are used to maintain the electronic vital records system and for staff to register records, amend records, issue certificates, provide statistical analysis, and train external partners. One dollar for every birth record registered and birth certificate issued is used to fund the Office of Children's Advocate as directed by Oregon Revised Statute (ORS) 417.825.
Vital records fees are set in law. Most law regarding vital records fees is found in ORS Chapter 432 and Oregon Administrative Rules Chapter 333 Division 11. Vital records staff cannot discount or waive fees in ways that would violate the law. There are provisions in the law for zero-fee situations in specific circumstances such as Oregonians affected by state or federal emergency declarations and certificates used for securing Veteran benefits.
Fees are set in law, but the law allows for some variation in fees depending on third party vendors that facilitate online ordering and billing. As a result, you may notice differences in cost based on how you order (by mail, phone, internet, or in person) and based on which county you order certificates from.
For more information about the vital records system, see our About the Center for Health Statistics webpage.
If you have any questions, please contact Partner Services.
OVERS Does Not Work with the Safari Browser
Microsoft Edge is the preferred internet browser for the Oregon Vital Events Registration System (OVERS). However, most internet browsers may be used.
OVERS will not work correctly if used with Safari or a mobile device on iOS (iPads, iPhones).
Users may use OVERS on Apple desktops or laptops as long as they are using a browser other than Safari (like Chrome or Firefox).
If you have any questions, please contact Partner Services.
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Coming Soon: BIS Training on Parentage Changes
Training that will cover the changes required by Senate Bill 163 will be coming soon. We will be offering 12 sessions in the first two weeks of December that will include new and revised forms, processes, and updates to OVERS. The November newsletter will have registration links for this training.
Please share this information with any staff members who work with birth parents or provide the Birth Parent Worksheet or Acknowledgment of Parentage forms.
If you have any questions about this training or how Senate Bill 163 will affect entering birth records or AOPs, contact Partner Services.
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The Birth Information Specialist Work Group
The Birth Information Specialist Work Group is an optional meeting for any BIS and Labor and Delivery staff to discuss helpful tips, training opportunities, workflows, strategies to overcome barriers, and other topics that will help with birth records at their facilities.
Registering for the Work Group is a new option which will allow us to streamline the process for attendees and will open the group to other interested parties. In the past we had sent an MS Teams invite to our list of BIS Workgroup attendees. Going forward, you can click on the link below to register for the work group. You will receive an invite and a reminder email about one hour before the work group starts.
We hope to see you at the work group to support and collaborate with peers across the state!
Birth Information Specialist Work Group
Wednesday, November 18
2:00 - 3:00 p.m. Pacific Time
Register here!
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Confirm Medical Certifiers Prior to Requesting Medical Certification in OVERS
It is important to independently confirm the medical certifier prior to requesting medical certification in OVERS. When a Medical Examiner determines a death to be natural and declines a case, they may provide who they think the correct medical certifier should be to the best of their knowledge. In other situations, the hospital, hospice, or family may provide the medical certifier’s name.
Sometimes they do not necessarily know who the right medical certifier to sign the record is in every situation. The certifier chosen may have moved to a different facility or retired; they may be a specialist who doesn’t sign death records or have some other circumstance that prevents them from signing.
Funeral directors should contact the certifier and confirm they will be the certifier before requesting medical certification in OVERS. Confirming the medical certifier in advance will minimize delays in completing the death record. Once a medical certifier has been requested in OVERS, changing them may require the record to be relinquished by the OVERS Help Desk.
For questions about confirming certifiers, please contact Partner Services.
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Reminder: County Registrar and Deputy Registrar Commission Renewals for 2027 are Right Around the Corner
As we approach the conclusion of 2026, it is time to begin preparing for the 2027 commission renewal cycle. On Monday, November 2, you will receive an important email County Registrar and Deputy Registrar Commission Renewals. It will include all essential details, required documentation, and clear instructions to guide you through the 2027 renewal process.
Your timely attention in November will help ensure a seamless and efficient renewal. We appreciate your commitment to completing this important step. If you have any questions, please contact Partner Services.
The County Work Group
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The County Work Group is an optional meeting for county vital records staff to learn about current vital records topics, ask questions and share ideas with each other.
County Work Group
Tuesday, October 27
1:00 - 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time
Register here!
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New Manager for Partner Services
The Center for Health Statistics is excited to announce that Derrick Patterson has been hired as the new manager of the Partner Services Unit. He brings a wealth of CHS and public health experience to his new role.
Derrick started working for the state in 2016 as the Death Amendment Specialist in the Amendments Unit of CHS where he worked closely with funeral home directors and the public. In 2018, he began working with Family and Child Health programs that assist with things like helping families get hearing screenings for their infant and accessing home visiting services. In 2022, Derrick returned to CHS as the liaison to county vital records offices.
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Derrick shared the following:
I’m originally from a tiny town in southern Idaho. (My graduating class was 12 people.) I enjoy spending time with my partner, three cats, and my garden.
I’ve been fortunate to get to visit many birth facilities, funeral homes, and county vital records offices throughout the state and learn from the staff of each. I’m excited to build on the great work that is being done and continue to improve the vital records system so that families can access the certificates that they need to go about their lives.
Until a new county liaison is hired, county vital records staff should contact Partner Services or Derrick with any questions. We are thrilled for Derrick to take on this new role. Please join us in welcoming him as the new manager for Partner Services!
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This month's highlights from the OVERS login screen.
 This month we focus on two areas of Oregon that are sometimes overlooked but shouldn’t be missed.
The Vista House at Crown Point in the Columbia River Gorge is often glimpsed at a distance by travelers on the way to or from Multnomah Falls, but very few of those travelers exit the highway to make the few miles trip up to the top of the point to see the "house" up close and explore its historic beauty.
The Vista House was built as a “comfort station,” a fancy term for a rest area, and lookout area for the earliest car owners to enjoy the view of the Columbia River. The octagonal building stands 733 feet above the Columbia River and has gray sandstone on the exterior, a domed roof capped with copper tiles, marble imported from Alaska for some of the floor and walls, colored glass, artwork, and more. All these beautiful details make it the fanciest rest stop in Oregon! If you have the chance to visit it during visiting hours, the view of the Columbia River Gorge and the beauty of the Vista House are worth the short trip off I-84. Make sure to visit the Vista House webpage for information on hours and the required Oregon State Parks Permit.
While Mt. Hood is Oregon’s most recognizable and visited peak, the Three Sisters (mountains) make a lovely backdrop to any picture. Located in the heart of Oregon about ten miles south of the town of Sisters, the North, Middle, and South Sister, also known as Faith, Hope, and Charity, should be on everyone’s bucket list of “must sees” in Oregon. The Three Sisters Wilderness covers over 281,000 acres, making it the second-largest wilderness area in Oregon. People enjoy climbing the peaks and hiking, biking, and fishing in the shadow of these beautiful siblings.
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Matters of Record Newsletter Archive
 Click on image to visit the Matters of Record newsletter archive.
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Birth and Death Data Dashboards
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These interactive dashboards allow you to sort data by various factors like county, age, race, cause of death, and more. We encourage you to use them and see vital records data in action. |
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Center for Health Statistics Contact Information |
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Amendments Unit
Certification Unit
Partner Services Unit
Registration Unit
Statistics Unit |
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If you would like to request this document in an accessible alternate format, please email CHS.PartnerServices@oha.oregon.gov or call 971-673-1190. Oregon Vital Records accepts all relay calls.
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