![cover image](https://wikiwandv2-19431.kxcdn.com/_next/image?url=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/54/Heiratsurkunde_Dollhopf-Haan.jpg/640px-Heiratsurkunde_Dollhopf-Haan.jpg&w=640&q=50)
Vital record
Government records of citizens' life events (births, deaths, marriages, etc.) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Vital records are records of life events kept under governmental authority, including birth certificates, marriage licenses (or marriage certificates), separation agreements, divorce certificates or divorce party and death certificates. In some jurisdictions, vital records may also include records of civil unions or domestic partnerships.
![Thumb image](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/54/Heiratsurkunde_Dollhopf-Haan.jpg/640px-Heiratsurkunde_Dollhopf-Haan.jpg)
Note that only the life events meaning is restricted to government; the records management meaning in this article applies to both government and non-government organizations.