Death certificates have been available to the public for years. This is because most states begin to release these to the public anywhere from 25-50 years after the death {depending on the state}.
However, birth certificates have not been available to the public. Until now!
This is because most states will not release a birth certificate until {at least} 100 years after the birth.
The reason these records are not available to the general public is to protect the privacy of the living.
If you need a birth certificate that is not yet available to the public, contact the vital records department for the state and county in which the individual was born. However, beware that more than likely you will only be able to receive a birth certificate for yourself, your child or a parent {depending on the circumstances}.
Ancestry.com is now providing birth certificates for some states. For example, South Carolina did not begin documenting vital records {birth certificates and death certificates} until 1915. So at the moment, only the 1915 birth certificates are available. With each year that passes, more records will become available.
Whose birth certificate are you excited to find?