Even under the best circumstances, sometimes your birth certificate can get lost or destroyed. If you need to order a new one, requesting one from your state's office can take several weeks for processing. That can be an eternity if you are in a hurry. That's why it's nice to be able to order online.

The internet is a vast storehouse of information. Some people even say that the power of the internet is infinite. It may or may not be, but it is certainly an excellent tool for obtaining your birth certificate in a hurry.

You can obtain a certified birth certificate if you are a legal representative, family member or registrar. Most websites will charge you between $20 and $60 for the service, so be prepared for a little expense. The speed is what makes the difference. Most of the time, you can get a copy of your birth record in about 10 calendar days.

You may want to shop around a bit online to find the cheapest way to obtain your birth certificate. However, a good place to begin is on your state's official website. Most official state websites will have links to accessing public records. If that doesn't seem like a good option, you can try third party websites as well.

When you are ordering online, some websites may ask you to fax supporting paperwork to them. If you do not have that information, you may not be able to obtain your birth certificate.

If you are worried about trying to order your birth certificate online because it is the first time you've tried, ask for help. You should have a co-worker, family member or friend who has done it before and would probably be happy to lend a helping hand.

Above all, when you do obtain your birth certificate, store it in a safe place. That way you will not have to go through the process of ordering a new one on a regular basis. You should store it in a safe or other secure area, along with all of the other important family paperwork.

Of course, accidents can happen. Your birth certificate may get lost or damaged again. You don't have to worry about that though since you will now know how to get a new copy of your birth certificate. In fact, you may want to keep a record of what website you ordered the information from, in case you need a birth certificate copy in the future.