Genealogists

Connecticut General Statutes section 7-51a allows genealogists access to all vital records to conduct genealogical research, except those that are deemed confidential.

Confidential records include:

• Birth records that reflect an adoption, paternity or gender change.
• Birth records that reflect gender reassignment.
• Death records containing a change to the cause or manner of death.

Also, records containing social security numbers that are protected by federal law cannot be directly accessed by genealogists.

• Birth records for births occuring after November 1, 1990.
• Death and marriage records for deaths and marriages occuring after July 1, 1997.  

In order to ensure eligibility, the genealogists must present a valid membership card issued by one of these Connecticut genealogical societies:

1. Connecticut Ancestry Society Inc.
2. Connecticut Professional Genealogists Council, Inc.
3. Descendants of the Founders of Ancient Windsor, Inc.
4. French-Canadian Genealogical Society of Connecticut, Inc.
5. Friends of Godfrey Memorial Library, Inc.
6. Gaelic-American Club, Inc.
7. Godfrey Memorial Library
8. Indian and Colonial Research Center, Inc.
9. Jewish Genealogical Society of Connecticut, Inc.
10. Killingly Historical Genealogical Society, Inc.
11. Middlesex Genealogical Society, Inc.
12. Polish Genealogical Society of Connecticut and the Northeast, Inc.
13. Southern Connecticut Ancestry Network, Inc. (SCAN)
14. Southington Genealogical Society, Inc.

You are required to provide a government issued identification card to ensure the person accessing the records is that who is named on the card.