NFB wrote a blog yesterday that was great so make sure to go read it, I wanted to expand a little on it, but didnt want to just do it as a comment on her blog...

I posted this awhile back on my genealogy forum, but for those that have joined up over there, I will repaste it here

http://ancestrallychallenged.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=931

Around here we are always asking if someone has checked a birth/death certificate of someone, when someone has a question. Those of us that have been researching forever know that most states (with the exception of the New England states) didnt start keeping these records until between 1910-1920.

So....I made this list for you so you know pretty much when each state started http://statearchives.us/public/ ....of course some counties in states did this before it became "state law" so always double check the county you are researching in and dont take this as *gospel* but as a guideline

· Alabama Birth – 1908 Death - 1908
· Alaska Birth – 1913 Death - 1913
· Arizona Birth – 1909 Death – 1909
· Arkansas Birth – 1914 Death - 1914
· California Birth – 1905 Death - 1905
· Colorado Birth – 1910 Death - 1900
· Connecticut Birth – 1897 Death - 1897
· Delaware Birth – 1913 Death - 1913
· District of Columbia Birth 1874 Death (except for Civil War) 1855
· Florida Birth – 1917 Death - 1917
· Georgia Birth – 1919 Death - 1919
· Hawaii Birth – 1853 Death 1853
· Idaho Birth – 1911 Death - 1911
· Illinois Birth – 1916 Death - 1916
· Indiana Birth – 1907 Death 1907
· Iowa Birth – 1880 Death - 1891
· Kansas Birth – 1911 Death - 1911
· Kentucky Birth – 1911 Death - 1911
· Louisiana Birth – 1914 (City of New Orleans 1790-1847) Death - 1914
· Maine Birth – 1923 Death - 1923
· Maryland Birth – 1898 Death – 1998 (City of Balitmore have both from 1875)
· Massachusetts Birth – 1906 Death – 1906 (some cities have indexes back to 1841)
· Michigan Birth – 1867 Death 1867
· Minnesota Birth – 1900 Death - 1908
· Mississippi Birth – 1912 Death - 1912
· Missouri Birth – 1909 Death - 1909
· Montana Birth – 1907 Death – 1907
· Nebraska Birth – 1904 Death - 1904
· Nevada Birth – 1911 Death - 1911
· New Hampshire Birth – 1883 Death - 1883
· New Jersey Birth – 1848 Death - 1848
· New Mexico Birth – 1920 Death - 1920
· New York Birth – 1881 Death - 1880
· North Carolina Birth – 1913 Death - 1913
· North Dakota Birth – 1893 Death - 1881
· Ohio Birth – 1908 Death - 1908
· Oklahoma Birth – 1908 Death - 1908
· Oregon Birth – 1903 Death - 1903
· Pennsylvania Birth – 1906 Death - 1906
· Rhode Island Birth – 1899 Death - 1949
· South Carolina Birth – 1915 Death - 1915
· South Dakota Birth – 1905 Death - 1908
· Tennessee Birth – 1914 Death - 1914
· Texas Birth – 1903 Death - 1903
· Utah Birth 1905- Death - 1905
· Vermont Birth – 1857 Death - 1857
· Virginia Birth – 1913 Death - 1913
· Washington Birth – 1907 Death - 1907
· West Virginia Birth – 1920 Death - 1920
· Wisconsin Birth – 1907 Death - 1907
· Wyoming Birth – 1909 Death - 1909