State & local government · Moraph software

Vital Records Digitization & Fraud Guard

Digitize birth and death records, verify who is asking, and issue certified copies that can be checked

Overview

What you are buying

Vital Records Digitization & Fraud Guard brings paper and microfilm birth and death records into a searchable, indexed archive, and manages every request for a certified copy from application to issuance. Requesters' identity and eligibility are checked against your state's rules before anything is printed, and each certificate carries security features and a verification code that relying agencies can check. Every search, view, issuance and void is recorded, so the registrar can show who received which record and why.

The problem it solves

Birth and death certificates are breeder documents: a fraudulently obtained birth certificate can be used to get a driver's license, passport or benefits in someone else's name. Many vital records offices still search paper ledgers, index cards and microfilm by hand, check identity at the counter with photocopies, and track security paper stock in a logbook. When a fraudulent issuance is discovered, it is hard to tell who searched the record, what identification was accepted and which sheet of security paper was used.

  • Historical records sit on paper and microfilm that are slow to search and easy to damage
  • Identity and eligibility checks vary by clerk and are poorly documented
  • Security paper inventory and voided certificates are tracked by hand
  • Relying agencies cannot easily confirm that a certificate is genuine

Who uses it

  • State registrars and vital records directors
  • County and city registrars and clerks who issue certified copies
  • Counter and mail-order issuance staff
  • Records management and digitization teams
  • Inspectors general and auditors who review issuance controls

Requirements it supports

Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, Section 7211 (birth certificate standards)REAL ID Act of 2005 and DHS regulations (6 CFR Part 37)Model State Vital Statistics Act and Regulations (2011 revision)State vital records statutes and rules on who may obtain a certified copyNIST SP 800-63 Digital Identity Guidelines (identity proofing for online requests)

The product supports these requirements; meeting them remains your organization’s responsibility.

See how it works

A short walkthrough

Illustrative screens with fictional sample data. They show the workflow, not any client’s data or configuration, and the layout of the product itself differs. A live demonstration uses the product with sample data.

  1. Step 1

    The request queue

    Clerks start from one queue of requests from the counter, mail and online, with eligibility and fraud checks shown on each.

    RequestRecord typeChannelRelationshipChecksStatus
    RQ-50213BirthOnlineSelfPassedReady to print
    RQ-50209BirthMailParentRegistrant deceasedHeld
    RQ-50201DeathCounterSpousePassedSearching
    RQ-50197BirthOnlineSelfThird request in 30 daysHeld
    RQ-50188DeathMailFuneral directorPassedIssued
    Clerks start from one queue of requests from the counter, mail and online, with eligibility and fraud checks shown on each.
  2. Step 2

    A held request

    When a request hits a fraud indicator, the verifier sees why, along with the identification and the record, before deciding.

    Birth record · Registrant 1987-00412 (fictional)

    Requester
    Applicant 33817 (fictional)
    Stated relationship
    Parent
    Identification
    State ID, recorded by mail
    Linked death record
    Match found, Example County
    Earlier requests
    None

    Why it was held

    • Registrant has a matching death record
    • Mail request with copied identification
    • Delivery address differs from the address on the ID
    When a request hits a fraud indicator, the verifier sees why, along with the identification and the record, before deciding.
  3. Step 3

    The digitized record

    Every indexed record shows the original image beside the data, with any corrections and who made them.

    Birth · Sample Registrant (fictional) · Example County

    Source
    Register book 114, page 52
    Batch
    DG-0417
    Indexed by
    Digitization technician
    Quality check
    Passed
    Amendments
    1, name correction
    Status
    Released to archive

    Index history

    • Indexed from image
    • Second-pass check matched image
    • Name corrected by amendment, documents attached
    Every indexed record shows the original image beside the data, with any corrections and who made them.
  4. Step 4

    Digitization progress

    Each batch of books, folders or reels is tracked from intake to release, with its quality result.

    BatchSourceImagesIndexedQuality checkStatus
    DG-0421Death registers, 1951-19554,8123,960In progressIndexing
    DG-0419Birth microfilm reel 772,3042,3046 correctionsRework
    DG-0417Birth register books 110-1145,1205,120PassedReleased
    DG-0415Delayed birth certificates640640PassedReleased
    Each batch of books, folders or reels is tracked from intake to release, with its quality result.
  5. Step 5

    Issuing the certificate

    The issuance record ties the request, the identification accepted, the security paper serial and the verification code together.

    Request RQ-50213 · Birth certificate

    1. Online request received and identity proofedRequester
    2. Eligibility confirmed: registrant requesting own recordSystem check
    3. Record located and matchedIssuance clerk
    4. Printed on security paper serial SP-0048213, verification code addedIssuance clerk
    5. Mailed and delivery recordedIssuance clerk
    The issuance record ties the request, the identification accepted, the security paper serial and the verification code together.
  6. Step 6

    Security paper reconciliation

    At the end of the day each office accounts for every sheet of security paper received, used, spoiled and voided.

    OfficeOpening stockIssuedSpoiledVoidedClosing stock
    State office counter1,200184311,012
    Mail-order unit2,500406502,089
    Example County office600712 unexplained0527
    At the end of the day each office accounts for every sheet of security paper received, used, spoiled and voided.

Workflows

The principal workflows

  1. Digitize

    Paper registers, certificates and microfilm are scanned, indexed and quality checked into a searchable archive, with the original image kept alongside the indexed data.

    • Batches of books, folders or reels logged with their source and condition
    • Images captured and linked to their batch
    • Key fields indexed by staff, with suggested values for review
    • A second person checks a sample of each batch against the image
    • Approved batches released to the searchable archive
  2. Request

    Applications arrive at the counter, by mail or online, and each records the requester, their relationship to the registrant and the identification they presented.

    • Application captured with requester, purpose and stated relationship
    • Identification documents recorded, or online identity proofing completed
    • Eligibility checked against your state's rules for that record type
    • Fee recorded through your payment processor
    • Application queued for record search
  3. Verify

    Before a record is released, Fraud Guard checks the request against fraud indicators and holds anything unusual for review by a trained verifier.

    • Record located and matched to the application
    • Checks run for deceased registrants, repeat requests and flagged records
    • Requests that hit an indicator held with the reason shown
    • Verifier approves, requests more documents or denies, with a recorded reason
    • Denials and their reasons kept for appeal and audit
  4. Issue

    Approved requests are printed on numbered security paper with a verification code, and each sheet used, spoiled or voided is accounted for.

    • Certificate printed with the security paper serial number recorded
    • Verification code added for relying agencies to check
    • Spoiled sheets voided and recorded with a reason
    • Certificate handed over or mailed, and the delivery recorded
    • Daily paper reconciliation completed by a supervisor

Roles and permissions

Who does what in the product

Each role below is a starting point. During implementation we set them up to match your teams, and every action anyone takes is recorded in the audit trail.

Issuance clerk

Vital records clerk, issuance technician, counter clerk, deputy registrar

Takes requests, records the requester's identification, finds the record and prints approved certificates.

Sees

  • Requests in their office's queue with eligibility and fraud check results
  • Indexed records and images needed to fulfill a request
  • Security paper assigned to their printer
  • Their own issuances and voids for the day

Does

  • Captures counter and mail applications and the identification presented
  • Searches the archive and matches the record to the request
  • Prints certificates for requests that passed or were approved
  • Voids spoiled sheets with a reason
  • Records hand-over or mailing of each certificate
  • Refers suspicious requests to a verifier

Cannot

  • Release a held request; only a verifier can
  • View sealed original records
  • Change eligibility rules or fraud indicators
Approvals
Held requests need a verifier's decision before they can print; the clerk's daily paper count is reconciled by a supervisor or the registrar.
Notified about
Requests assigned to their queue, held requests released back to them, and paper stock running low at their printer.

Fraud verifier

Fraud investigator, verification specialist, senior vital records clerk

Decides requests that hit a fraud indicator, with the evidence and reason written down.

Sees

  • Held requests with the indicator that caused the hold
  • Identification records and proofing results
  • Linked death records and earlier requests for the same record
  • The fraud case log

Does

  • Approves, denies or asks for more documents on held requests
  • Records the reason for every decision
  • Places or removes fraud flags on a record, with justification
  • Opens fraud cases and links related requests and certificates
  • Prepares referrals to law enforcement or the inspector general

Cannot

  • Decide a request they took or processed themselves
  • Print certificates
  • Delete a fraud flag without a recorded reason
Approvals
Removing a fraud flag and referring a case outside the office are approved by the registrar.
Notified about
New held requests, documents received on requests they asked for, and decisions on their referrals.

Digitization technician

Records technician, imaging specialist, indexer

Brings historical records into the archive accurately and keeps the index true to the original image.

Sees

  • Digitization batches assigned to them
  • Images and their indexed fields
  • Quality check results on their batches

Does

  • Logs incoming books, folders and reels
  • Imports images and indexes key fields
  • Corrects indexing errors found in quality checks
  • Marks illegible or damaged items for research

Cannot

  • Release a batch to the archive without a quality check
  • Check their own batch
  • Process requests or print certificates
Approvals
Each batch is released only after a second person has checked a sample against the images.
Notified about
Batches assigned to them and batches returned for rework.

Amendments specialist

Amendments clerk, corrections specialist, legal records specialist

Processes corrections, amendments, adoptions and court-ordered changes so the record stays accurate and its history stays intact.

Sees

  • Amendment requests and their supporting documents
  • The current record and its full amendment history
  • Sealed originals, where the registrar has granted access

Does

  • Reviews supporting documents for each amendment
  • Applies corrections and amendments, keeping the prior version
  • Seals originals where a court order or adoption requires it
  • Records the legal basis for each change

Cannot

  • Overwrite a record without keeping the prior version
  • Unseal a record without registrar approval
  • Approve their own amendment where your rules require review
Approvals
Amendments of the types you designate, and every unsealing, are approved by the registrar.
Notified about
New amendment requests, documents received, and approvals or returns on their work.

Registrar

State registrar, deputy state registrar, local registrar, vital records director

Owns the issuance program: policy, security paper, sealed records and the integrity of every certificate issued.

Sees

  • All requests, issuances, holds and denials across offices
  • Security paper inventory and daily reconciliations
  • Fraud cases and referrals
  • The full audit trail

Does

  • Approves eligibility rules, accepted identification and fraud indicators
  • Approves unsealing, fraud flag removal and external referrals
  • Receives and assigns security paper stock
  • Reviews and signs off reconciliations with discrepancies
  • Grants auditors scoped, time-limited access
  • Prepares reporting for leadership and auditors

Cannot

  • Edit or delete entries in the audit trail
  • Approve a request they processed themselves
  • Reuse a voided paper serial
Approvals
Approves rule changes, unsealing, fraud flag removal, referrals and reconciliation discrepancies.
Notified about
Reconciliation discrepancies, unsealing requests, fraud referrals awaiting approval and paper stock below the level you set.

Auditor (read-only)

Internal auditor, inspector general staff, state auditor (under temporary access)

Reviews issuance controls and evidence without being able to change anything.

Sees

  • Requests, issuances and denials within the scope granted
  • Security paper inventory and reconciliations
  • Fraud cases, where the registrar includes them
  • The audit trail

Does

  • Searches and reads records within their scope
  • Exports reports they have been given access to, with each export logged
  • Leaves review notes where the office enables them

Cannot

  • Change, approve, print or void anything
  • See sealed records unless specifically granted
  • Keep access after it expires
Approvals
Their access is approved by the registrar or an administrator, with a scope and an end date.
Notified about
Nothing by default; access granted and expiring is confirmed to the person who approved it.

Administrator

Application administrator, agency IT administrator

Manages users, offices, printers and configuration without access to record content.

Sees

  • Users, roles, offices and printers
  • Configuration such as queues and certificate templates
  • The record of permission changes

Does

  • Adds and removes users, or maps them from single sign-on groups
  • Assigns roles and offices
  • Maintains printers, queues and templates
  • Runs access review reports

Cannot

  • Open records, requests or fraud cases
  • Grant themselves an issuance or verifier role without registrar approval
  • Change eligibility rules or fraud indicators
Approvals
Role changes that grant access to sealed records or fraud cases are approved by the registrar.
Notified about
Access reviews coming due and accounts not used for a period your policy sets.

Permissions at a glance

ActionClerkVerifierDigitizationAmendmentsRegistrarAuditorAdmin
Take requests and record identificationOwn work onlyNo accessNo accessNo accessFullNo accessNo access
Search and view indexed recordsOwn work onlyFullOwn work onlyFullFullView onlyNo access
Decide held requestsNo accessFullNo accessNo accessFullNo accessNo access
Print certificatesOwn work onlyNo accessNo accessNo accessFullNo accessNo access
Void a certificate or sheetOwn work onlyNo accessNo accessNo accessFullView onlyNo access
Index and correct digitized recordsNo accessNo accessOwn work onlyNo accessView onlyNo accessNo access
Release a batch to the archiveNo accessNo accessNo accessNo accessApprovesNo accessNo access
Apply amendmentsNo accessNo accessNo accessOwn work onlyApprovesNo accessNo access
Unseal a sealed recordNo accessNo accessNo accessNo accessApprovesNo accessNo access
Change eligibility and fraud rulesNo accessNo accessNo accessNo accessApprovesNo accessNo access
View audit trailNo accessView onlyNo accessNo accessView onlyView onlyView only
Manage users and rolesNo accessNo accessNo accessNo accessApprovesNo accessFull
  • Full
  • Own work only
  • Approves
  • View only
  • No access

How access is controlled

  • Separation of duties is built in: the person who takes a request does not decide its hold, nobody checks their own digitization batch, and unsealing a record always needs the registrar.
  • Roles are configured with you during implementation. You can rename them, create custom roles, and limit them by office, county or record type, so a local office sees only its own work.
  • Every permission change is recorded in the audit trail with who made it and when, and access review reports list each person's roles for periodic certification by the registrar.
  • Staff sign in through your identity provider, and roles can follow its groups. Auditors get temporary read-only access with a defined scope and an end date, rather than shared accounts.

Features

What it does

Indexed digital archive

Birth, death and related records searchable by name, date, place and parents, with the scanned image shown beside the indexed data.

Digitization batches

Track each book, folder or microfilm reel from intake to release, with image counts, indexing progress and quality results.

Two-pass indexing review

A second person checks a sample of indexed records against the image before a batch is released, and corrections are logged.

Eligibility rules

Your state's rules on who may receive a certified copy, by record type and age of record, applied to every request and shown to the clerk.

Identity checks

Accepted identification documents recorded at the counter, and online requests proofed through the identity verification service you choose.

Fraud indicators

Requests flagged for review when the registrant is deceased, the record carries a fraud flag, or the same record is requested repeatedly by different people.

Death matching

Birth records are linked to matching death records in your system, so a request for a deceased person's birth certificate is held for review.

Security paper inventory

Numbered security paper received, assigned to offices and printers, used, spoiled and voided, with a reconciliation at the end of each day.

Certificate verification code

Each issued certificate carries a code that a relying agency can check to confirm the certificate was issued by your office and has not been voided.

Amendments and sealed records

Corrections, amendments, adoptions and court-ordered changes recorded with the supporting documents, and sealed originals restricted to the roles you choose.

Fraud case log

Suspected fraud recorded with the related requests, identification and issued certificates, ready to refer to law enforcement or your inspector general.

Complete audit trail

Every search, view, print, void and release recorded with the person and time, and exportable for audit.

Integrations

How it connects to your systems

Connects toHowWhat flows
Electronic birth and death registrationNew births and deaths registered in your existing electronic registration systems are loaded into the archive for issuance.In: registered birth and death records and their amendments.
Identity verification serviceOnline requesters are proofed through the identity verification provider your office contracts with, and the result is kept with the request.Out: requester details for proofing. In: proofing result and reference.
Electronic Verification of Vital Events (EVVE)Where your jurisdiction participates in NAPHSIS's EVVE service, issued certificate data and death flags can be made available through it.Out: issuance and death-flag data, as your participation agreement allows.
Payment processorFees are collected through your existing payment processor or cashiering system. Moraph does not hold funds.Out: fee amount and request reference. In: payment confirmation.
Scanning and imagingImages from your scanners or a digitization vendor are imported by batch with their metadata.In: images, batch manifests and capture metadata.
Security paper printersCertificates print to the printers your office uses for security paper, with the paper serial recorded at print time.Out: print jobs. In: serial number confirmation.
Single sign-onStaff sign in through your identity provider (SAML or OpenID Connect).In: user identity and group membership for role assignment.
Work APIRequest, issuance and inventory data available to your reporting tools through the Moraph Work API.Out: requests, issuances, voids and inventory status.

Each integration is confirmed in discovery and specified in the design. See how an engagement progresses.

Security and privacy

How your data is protected

Single sign-on

Staff sign in through your identity provider, so your password and multi-factor policies apply.

Role-based access

What each person can see and do follows their role; sealed records and fraud flags are limited to the roles you choose.

Encryption and keys

Client data is encrypted, with keys Moraph staff cannot use without explicit, time-bound authorization.

Complete audit trail

Every search, view, print, void and export is logged with the person and time, and cannot be edited.

US-only hosting

Data for US government clients is hosted in the United States region only.

Tested releases

Every release passes security testing gates before it ships, and a software bill of materials is kept for the product.

Company-wide controls, independent audits (SOC 2 Type II and ISO/IEC 27001) and data residency are described in our Trust Center, where you can request the evidence pack.

Reporting

What you can report on

11 standard reports, grouped by who uses them. Each shows who it is for, how it can be broken down, how it is delivered and what it is used for. The data behind them is also available to your own reporting tools.

Operational

Request queue by age

For office supervisors and the registrar

Every open request with its age, channel, record type, office and status, so the oldest work is visible first.

Break down by
Office, Channel, Record type, Age band, Status
Delivered as
Live dashboard; CSV export
Used for
Balancing work across counter and mail staff and keeping requests moving.

Held requests

For fraud verifiers and the registrar

Requests held for review, the indicator that caused each hold, and how long each has waited.

Break down by
Indicator, Office, Verifier, Age band
Delivered as
Live dashboard; scheduled email
Used for
Making sure held requests are decided and the requester hears back.

Digitization progress

For records manager and the registrar

Batches by stage, images captured and indexed, and quality check results.

Break down by
Batch, Record type, Year range, Technician, Status
Delivered as
Live dashboard; CSV export
Used for
Tracking the digitization program and spotting batches that need rework.

Integrity and fraud

Security paper reconciliation

For registrar and auditors

For each office and day, paper received, issued, spoiled and voided, with any discrepancy and who signed it off.

Break down by
Office, Date, Printer, Discrepancy
Delivered as
Live view; PDF and CSV export
Used for
Showing that every sheet of security paper is accounted for.

Fraud indicator outcomes

For registrar and fraud verifiers

Held requests by indicator and what happened to them: approved, more documents requested, denied or referred.

Break down by
Indicator, Outcome, Office, Period
Delivered as
Live dashboard; CSV export
Used for
Reviewing which indicators find real problems and which mainly delay legitimate requesters.

Repeat and unusual requests

For fraud verifiers and the registrar

Records requested many times, requesters with many requests, and requests delivered to the same address for different registrants.

Break down by
Record, Requester, Delivery address, Period
Delivered as
Live view; CSV export
Used for
Finding patterns that a single request would not reveal.

Fraud case log

For registrar and inspector general staff

Open and closed fraud cases with the linked requests, certificates and referrals.

Break down by
Status, Referral, Office, Period
Delivered as
Live view; PDF export
Used for
Tracking suspected fraud to resolution and supporting referrals.

Management

Issuance summary

For registrar and agency leadership

Certificates issued, requests denied and fees recorded by office, record type and period.

Break down by
Office, Record type, Channel, Period
Delivered as
PDF; scheduled email; CSV export
Used for
Reporting on office activity and planning staffing.

Amendments and sealed records

For registrar

Amendments applied, records sealed and unsealing approvals, with the legal basis recorded for each.

Break down by
Amendment type, Specialist, Approver, Period
Delivered as
Live view; CSV export
Used for
Overseeing changes to the legal record.

Audit

Audit trail extract

For internal audit and inspector general staff

Who searched, viewed, printed, voided or changed a selected record, request or period.

Break down by
Record, User, Action, Date range
Delivered as
On request in the product; CSV and PDF export
Used for
Answering investigations and audit requests without assembling evidence by hand.

Access review

For registrar and administrators

Each user's roles, offices and special grants such as sealed-record access, with last sign-in.

Break down by
Role, Office, Special grant, Last sign-in
Delivered as
Live view; PDF and CSV export
Used for
Periodic certification that each person's access is still needed.

Exports, access and evidence

  • Every report can be exported to CSV, and summary and evidence reports to PDF. Reports can be scheduled to arrive by email for the people entitled to see them.
  • Each report can be filtered and the filters saved, so an office supervisor or the registrar can keep their own views.
  • Request, issuance and inventory data is available through the Moraph Work API for your own reporting tools or data warehouse.
  • Reports respect each viewer's role: a local office sees its own work, the registrar sees every office, and auditors get read-only access within their granted scope.
  • Audit and reconciliation reports can be run as of a past date and give the same result each time. Running and exporting a report is itself recorded in the audit trail.

Deployment

Where and how it runs

Moraph cloud (US)

Hosted and operated by Moraph in the United States region.

Dedicated environment

A single-tenant environment for states whose policies require isolation, scoped in the proposal.

With a managed service

Optionally run alongside a Moraph managed service for digitization project support and platform administration.

Security controls, independent audits and data residency are set out in our Trust Center. Engagement models and what drives a quotation are on Working with Moraph.

Implementation

What a rollout involves

The general phases are on Working with Moraph. For this product, they involve the following.

Records inventory

We inventory your paper, microfilm and existing electronic records with your records staff and agree the order in which they will be digitized.

Data migration

Indexes and images from your current systems are mapped and loaded, and a sample is checked against the source before cutover. We need extracts and a contact from your current vendor or IT team.

Eligibility and fraud rules

Your state's eligibility rules, accepted identification and fraud indicators are configured and reviewed with the registrar before go-live.

Security paper and printing

Printers, certificate templates and security paper stock are set up, and the reconciliation procedure agreed with each issuing office.

Workflow and roles

Offices, queues, review steps and roles are configured to match your procedures and any delegation to county or city offices.

Training and go-live

Clerks, verifiers and supervisors are trained on their own workflows, and issuing offices go live in an order you choose.

Limitations

What it does not do

Worth knowing before you evaluate it.

  • It is not a birth or death registration system. New events are registered in your existing electronic registration systems and loaded into the archive.
  • Eligibility rules, accepted identification and fraud indicators are your office's decisions under your state's law; Fraud Guard applies and records them but does not set them.
  • It does not supply security paper. Paper, printers and the physical security features on the paper come from your existing suppliers.
  • Fraud indicators surface requests for review; they do not establish that fraud occurred. A trained person decides every held request.
  • Indexing quality depends on the condition of the source records. Damaged or illegible originals may need manual research.
  • Physical scanning of records is done by your staff or a digitization vendor; Moraph can scope scanning services separately.
  • Participation in EVVE or other national verification services depends on your jurisdiction's own agreements.
  • Fees are collected through your payment processor. Moraph does not hold funds.

Evaluation checklist

What to test in a demonstration or pilot

Questions worth putting to us, and to any other vendor you are considering.

  1. Load a sample batch of your own scanned records and review the indexing and quality steps
  2. Walk a counter request and an online request from application to printed certificate
  3. Check that your state's eligibility rules can be expressed for each record type
  4. Trigger a held request and review what the verifier sees and records
  5. Reconcile a day of security paper use, including a spoiled and a voided sheet
  6. Confirm role separation: who can print, void, unseal and approve

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Who owns the records?

Your office does. How the data and images are returned to you and deleted at the end of the agreement is set out in the contract.

Does it replace our electronic birth and death registration systems?

No. It works alongside them, loading newly registered events into the archive for issuance.

Can county and city offices issue from it?

Yes, where your state delegates issuance. Each office can be set up with its own queues, printers and paper stock, and the state sees all of them.

How do relying agencies check a certificate?

Each certificate carries a verification code. Agencies you authorize can check it against your issuance records, and voided certificates show as voided.

How is it priced?

As a subscription, usually measured by the size of the jurisdiction or the volume of records and requests, with implementation and any digitization services charged separately. See Working with Moraph for what drives a quotation.

Is there an accessibility conformance report?

Ask for one through the procurement request form at /how-to-buy/request, naming the version you are evaluating.

Next steps

Evaluate Vital Records Digitization & Fraud Guard

Buying through a formal procurement? See How to buy for purchasing routes, accessibility conformance reports and company information. Documentation: Vital Records Digitization & Fraud Guard guides on docs.moraph.com (getting started and security guides are public; setup, administration and integration guides are for client accounts). Support: Vital Records Digitization & Fraud Guard support guide.