DC Department of Health phone, Vital Records, licensing, complaints, STI testing, FOIA and official help
The DC Department of Health, also called DC Health, handles public health services, vital records, health professional licensing, facility licensing, food and hygiene complaints, public health data, disease alerts, FOIA requests and several District health programs.
DC Health is not the same as every benefits office, hospital, insurance plan or emergency service in Washington, DC. The safest path is to choose your exact task first, then use the official division phone, portal or service page.
Choose the DC Health service you need
This finder does not submit forms, book appointments or approve requests. It helps you choose the correct official starting point.
Use (202) 442-5955 for general agency contact. DC Health is located at 2201 Shannon Place SE, Washington, DC 20020. General hours are listed as Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
DC Health quick answer for phone, records and licensing
The main DC Department of Health phone number is (202) 442-5955. The official agency address is 2201 Shannon Place SE, Washington, DC 20020. The agency fax is (202) 442-4795, and TTY is 711.
For birth and death certificates, call (202) 442-9303. For health professional licensing, pending application updates, renewals and many board questions, call 1-877-672-2174. For WIC participant and partner questions, the contact directory lists 202-442-9397.
For STI/HIV clinic services at the DC Health and Wellness Center, call 202-741-7692. For emergency PEP, the Wellness Center page lists 202-299-3737. For immediate danger, call 911.
Official verification before using this DC Health guide
Updated for publication on June 26, 2026.
This refreshed guide uses official DC Health pages for the agency homepage, Contact Directory, Vital Records, Birth Certificates, Death Certificates, Health Professionals, Professional License Applications, Licensing Boards, File a Complaint, Community Hygiene, DC Health and Wellness Center, Data and Statistics, FOIA and health notices.
Office hours, walk-up service windows, processing-center hours, certificate rules, license portals, complaint routing, clinical appointment rules and public health notices can change. Always verify details on the official DC Health page before visiting, mailing documents, paying fees, filing a complaint or relying on a deadline.
What this DC Department of Health guide covers
DC Health phone number directory by service
Use the direct program route when possible. DC Health has one main agency phone, but Vital Records, professional licensing, Food Safety, WIC, Wellness Center, FOIA and other programs have separate routing.
| Service | Official phone or route | Best use | Prepare before calling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main DC Health | (202) 442-5955 Fax: (202) 442-4795 TTY: 711 | General agency routing and main DC Health questions. | Program name, address or record involved, deadline and callback number. |
| Vital Records | (202) 442-9303 | Birth certificate and death certificate questions. | Record type, full name, date, proof of entitlement, ID and delivery method. |
| Phone certificate orders | 1-877-572-6332, Option 2 | Remote certificate ordering route listed in DC Vital Records notices. | Payment method, shipping address, certificate details and eligibility proof. |
| Health Professional Licensing | 1-877-672-2174 | New license, renewal, reinstatement, pending application update and board routing. | Profession, board, application number, license number and email used in portal. |
| Health Facility Licensing | 1-877-672-2174 | Facility license management, renewal, change requests and facility applications. | Facility name, address, owner, license type, portal issue and deadline. |
| Food Safety | (202) 535-2180 | Food safety, hygiene, restaurant-related routing and inspection questions. | Business name, address, date/time, complaint facts and photos if useful. |
| Swimming Pools and Aquatics | (202) 535-2180 | Pool, aquatics and community hygiene questions. | Facility name, address, issue, date and permit or complaint details. |
| WIC participants and partners | 202-442-9397 | WIC participant, partner, food retail or supplier routing through DC Health directory. | Participant details, clinic/provider question, EBT issue or partner/vendor issue. |
| DC Health and Wellness Center | 202-741-7692 Emergency PEP: 202-299-3737 | HIV/STI testing, treatment, PrEP, PEP and confidential clinical services. | Exposure date, symptoms, appointment need, ID, insurance if available and safe contact method. |
| FOIA | (202) 442-5977 Direct: (202) 494-7706 | Agency record requests not already published. | Record type, date range, program name, subject and preferred format. |
DC Health address, office hours, processing center and map
DC Health is listed at 2201 Shannon Place SE, Washington, DC 20020. General DC Health office hours are listed as Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m..
The License Processing Center has separate public hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.; Wednesday, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m., except holidays. Vital Records walk-up service windows also have separate hours, so do not assume every service follows the main agency schedule.
Before you call, visit, order, renew or file with DC Health
DC birth certificates, death certificates and Vital Records help
DC Vital Records is located at 2201 Shannon Place SE, Washington, DC 20020 and can be reached at (202) 442-9303. DC Health says Vital Records maintains birth certificates dating back to August 1874, and birth records become public after 125 years.
DC Health says death certificates are also maintained back to August 1874, and death records become public after 75 years. Other birth and death records are closed, and certified copies may only be obtained by legally entitled requesters with required documentation and fees.
| Record task | Official route | Key warning |
|---|---|---|
| Birth certificate | Use DC Health Birth Certificates and Vital Records instructions. | Closed records require legal entitlement, ID and required documents. |
| Death certificate | Use DC Health Death Certificates instructions. | Many death records are closed unless you qualify. Friends, neighbors and some relatives may not be entitled. |
| Phone order | 1-877-572-6332, Option 2 is listed in Vital Records notices. | Once the package is handed to USPS or UPS, shipping issues are handled with the carrier. |
| Walk-up service | DC Vital Records lists walk-up service windows on weekdays. | Some services require appointments, including domestic partnership registration/termination and acknowledgment of paternity. |
| Older open death records | Use District of Columbia Archives when directed by DC Health. | Unofficial open death record copies may follow an archives process, not normal certificate ordering. |
Before requesting a DC vital record
- Know whether the event happened in the District of Columbia.
- Prepare the full name, date of birth or death and parents/spouse details if required.
- Have proof of identity and proof of legal entitlement ready.
- Confirm whether you need a certified copy, amendment, domestic partnership document or data request.
- Use only DC Health or authorized ordering routes for payment.
DC health professional licensing, renewals, verification and board help
DC Health handles many health professional license applications, renewals, reinstatements, reactivations, board pages, background checks, license verification and complaint routing.
The License Processing Center public hours are listed as Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., and Wednesday, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m., except holidays. DC Health lists 1-877-672-2174 for pending application updates and licensing questions.
Licensing workflow that avoids delays
- Choose your exact profession and licensing board.
- Read the application package before starting the portal.
- Prepare IDs, education proof, exams, background checks, CE documents and any board-specific forms.
- Submit through the official DC Health Licensing Portal.
- Use official license verification for immediate status checks when available.
- Call 1-877-672-2174 only after reviewing portal status and board instructions.
DC health facility licensing, facility complaints and regulatory help
DC Health handles certain health facility licensing and facility-related complaint routing. The Contact Directory lists Health Facility Licensing at 1-877-672-2174.
Use the official complaint route for a DC health facility concern. Include the facility name, address, date, what happened, whether anyone was harmed and your contact method if you want follow-up.
| Need | Use this route | Prepare before filing |
|---|---|---|
| Facility license management | Health facility licensing portal or Health Facility Licensing contact. | Facility name, address, license type, owner, renewal/change issue and deadline. |
| Facility complaint | Official DC Health complaint page. | Facility name, address, date, staff involved if known, incident summary and documents. |
| Urgent patient safety danger | Call 911 first if someone is in immediate danger. | Location, immediate risk and whether police/fire/EMS are needed. |
| Professional complaint | Health Professionals complaint route or board-specific page. | Licensee name, profession, license number if known, dates, documents and harm details. |
DC restaurant, food safety, pool, community hygiene and rodent help
DC Health’s Division of Community Hygiene regulates facilities in certain industries, including food, pools, personal grooming and related hygiene areas. The Contact Directory lists Food Safety at (202) 535-2180 and Swimming Pools and Aquatics at (202) 535-2180.
Complaint routing can depend on the issue. Restaurant or food establishment complaints, barber/cosmetology/personal grooming concerns, swimming pool concerns and rodent issues may use different DC Health or DC 311 paths.
How to write a useful hygiene complaint
- Business or facility name.
- Exact address and unit/location if relevant.
- Date and time of visit or observation.
- What happened, what you saw, what you ate or what condition exists.
- Symptoms if illness is involved.
- Photos, receipts, report number or order information when available.
DC Health and Wellness Center for STI testing, HIV care, PrEP and PEP
The DC Health and Wellness Center provides HIV/STD care and treatment in the District and says it sees patients regardless of insurance status. The center is located at 77 P Street NE, Washington, DC 20002, and the appointment phone is 202-741-7692.
Services may include routine HIV/STI testing, testing and treatment for positive STI results or symptoms, emergency PEP, PrEP starts and routine visits, rapid HIV antiretroviral treatment starts, sexual-health prescription refills and benefits/access help.
| Wellness need | Official detail | Practical step |
|---|---|---|
| Appointments | Call 202-741-7692. The clinic does not currently take walk-ins but may have same-day appointments. | Call before going. If no same-day slot exists, ask for the next available appointment. |
| Emergency PEP | The page lists 202-299-3737 for Emergency Post Exposure Prophylaxis. | PEP is time-sensitive. Use urgent care or emergency care when medically necessary. |
| Clinic address | 77 P Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. | Confirm current hours and forms before visiting. |
| Registration | Registration forms are offered in multiple languages. | Bring photo ID to all appointments and follow clinic instructions for forms. |
| At-home testing | The page links to at-home STD/HIV test kits. | Use official links and follow all sample and follow-up instructions. |
DC Health data, statistics, FOIA and public records requests
DC Health publishes public health data, statistics, dashboards, reports and health notices. These are useful for public information, community planning, research, grant writing and understanding District health trends.
FOIA is for agency records that are not already published and are not legally exempt. DC Health lists the FOIA officer phone as (202) 442-5977 and direct phone as (202) 494-7706.
Make FOIA requests easier to process
- Search published DC Health pages first.
- Use the exact program or office name.
- Include a narrow date range.
- Describe the record type, subject and preferred format.
- Avoid asking for “all records” unless legally necessary.
- Do not submit emergencies or medical-care needs through FOIA.
What DC Health may not handle
DC Health handles many public health and regulatory tasks, but not every health-related need in Washington, DC belongs to this agency.
For general office-finding help, see our Health Department Near Me guide. For certificate-ordering basics, see Birth Certificate via Health Department. For nearby/state context, see Maryland Department of Health and HHS guide.
Official DC Health links
DC Health official websiteMain DC Health website for services, public health updates, agency contact, licensing, vital records and programs. DC Health Contact DirectoryDirect phone numbers and emails for Vital Records, licensing, Food Safety, WIC, immunization, FOIA and program contacts. Birth CertificatesDC birth certificate rules, walk-up service windows, entitlement, ordering and documentation guidance. Death CertificatesDC death certificate rules, access limits, public-record timing and ordering instructions. Health ProfessionalsLicense Processing Center hours, portal, professional licensing, renewal, verification and scam warning. File a Complaint with DC HealthOfficial complaint path for facility, professional, hygiene and DC Health-regulated concerns. Division of Community HygieneFood safety, pools, personal grooming, hygiene and related regulatory routing. DC Health and Wellness CenterHIV/STI testing, treatment, PrEP, PEP, clinic hours, appointment phone and forms. Data and StatisticsPublic health reports, indicators, dashboards and data resources. Open Government and FOIAFOIA officer contact, agency-record request process and public information guidance.DC Department of Health FAQ
What is the DC Department of Health main phone number?
The main DC Health phone number is (202) 442-5955. The main address is 2201 Shannon Place SE, Washington, DC 20020, and TTY is 711.
What are DC Health general office hours?
DC Health lists general office hours as Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.. Some services, including Vital Records and the License Processing Center, use different public service hours.
What is the DC Vital Records phone number?
The DC Health Contact Directory lists Vital Records for birth and death certificates at (202) 442-9303. Phone certificate orders are listed at 1-877-572-6332, Option 2.
How old are DC birth records before they become public?
DC Health says birth records become public after 125 years. Other birth records are closed and require legal entitlement, documentation and fees.
How old are DC death records before they become public?
DC Health says death records become public after 75 years. Other death records are closed unless the requester is legally entitled and provides required documentation.
What is the DC Health professional licensing phone number?
The professional licensing phone number is 1-877-672-2174. Use it for licensing questions, pending application updates and many board-related routes after checking the official portal and board page.
What are DC Health License Processing Center hours?
The License Processing Center is listed as open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., and Wednesday, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m., except holidays.
How do I file a complaint with DC Health?
Use the official DC Health complaint page and choose the correct type of complaint. Include the facility or business name, address, date, issue details, documents and contact method if follow-up is needed.
Where is the DC Health and Wellness Center?
The DC Health and Wellness Center is at 77 P Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Call 202-741-7692 for appointment routing. For emergency PEP, the page lists 202-299-3737.
Is DC Health the right office for Medicaid or SNAP?
Not always. Medicaid coverage may involve the DC Department of Health Care Finance, and SNAP/TANF or many social services may involve the DC Department of Human Services. Call the correct benefits agency when your issue is not a DC Health service.