Legal Aid of Western Ohio (LAWO)
Offers free legal help for noncriminal issues, including public benefits and document assistance, to low-income individuals in 32 northwest and west central Ohio counties.
Documents & ID
The paperwork everything else asks for. Start with a birth certificate, because most of the rest needs it.
10 places across Northeast Ohio
Start here
Get your birth certificate
The document almost every other document asks for first.
Replace your Social Security card
You need the number for work. You rarely need the card itself.
Get an Ohio state ID
Proof of who you are, without needing to drive.
Get a driver's licence
Longer than an ID, and the reason many jobs stay out of reach without it.
Get your school transcripts
Proof of what you finished, which employers and colleges both ask for.
Get your medical records
Your own health history, which you have a right to.
Get a passport
Not urgent for most people, and the strongest ID you can hold.
Open a bank account and handle taxes
Somewhere your wages can land that does not charge you to hold them.
Places that help
Legal help written in plain language
Free, plain-language guides to your rights in Ohio, including housing and tenant rights, records, and court basics.
Free document storage and member benefits
Free membership for people with foster care experience. Includes secure storage for your vital documents, plus jobs and education resources.
Community Legal Aid Services
Provides free legal assistance, including help with public benefits and documents, to low-income individuals in central northeast Ohio.
Order an Ohio birth certificate
Order a certified copy of an Ohio birth certificate online, by mail, or in person at a local health department.
Alliance of Ohio Legal Aids
A statewide network of legal aid organizations providing free civil legal assistance to low-income Ohioans, including help with public benefits and document-related issues.
Replace a Social Security card
Request a replacement Social Security card. Many people can do the whole thing online with a my Social Security account.
Ohio State Bar Association
Connects the public with legal information and services, including resources for finding legal aid and assistance with benefits and documents.
Get an Ohio state ID
What to bring to get a state ID card, and where your nearest BMV office is. Check the document list before you go.
Supreme Court of Ohio - Access to Justice Resources
Provides resources including court forms and information to help individuals access legal assistance for benefits and document-related issues.
Each listing shows what it costs and whether a referral comes first, or says to ask when we have not confirmed it. If you are stuck, dial 211 and a person will help you look.