Skip to content

Inter-Jurisdictional Exchange

What Is the IJE Agreement?

The Inter-Jurisdictional Exchange (IJE) Agreement is a formal data governance agreement between states and territories that allows for the secure and timely exchange of vital records data across jurisdictions.

Vital records have long been exchanged between jurisdictions. Historically, this was done through paper records sent by mail. Today, these records are shared electronically—often in real-time—whenever the sending jurisdiction is able.

How it Works:

When someone is born in one jurisdiction and dies in another, the jurisdiction of death notifies the jurisdiction of birth—and, if applicable, the jurisdiction of residence. This collaboration:

  • Helps flag deceased individuals in birth records to prevent identity fraud

  • Enables jurisdictions to track and analyze public health trends, such as birth rates or mortality due to disease

Ownership & Use of Records

Even though records are exchanged, the sending jurisdiction retains full ownership of the record. The IJE Agreement clearly outlines:

  • What the receiving jurisdiction can do with the data

  • What the receiving jurisdiction cannot do with the data

These rules protect the integrity of the data while supporting interjurisdictional cooperation.

Scroll To Top