Birth Record FAQs

To get a copy of your birth certificate from Texas Department of State Health Services - Vital Statistics Section, you must have been born in the state of Texas. Visit the Birth Records webpage for all requirements for ordering a birth certificate.

Vital Statistics can provide records for births that were filed in Texas from 1903 to the present. Visit the National Center for Health Statistics website for certificates for an out-of-state birth.

For descriptions and uses of the various types of birth records, visit the Record Types webpage.

For descriptions and uses of the various types of birth certificates, visit the Record Types webpage.

To get a U.S. passport, you must provide a long-form birth certificate. For descriptions and uses of the various types of birth certificates, visit the Record Types webpage.

The quickest way is to order online at Texas.gov.

View our Requirements for Online Orders webpage for complete details.

Visit our Requirements for Mail/In-Person Orders webpage for complete details.

The address you use for mail-in applications depends on whether you are requesting regular or expedited processing. View the Vital Statistics Mailing Addresses webpage for more information.

No. We accept applications online, by mail, or in-person. We cannot accept requests by telephone. Texas Administrative Code (181.28) requires all requests for birth certificates to be accompanied with an application approved by the State Registrar.

To be able to order online, you must meet the requirements for online orders and your mailing address must match the one listed on your current Driver License or state-issued Identification Card. Otherwise, you must order by mail.

No, the supporting documents requires you order by mail or in person.

Vital Statistics Section (VSS) cannot release any information without an application, payment, and acceptable ID submitted by a qualified applicant. VSS can issue a birth verification letter stating whether a record of birth is on file with the State of Texas with a written request. If a record is filed, the verification letter will include the person's name, the date of birth, and the county where the birth occurred. Verification letters are available for births that have occurred since 1903. Verification letters are not considered legal substitutes for certified copies of birth certificates. VSS strongly recommends that applicants ensure a verification will satisfy its intended use. Visit the Birth Records webpage for more information, including methods and requirements for ordering a birth verification.

Vital Statistics cannot search records for free. The fee is a searching fee and is not refundable or transferable, even if the record is not found or is incorrect. Visit the Costs and Fees webpage for complete details.

Visit the National Center for Health Statistics website for information on requesting vital records from other states.

For births within the past 75 years, only the immediate family members of the person whose name is on the birth certificate are eligible to request a copy. Visit the Persons Qualified to Request or Change Records webpage for full details, including who is considered an immediate family member.

All other applicants must provide legal documentation (such as a court order establishing guardianship, an insurance policy listing the applicant as the beneficiary, etc.) that documents a direct, tangible interest in the birth or death certificate.

Your immigration or citizenship status does not affect your right to obtain a birth certificate.

Walk-in requests are typically processed the same day they are submitted; however, some applications may require 24 hours or more to process. Also view the Processing Times for other ordering methods.

Complete and submit the appropriate Check Order Status form based on your ordering method, and a Vital Statistics representative will get back to you within two business days.

A list of Acceptable ID can be found on our website in English and Spanish.

In some cases, expired ID is accepted, but only when provided along with another form of non-expired ID. Visit our Acceptable ID webpage for complete details.

For mail-in orders, you must present original ID to get a notary seal on your application. You must include a photocopy of acceptable ID with your application in the mail. Do not send original IDs in the mail.

For in-person orders, you must present the original acceptable ID.

For online orders, your identity is verified using an online database. For details on what information you must provide to verify your identity online, visit the Requirements for Online Orders webpage.

An acceptable form of ID is required to process your application. Visit the Acceptable ID webpage for complete details.

If you do not have acceptable ID, an immediate family member with sufficient ID may also obtain the birth certificate. Visit the Persons Qualified to Request or Change Records webpage for full details, including who is considered an immediate family member.

Birth certificates are not open records. Access to birth certificates is restricted to qualified applicants for 75 years from the date of birth. An acceptable ID is required to verify your identity and to prove that you are a qualified applicant.

Visit our Records for Foreign Governments (Apostille) webpage for instructions.

The apostille or authentication is issued by the district/state/country where the document was issued.

Vital Statistics is unable to send records to the Texas Secretary of State. Visit the Records for Foreign Governments (Apostille) webpage for more information.

View the Costs and Fees – Birth Records webpage for a list of the fees associated with each record type.

• For mail-in requests: Check, Cashier's Check, or Money Order
• For online requests: Credit or Debit Card
• For walk-in requests: Check, Cashier's Check, Money Order, Credit Card, or Debit Card

DSHS Vital Statistics

All fees can be combined in one check or money order made payable to DSHS Vital Statistics.

Visit the Requirements for Changing Vital Records webpage for detailed instructions and the required supporting documentation you must submit with your amendment application. 

The costs of a birth record amendment/correction vary based on the type of change being made. Visit the Costs and Fees – Birth Record Amendments webpage for a listing of the fees associated with the type of change you are requesting.

Complete and submit the Check Order Status – Mail Orders form, and a Vital Statistics representative will get back to you within two business days.

Visit the Processing Times webpage for the most up-to-date information on estimated processing times.

You can submit an amendment application in person at the Vital Statistics central office in Austin; however, Vital Statistics does NOT offer same-day walk-in service for corrections to birth records. Visit the Requirements for Changing Vital Records webpage for instructions on how to submit an application for a birth record correction/amendment.

The address you use for mail-in applications depends on whether you are requesting regular or expedited processing. Visit the Vital Statistics Mailing Addresses webpage for more information.

Yes, Vital Statistics offers expedited service for birth record amendments. Be sure to review the fees and special instructions for expedited requests before submitting your amendment application packet.

No. We must have original signatures and certifications; therefore, we must have the original documents and cannot accept documents via email or fax.

For most changes, yes. Originals and/or certified copies of supporting documents used to correct a record will be returned once the correction is completed.

However, when adding/removing/replacing a parent's name, certified documents submitted will be retained by VS and placed in a sealed file. A court order is required to unseal a file. Parents should keep copies of certified documents for their records and future use before sending them to VS.

Viwq the application for other circumstances when the original records are kept by our office.

The processing time varies, because customers must submit supporting documentation from independent sources that Vital Statistics must then verify. The verification process can take several business days.

Visit the Delayed Birth Registration webpage for detailed instructions.

Visit the Costs and Fees – Delayed Birth Registration webpage for a listing of all associated fees.

No, a Delayed Certificate of Birth cannot be filed for a deceased person.

There are many reasons why a delayed birth registration application can be rejected. The most common reasons include:

• Required number of supporting documents are not submitted, required filing fee not paid, and/or application not actively pursued
• Out of state or foreign birth record is located and/or more than one Affidavit of Birth Facts is submitted
• Contradictory documents and/or birth facts are not supported by supporting documents
• Supporting documents do not include individual's name, date of birth and place of birth, and/or document including parent(s) name(s) is not provided
• Unable to verify the following supporting documents (within 6 months):
  • Hospital & Medical Record
  • School Records or School Census Records
  • Religious record