Texas Vital Records: The Complete 2025 Guide

Texas processes more vital records requests than almost any other state. Mail-in requests to the state office in Austin take 8–12 weeks — but county clerk offices across Texas issue certified copies the same day you walk in. This guide covers every option, exact fees, the TXEVERs online system, and county-by-county details for the largest metros.

Texas Vital Statistics Unit: The State Office

The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Vital Statistics Unit in Austin holds birth, death, marriage, and divorce records filed in Texas from 1903 onward. Earlier records may be held at the county level only.

Birth Certificates in Texas

Form VS-170

Texas uses form VS-170 ("Request for Certified Copy of Texas Birth Certificate") for mail-in requests. Download it from dshs.texas.gov — do not use third-party forms. The VS-170 requires:

• Full name at birth (exactly as registered — check parents' records if unsure)
• Date of birth
• City and county of birth
• Sex as listed on the record
• Father's full name (as listed on the record)
• Mother's full maiden name
• Your full name, address, daytime phone, and relationship to registrant
• Copy of your valid government-issued photo ID
• Payment — check or money order payable to "DSHS Vital Statistics"

Fee Schedule

Important: Additional copies ordered at the same time as the first are only $3 each. This is dramatically cheaper than re-ordering later. For an estate, order 10–15 copies upfront — the total cost is $22 + (14 × $3) = $64. Ordering 10 death certificates at a later date costs $200+.

TXEVERs: Texas Online Ordering

Texas operates its own online vital records portal — TXEVERs (Texas Electronic Vital Events Registrar System) — separate from VitalChek. You can order birth and death certificates online at txeversweb.dshs.texas.gov.

TXEVERs processing time: approximately 5–10 business days from order submission, significantly faster than the standard 8–12 week mail timeline. A convenience fee of approximately $5–6 is added on top of the certificate fee. Credit and debit cards are accepted.

State vs. County Clerk: Which to Choose

Major Texas County Clerk Offices

Death Certificates in Texas

Death certificate requests use the same VS-170 form with the "death" record type selected. Fee: $20 for the first copy, $3 each additional. Same DSHS mailing address.

The county clerk in the county where the death occurred also issues certified death certificates on the same day in person. For estate administration, order at minimum 10 copies — Texas estates routinely require more given the number of financial institutions, property types, and government agencies involved.

Texas Death Certificate Eligibility

Texas restricts access to death certificates within 25 years of death. Eligible requestors:

• Surviving spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, or grandchild
• Funeral director or authorized funeral home employee
• Legal representative of the estate with documentation
• Insurance company or financial institution with a direct financial interest
• Government agencies with authorized need

Deaths more than 25 years old are public record in Texas — anyone may request them.

Marriage Records in Texas

Marriage licenses in Texas are issued by the county clerk in the county where the license was obtained. Certified copies: contact that county clerk directly. Fee: typically $6–10 per copy depending on county.

DSHS maintains a statewide marriage verification index but does not issue certified copies of marriage certificates — those come from the county only.

Texas Informal (Common-Law) Marriage

Texas recognizes informal (common-law) marriage. Couples can register an informal marriage declaration with the county clerk (Form VS-165 in most counties). If you need to prove an informal marriage existed — for benefits, immigration, or estate purposes — a Declaration of Informal Marriage filed with the county clerk is the primary documentation. If none was filed, affidavits and supporting evidence of cohabitation and mutual representation as married may be required.

Divorce Records in Texas

Texas divorce decrees are held by the District Court clerk in the county where the divorce was filed. DSHS maintains a statewide divorce index from 1968 onward. The index can tell you the county of filing; the full decree comes from that county's District Court clerk.

Contact the District Court clerk (not the County Clerk — different offices in Texas) for the full certified decree. Fees: typically $1 per page plus a $5 certification fee.

Delayed Registration: Births Before 1950

For births before Texas had consistent statewide registration (roughly pre-1940 in rural areas), records may not exist. Texas allows delayed birth registration through DSHS. Two corroborating documents are required — a notarized affidavit of birth plus supporting documentation such as early school enrollment, census records, or a baptismal certificate. Processing time: 8–16 weeks. Fee: $22 for the resulting certificate.

Amendments: Correcting a Texas Birth Certificate

Texas uses form VS-170C for administrative corrections and VS-170-A for more significant amendments. Minor clerical corrections require documentation supporting the correct information plus a $22 fee. Name and parentage changes require a court order. See our birth certificate correction guide for the general amendment process.