How to Get Texas Vital Records (Start Here)
Vital records in Texas — birth certificates, death certificates, marriage licenses, and divorce records — can be obtained from County Clerk (marriage) / DSHS (birth, death). Marriage licenses are issued by the County Clerk.
What this page covers: Texas vital record ordering, eligibility requirements, and related databases. What it does not cover: Genealogy records older than the state vital records system (check the Genealogy Resources page for historical records).
Where to start: For certified copies of birth or death certificates, contact County Clerk (marriage) / DSHS (birth, death). For marriage licenses, contact the County Clerk in the county where the ceremony will occur. For divorce records, contact the court that granted the decree.
Common mistake: Birth and death certificates, marriage licenses, and divorce decrees come from different offices. Do not assume one office handles all vital records.
Statewide vital-records agency
Records back to
Online ordering
Marriage license issued by
Local intake
Population
31,290,831
Households
11,099,400
Median Income
$75,780
Median Home Value
$260,400
SearchSystems Editorial
Edited by Sam Rokni — Editor & Owner, SearchSystems.net. Public records professional since 1999. NAPBS founding member. Full bio & credentials.
Last reviewed: June 04, 2026 · Methodology: Texas vital records URL verified against the official state publisher at www.dshs.texas.gov on the review date. 7 primary .gov sources cited below.
Texas Vital Records — Key Facts (2026)
Birth, death, marriage, and divorce records for Texas — who can request, how to order, and what 2026 changed.
State-only
Issuing authority
Not federal
Restricted
Birth/death access
Usually self + family
75-125 yr
When records become public
Genealogy threshold
VitalChek
3rd-party portal
Used by many states
CDC NVSS
National statistics
Data only, no certificates
The person named
100%
Parent of subject
100%
Spouse of subject
90%
Adult child
90%
Legal representative
80%
General public (recent)
10%
General public (historical 75+yr)
95%
Unit: % likely to receive a certified copy.
What Changed in 2026 — Texas Vital Records
2026
Texas vital records portal active
The official Texas portal at www.dshs.texas.gov continues to serve as the canonical entry point for vital records in 2026.
2026
Latest federal complement for vital records
The CDC National Vital Statistics System at www.cdc.gov provides federal-level context that complements Texas state records.
2026
Texas access in 2026
For 2026, Texas continues to publish vital records information through state-authorized portals; check www.dshs.texas.gov for current fees and processing times.
2026
Federal records framework refresh
Federal record types (federal liens, federal land, federal vital statistics) continue to live OUTSIDE Texas's state portal — see the Primary Sources below for additional official portals.
The 4-Step Texas Vital Records Pathway
1
Step 1 — Confirm state of event
Vital records are issued by the state where the event happened. For events in Texas, start with the Texas health department.
2
Step 2 — Verify eligibility
Most states restrict birth/death to self, parents, spouse, child, or legal rep.
3
Step 3 — Choose ordering method
Texas typically allows mail, in-person, or online (often via VitalChek).
4
Step 4 — Genealogy fallback
Texas records older than 75-125 years are usually public — try FamilySearch or NARA.
Five Things People Get Wrong About Texas Vital Records
MYTH"VitalChek is a government website."
FACTIt's a private company that many states authorize to process orders. Legitimate, yes — but the extra convenience fees are theirs, not the state's.
MYTH"Anyone can order anyone's birth certificate."
FACTBirth certificates are restricted nearly everywhere — the person named, parents, spouse, child, or a legal representative. Strangers don't qualify.
MYTH"Vital records are federal records."
FACTThey're state records. The CDC compiles national statistics but has never issued a birth or death certificate — the state (and in Texas, its vital records office) does.
MYTH"Marriage licenses come from the state."
FACTIn most states — Texas included for most purposes — you get the license at the county level, and the state only registers the completed record.
MYTH"The court divorce file and the divorce record are one document."
FACTTwo systems: the court keeps the case file, the vital records office keeps the divorce record/certificate. Which one you need depends on who's asking for it.
Primary Sources and Official Record Portals
- www.dshs.texas.gov — Official Texas Vital Records — State portal for Texas vital records
- CDC National Vital Statistics System — National Vital Statistics System
- CDC — Where to Write for Records — CDC state-by-state directory
- National Archives — Vital Records — Federal genealogy & vital guide
- Social Security Death Master File — Social Security death records
- Census — Births and Deaths — Census Bureau vital statistics
- VA — Veterans Records — Veterans Administration records
Related Vital Records Resources
📍 Other Texas records:
- Texas Court Records →
- Texas Criminal Records →
- Texas Property Records →
- Texas Voter Records →
- Texas Wants & Warrants →
- Texas Licenses →
- Texas Recorded Documents →
🇺🇸 Vital Records in other states:
- Alaska
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- District of Columbia
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Iowa
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Massachusetts
- Maryland
- Maine
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Mississippi
- Montana
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- Nevada
- New York
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Utah
- Virginia
- Vermont
- Washington
- Wisconsin
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
National: U.S. Vital Records hub →
Related Public Records
More Texas records: Court records · Criminal records · Wants & warrants · Property records · Voter records · Licenses · Recorded docs
National view of this topic: All states: Vital records
Vital Records Databases
69 official Texas vital records sources.
Vital Records
History of the Cemetery | Texas State Cemetery
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Many of those soldiers were former. became a state-funded entity in 1891. The first of those burials took place in 1884 and they continued well into the 1900s. In 1908, a Confederate Woman’s Home was founded in Austin to care for the widows.
Marriage/Divorce Indexes | Texas DSHS
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Texas marriage license application indexes and report of divorce/annulment indexes are available for download by year below. These indexes are available in a compressed (ZIP) format and require a file extractor to open. File types within the ZIP vary by year and may require additional software.
Storm FAQs | Galveston & Texas History Center
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When the storm surge crashed into the island, it caused a great deal of damage. There is no exact count of the total number of victims from the 1900 Storm. Many scholars accept the number "over 6,000." Some accounts reported as many as 12,000 deaths.
CC Resources - Travis County Clerk
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A searchable collection of agendas, minutes, and videos from 1997 to present day. Contains the administrative code and regulations ordered by the Commissioners Court. https://www.traviscountytx.gov/commissioners-court/county-code · Contains historical and primary source materials from.
Marriage License, Birth and Death - Anderson County, Texas
Official Free
Birth, death, and marriage record requests for Anderson County route through this office. It sits outside government; official offices remain the record of authority.
Browser Test - Bastrop County Clerk Web Access
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This office answers most records requests in Bastrop County. It is independently run, so verify anything critical against the official vital record office.
Marriage Licenses | Bexar County, TX - Official Website
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If a party wishes to change their name due to marriage, they may do so through the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Social Security Administration. However, the name on the marriage license will not change. The Bexar County Clerk's Office recorded 386 licenses during the annual Valentine's.
Texas Vital Statistics Indexes | Texas State Library
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If births were recorded before 1903, they were recorded in the county clerk's office in the county of birth, so you will want to check there for any records. The latest index to Texas births we have available is for the year 2010. You may wish to contact the county where the birth occurred.
County Court at Law 1 | Brazos County, TX - Official Website
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Court case information for Brazos County — dockets, hearing dates, and case lookups. It is independently run, so verify anything critical against the official vital record office.
Collin County Ballot Address Search
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Vital-record certificates connected to Collin County are ordered here. It is independently run, so verify anything critical against the official vital record office.
County Clerk: Marriage Licenses
Official Free
Collin County Clerk issues formal and informal marriage licenses in McKinney and Plano. Apply online, then appear together with valid photo ID and Social Security number. Review fees, premarital course discounts, 72-hour waiting period rules, expiration timelines, and certified copy information.
Texas Free Public Records Directory
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Search Texas public records such as court, criminal, inmate, marriage, divorce, birth, death, phone, address, bankruptcy, sex offender, property, arrest, legal, tax and other state records.
Official Record Search - Quick Search - Dallas County, Texas County Clerk
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Dallas County marriage records and recorded documents. Requires registration.
Civil and Family Case Filing FAQ's
Official Free
This is the request channel for Texas vital records — births, deaths, and marriages. It sits outside government; official offices remain the record of authority.
Marriage Index
Official Free
Source: Delta County Microfilm Reel # 1298967 Index to Marriage Records Direct & Indirect Texas State Library — Paris Junior College Update: Currently, the Groom Index from A to I has been completed by Kris Scholberg and she continues to transcribe the remaining.
Denton County TX Birth Certificate, Marriage & Death Records
Official Free
The Denton County Vital Records Office provides you with birth, death, and marriage certificates. Contact details and address here.
eRecording - Home Page - eRecording
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Due to the legislative changes on House Bill 1612, beginning January 1, 2024, our recording fees will decrease by $1.00. The fee schedule will be as follows. Records Management & Preservation Fee (Local Gov’t Code §§ 118.011(b) and 118.0216) $10.00 Records Archive Fee (Local Gov’t Code.
Jail Search - Public Access
Official Free
Welcome to the official Inmate Search system. This tool allows you to search for individuals currently held in custody within our detention facilities. Information provided includes booking details, charges, bond amounts, and housing location. All information is updated regularly but may not.
County of El Paso Texas - Assumed Names
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Assumed Names are added to this website approximately 24-48 hours after they are filed in the County Clerk's office. Dates shown reflect the file date as recorded on the record · If you are experiencing problems, please make sure you meet all of our web browser requirements
Birth Certificates | Ellis County, TX Official Website
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Effective September 1, 2015, all applications for certified copies of Birth and Death certificates which are mailed into the County Clerk's office must be signed in front of a notary public, per Health and Safety Code, Sec.
Vital Records - Texas: Local History & Genealogy Resource Guide - Research Guides at Library of Congress
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Based on the date of the vital event (birth, death, marriage, divorce), determine whether you are seeking a state, territory, county, or parish level record. If the record you are seeking has been digitized, you can access it online, through the projects described below.
Browser Test - Fort Bend County Clerk Web Access
Official Free
Day-to-day records for Fort Bend County pass through the clerk's office reached here. It sits outside government; official offices remain the record of authority.
Start Date (Recording) 01/01/75 End Date (Recording) 05/31/15 Grantor Grantee
Official Free
Birth, death, and marriage record requests for Texas route through this office. It sits outside government; official offices remain the record of authority.
Queries | Franklin County, TXGenWeb
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Name: Jean Fish Date: Sun Apr 26 10:33:32 1998 Email: Surnames: HEDRICK Query text: I'm looking for a marriage between Addie Jim Hedrick and Clarence Ray (or Ray) Baisdon Thanks · Name: Donna Graves Date: Sun Apr 26 12:58:52 1998 Email: ipatx30@flash.net Surnames: LAWRENCE, BURK(E)(S), BUSBEE, TURNER Query text: Trying to locate any information on the Lawrence family of Franklin County. At the time of the 1900 census, Sam Lawrence (b.
Marriage License Information | Galveston County, TX
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Vital-record certificates connected to Galveston County are ordered here. Confirm details with the official vital record office before relying on them.
Welcome - Gregg County Clerk Web Access
Official Free
The County Clerk's Office, Gregg County, Texas provides this web site as a public service. Information available on this web site is collected, maintained, and provided solely for the convenience of the public users. While every effort is made to assure that this information is accurate the.
Harris County Clerk's Office Personal Records
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The Harris County Clerk's Office maintains birth certificates outside the city limits of Houston, City of Baytown, City of La Porte, City of South Houston, Jacinto City, as well as Justice of the Peace Precincts 3 & 4. When requesting a copy of birth certificate by mail complete the Application for Certified Copy of Texas Birth or Death Certificate and a Notarized Proof of Identification form (which must be signed and notarized) include a copy of your valid identification (State Issued I.D., Driver's License, Passport, etc.) along with your payment.
Document Search PortalMarriage (Ceremonial & Informal)
Official Free
Birth, death, and marriage record requests for Texas route through this office. Confirm details with the official vital record office before relying on them.
Vitals Department | Hidalgo County, TX - Official Website
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The County Clerk’s involvement in the Vital Statistics department is principally in the issuing of marriage licenses, the recording of birth and death certificates, and the issuing of certified copies of the same. The clerk is closely supported in these activities by the Vital Statistics Unit (“VSU”) of the Texas Department of the State Health Services in Austin (formerly known as the Bureau of Vital Statistics of the Texas Department of Public Health.)
Family Indexes - District Clerk Jefferson County TX
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Index for Family Cases Filed in District Court for Jefferson County, Texas District Clerk.
Judges who Perform Marriage Ceremonies in Jefferson County, Texas
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This is the request channel for Jefferson County vital records — births, deaths, and marriages. It sits outside government; official offices remain the record of authority.
TX - Kerr County
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Birth, death, and marriage record requests for Kerr County route through this office. Confirm details with the official vital record office before relying on them.
Lee
Official Free
Welcome to Lee County, Texas · Lee County is committed to providing excellent and professional service to our county constituents everyday and to meet or exceed their expectations in all of our county offices. As part of the team, we hope you will discover that the pursuit of excellence is.
Birth & Death Records | McLennan County, TX
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If a person was born, or died, at any address OUTSIDE the city limits of Waco, but WITHIN McLennan County, the McLennan County Clerk’s office should have that birth or death record. We may also have birth or death records from the few rural community hospitals that used to operate in McLennan County.
District Clerk | Midland County, TX
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The District Clerk is the office of record for all Civil proceedings heard in the District Courts and County Courts at Law. This includes: all divorces, child support, consumer lawsuits, contract disputes, custody cases, real estate, serious personal injury & tax collection cases.
Local History / Genealogy Databases - Corpus Christi - Libraries
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The CCPL Obituary Index is a collaborative project between department staff and volunteers to catalog every death notice and obituary that is printed in the Corpus Christi Caller (C), Corpus Christi Times (T), and the Corpus Christi Caller-Times (CT) · Special Collections and Archives is located.
Help
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INTERNET ACCESS High Speed internet access is recommended. Image sizes range from 130KB to several MB depending on the number of pages · WEB BROWSER Microsoft Internet Explorer 11 (32-bit), Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome (latest version), and Mozilla Firefox (latest version)
Family Law
Official Free
To obtain copies of court records. fees for divorce / Family Law and Civil disposed court records:. Certified Electronic Copies – $1 for 1-10 pages plus 10 cents per page for 11 or more pages plus $5 Certification/Seal Fee · You may come in person or mail your request to the address listed above Attn: Family Court Records · E-mail TCDCRecords@tarrantcountytx.gov and include.
Tarrantcounty
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This site will not function properly if IE Compatibility Mode is enabled. Please disable Compatibility Mode and refresh the page. If you do not know how to disable Compatibility Mode please submit a ticket to our support team and they will be happy to assist you.
Tom Green County
Official Free
The county clerk's involvement in the area of vital statistics is principally in the issuing of marriage licenses, and the recording of birth and death certificates and the issuing of certified copies of the same. The clerk is closely supported in these activities by the Department of State.
Marriage License - Travis County Clerk
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Recording Marriage License Domestic Partnerships DBAs Real Property Search + Copies of Records Meetings and Official Notices Birth and Death Records Resources. Both parties must appear together at the county clerk’s office located at Civil Family Courthouse 1700 Guadalupe St.
County of Upshur
Official Free
Birth, death, and marriage record requests for Texas route through this office. It is independently run, so verify anything critical against the official vital record office.
County of Upshur
Official Free
Birth, death, and marriage record requests for Texas route through this office. It is independently run, so verify anything critical against the official vital record office.
Vital Records Search - Self-Service
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Select a search option. Certified copies are available from the Upshur County Clerk's office. Certified copy charges are as follows: Birth Certificate $23.00 Death Certificate $21.00 (Each additional death certificate copy is $4.00 when ordered with the first) Marriage Certificate $7.00
Texas - Washington County
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Welcome to Washington County · If you are new to the area, let us be the first to say Welcome to Washington County, The Birth Place of Texas. We hope that you will find us and our communities friendly, warm and eager for you to join us in making Washington County your home, too.
Marriage Licenses - Washington County, Texas
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Requirements for obtaining a Marriage License · Both parties must appear (a proxy may apply for one of the parties, please check with clerk) *Submit proof of identity and age, per 2.005 of the Texas Family Code * Both parties must be at least 18 years of age *Pay fee of $81.00; If neither party.
Online Document Search Wichita County Clerk DISCLAIMER
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The clerk's office is the record hub for Document Search Wichita County — filings, indexes, and copy requests. It is independently run, so verify anything critical against the official vital record office.
Self-Service
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The Williamson County Clerk's office provides this web site as a public service. Information available on this web site is collected, maintained and provided solely for the convenience of the public users. While every effort is made to assure that this information is accurate and current, the.
Vital Statistics | Abilene, TX
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For a full list of acceptable identification visit: https://www.dshs.texas.gov/vs/identification.aspx · *The City of Abilene Health District does not accept car title or insurance as a form of identification. Death Certificates are filed for all those occurring within the city limits of Abilene and Justice of the Peace Precinct One. Certified copies of these records may be obtained in person or by mail by qualified applicants only.
Texas Counties
254 Texas counties are indexed on SearchSystems.net — top 28 counties shown below. Browse the full directory or click any county for local court, sheriff, recorder and assessor links.
Which Texas counties publish vital records information online
40 of Texas's 256 counties run their own online source for vital records information, based on what this directory indexes. Every other county is covered by the statewide systems listed above — click a county for its full records page.
Anderson Bastrop Bexar Burnet Calhoun Chambers Collin Colorado Comal Dallas Fayette Fort Bend Franklin Galveston Gillespie Hidalgo Jasper Jefferson Jim Hogg Johnson Kerr Lavaca Lee Marion McLennan Mitchell Parker Polk Potter San Patricio Tarrant Terry Travis Trinity Tyler Upshur Walker Washington Williamson Zapata
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I order a Texas birth certificate?▼
Certified birth certificates for events in Texas are issued by the Official Texas Vital Records at www.dshs.texas.gov. Requests can be made by mail, in person, or (in most cases) online through the state's authorized vendor. The county of registration may also be able to issue certified copies for recent local events.
How do I get a Texas death certificate?▼
Texas death certificates are issued by the Official Texas Vital Records; eligibility (next of kin, executor, legal representative) and ID documentation requirements are listed at www.dshs.texas.gov. For deaths within the last year, the county clerk or local registrar where the death occurred can often issue a copy more quickly.
Can I look up a Texas marriage or divorce record online?▼
Texas marriage and divorce records are not generally available in a free, name-searchable online index. The Official Texas Vital Records (www.dshs.texas.gov) handles certified copies; the underlying license/decree is filed with the county clerk or court that issued it, which is also a primary search point.
How long does it take to get a Texas vital record?▼
Standard Texas vital-record processing times vary from a few business days (in-person same-day at some county clerks) to several weeks for mailed requests. The Official Texas Vital Records publishes current turnaround times at www.dshs.texas.gov. Expedited processing is usually available for an additional fee.
What ID do I need to order a Texas certified vital record?▼
The Official Texas Vital Records requires government-issued photo identification (driver's license, state ID, passport, or military ID) and proof of your relationship to the record holder, if applicable. The full list of acceptable ID and supporting documents is published at www.dshs.texas.gov.