How to Get a Birth Certificate in El Paso, TX

To get a birth certificate in El Paso, TX, order a certified copy from the El Paso County Clerk in person at the downtown office or one of three annexes, by mail, or online through VitalChek. The county charges $23 per certified copy, and walk-in requests with complete paperwork are usually handled the same day.¹

Who Can Request a Copy

Texas limits birth certificate access to people with a direct interest in the record. You can always order your own. Immediate family members are also eligible: parents, legal guardians, children, siblings, grandparents, and spouses.² Grandchildren are not included, even though grandparents are.

If you are requesting someone else’s certificate, you have to prove the relationship. A parent must be listed on the certificate or hold a court order. A spouse needs the marriage license. A sibling needs their own birth certificate showing at least one shared parent. A grandparent needs the birth certificate of their child (the registrant’s parent) naming them as parent.³

An attorney or someone with power of attorney can request a certificate on behalf of an eligible person by providing an attorney-client agreement, power of attorney, or court order.³

What to Bring or Send

Have the record details ready before you apply: the full name on the certificate, date of birth, place of birth, and both parents’ full names including the mother’s maiden name.⁴

You also need acceptable photo ID. DSHS sorts IDs into three tiers:⁵

One primary ID, such as a U.S. driver’s license, state ID, U.S. passport, military ID, License to Carry, permanent resident card, or law enforcement employment ID.
If you don’t have a primary ID, two secondary IDs, such as a current student ID, an expired primary ID, a signed Social Security card, a DD-214, or a Medicaid or Medicare card.
One secondary ID plus two supporting documents, such as a recent utility bill, cell phone bill, paycheck stub, or voter registration card.

Bring originals if you come in person; mail applicants send photocopies.⁶

Where to Apply in El Paso

In Person

The main County Clerk office is at 500 E. San Antonio, Suite 105, El Paso, TX 79901.¹ Three annex offices also handle birth records:⁷

Ysleta Annex, 9521 Socorro Road, Suite A-1, El Paso, TX 79927
Northeast Annex, 4641 Cohen Avenue, Suite B, El Paso, TX 79924
Northwest Annex, 435 Vinton Rd, Rm. 208, Anthony, TX 79821

Bring your completed application, your original photo ID, and payment. Complete walk-in requests are usually processed the same day.

By Mail

Send your application, a photocopy of your ID, and payment to: El Paso County Clerk, Attn: Vital Records Department, 500 E. San Antonio Ave., Suite 105, El Paso, TX 79901.⁸ Make checks or money orders payable to “El Paso County Clerk.” Add time for delivery both ways.

Online

The County Clerk accepts online orders through VitalChek.¹ VitalChek adds its own service fee on top of the $23 county fee.

You can also order from the state through Texas.gov, which routes the request to DSHS Vital Statistics in Austin. The state fee is $22 per copy,⁹ and online orders take roughly 20 to 25 business days.¹⁰

Fees, Payment, and How Long It Takes

The County Clerk charges $23 per certified copy.¹ Ordering through DSHS costs $22 per copy.⁹

The county accepts cash, money orders, cashier’s checks, and business checks. Credit and debit cards are also accepted, but with convenience fees: 2.50% on credit cards and $2.95 on debit cards, with a $2 minimum per transaction.¹

Turnaround depends entirely on the channel you use:

In person at the County Clerk or an annex: usually same day.
By mail to the County Clerk: several days to a couple of weeks.
Online through DSHS: about 20 to 25 business days. By mail to DSHS: about 25 to 30 business days.¹⁰

If time matters, walking into the downtown office or an annex is by far the fastest route.

If the Father Isn’t Listed on the Certificate

A father whose name doesn’t appear on the birth certificate cannot request a copy as a parent until paternity is legally established. That means filing an Application for New Birth Certificate Based on Parentage with DSHS Vital Statistics, together with one of three supporting documents: an Acknowledgment of Paternity, a certified marriage license dated after the child’s birth, or a court order establishing paternity.¹¹

Both parents sign the application before a notary, except when a court order establishes paternity, in which case only one signature is required. The application fee is $25, and each certified copy of the amended certificate costs $22.¹¹

Fixing an Error on the Certificate

To correct a mistake, file Form VS-170 (Birth Certificate Correction Application) with DSHS Vital Statistics in Austin. Most corrections cost $15; adding, removing, or replacing a parent costs $25.¹²

The evidence you need depends on what’s wrong. A wrong date or place of birth requires a hospital record or court order. A misspelled last name requires documents dated before the birth, unless you have a court order. Adding or changing a first or middle name after the child’s first birthday requires records such as a baptismal certificate, school record, or Social Security Administration printout; before the first birthday, no supporting documentation is required for a first or middle name.¹²

Supporting documents must be original certified copies, not photocopies. Everyone who signs must do so before a notary and attach a copy of their photo ID. If an item has already been corrected once, any further change requires a court order.¹²

Registering a Birth That Was Never Recorded

Some Texans, especially those born at home or in rural areas decades ago, never had their births officially recorded. DSHS allows a delayed birth certificate, but the process is more involved. Only the person on the certificate, a parent or legal guardian (for minors), or a legal representative can apply, and you must first ask DSHS to search for any existing record.¹³

Documentation requirements scale with age:¹³

Ages 1 to 4: a notarized affidavit from the parents and birth attendant explaining why the birth was not filed, plus two or more documents showing pregnancy, live birth, Texas location, and date of birth.
Ages 4 to 15: two or more documents. At least one must show the child’s name, date, and place of birth; at least one must show the parents’ names; at least one must have been created within 10 years of the birth.
Age 15 and older: three or more documents under stricter rules. At least two must show name, date, and place of birth; at least one must include the parents’ names; at least one must have been created within 10 years of birth; and non-affidavit documents must be at least five years old.

Acceptable evidence includes hospital or birthing center records, school enrollment records, religious records signed by clergy, military discharge papers (DD-214), Census Bureau records, and Social Security Administration records. Everything must be originals or certified copies. Parents sign for children under 15; anyone 15 or older signs their own application before a notary.¹³

Getting an Apostille for Use Abroad

If a foreign government needs to recognize the certificate, for international adoption, overseas work, or dual citizenship, you’ll likely need an apostille. The Texas Secretary of State is the only agency authorized to issue apostilles for state-issued documents like birth certificates.¹⁴

The fee is $15 per document, or $10 per document for international adoptions.¹⁵ The birth certificate you submit must have been issued within the last five years, so order a fresh copy from the County Clerk first if yours is older.¹⁴

The state issues a universal apostille that is accepted in every country. For the few nations that have not joined the Apostille Convention, you’ll also need a separate authentication from the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Authentications in Washington, D.C.¹⁴

1
County of El Paso Texas. County Clerk – Birth and Death Records
2
Texas Department of State Health Services. Obtaining a Birth Certificate in Texas
3
City of Texarkana, Texas. Frequently Asked Questions
4
Texas Department of State Health Services. Texas Birth Certificate Application
5
Texas Department of State Health Services. Acceptable Identification (ID)
6
Texas Department of State Health Services. Requirements for Mail/In-Person Orders
7
County of El Paso Texas. County Clerk Annex Locations
8
County of El Paso Texas. Instructions for Ordering Birth and Death Certificates by Mail
9
Texas Department of State Health Services. Costs and Fees
10
Texas Department of State Health Services. Processing Times
11
Texas Department of State Health Services. New Birth Certificate Based on Parentage
12
Texas Department of State Health Services. Correcting a Birth Certificate (Form VS-170)
13
Texas Department of State Health Services. Delayed Birth Registration
14
Office of the Texas Secretary of State. Apostille/Authentication of Documents
15
Office of the Texas Secretary of State. Request a Universal Apostille