How to Get a Certified Copy of a Birth Certificate in Texas

To get a certified copy of a birth certificate in Texas, submit Form VS-140 to the Department of State Health Services by mail, order online through Texas.gov, or walk into a local registrar or county clerk’s office for the county where the birth occurred. A certified copy costs $22 whether you choose the long form or the short form, and both carry the state registrar’s seal. Texas closes birth records to the public for 75 years after the date of birth, so during that window only the person on the record and specific relatives can request one.¹

Who Can Request a Copy

Only qualified applicants can obtain a certified Texas birth certificate during the 75-year restricted period, and each relationship has to be documented, not just claimed.²

The person named on the record, with valid photo ID.
Parents listed on the certificate, or with a court order establishing the parental relationship.
Children of the registrant, who must show their own birth certificate listing the registrant as a parent.
Siblings sharing at least one parent, with a birth certificate proving the connection.
A current spouse, with a marriage license linking them to the registrant.
Grandparents, who must show their child’s birth certificate (the registrant’s parent) with themselves listed as a parent.
Legal guardians, with a court order signed by a judge.
Legal representatives or agents, with a power of attorney, attorney-client retention contract with State Bar ID, or a court order.³

Adopted adults are a separate case. Texas generally requires a court order to release the original birth certificate of an adopted person, with one narrow exception: an adoptee 18 or older who already knows the names of the birth parents on the original record can apply for a non-certified copy without going to court. Descendants of an adopted person have no independent right to the original record.

Which Version to Order

Both the long form and the short form cost $22 and are legally certified. The right choice depends on what you plan to do with it.

The long form is a full copy of the original birth record, including any history of corrections. Use it for a U.S. passport, a driver’s license in most states, and dual citizenship applications.
The short form is a certified abstract showing current information only: name, date of birth, place of birth, sex, and parents’ names. It works for school registration, employment verification, and insurance.
A birth verification letter simply confirms the person’s name, date of birth, and county of birth. It is not a legal substitute for a certified copy and many agencies will not accept it.
An heirloom birth certificate is a decorative abstract designed for framing, offered in Texas Flag or Bassinet designs, at $60. The information matches the short form.⁴

If you aren’t sure, the long form is the safer pick, since no agency will reject it for containing too much detail.

What You’ll Need on the Application

Every request runs through Form VS-140, the mail application for a birth record. The current version is dated January 2026.³ You’ll need this information about the person named on the record:

Full legal name at birth
Date of birth (month, day, year)
Sex
City or town and county of birth
Full names of both parents, including the maiden name (name before first marriage) for each parent

Parent information is what the state uses to find the correct file when common names are involved, so a missing or misspelled parent name is a common reason applications get delayed or denied.

Photo ID

A copy of your valid photo ID has to be included with every application. Texas Administrative Code Title 25, § 181.28 lists what counts.⁵ One current primary ID is enough: a driver’s license, state-issued ID card, U.S. passport, military ID, or a federal or state law enforcement employment ID. It must show your name and photo and must not be expired.

If you don’t have any primary ID, you can substitute two forms of secondary identification, and at least one has to carry your signature. Acceptable secondary documents include a signed Social Security card, an expired primary ID, a student ID, a Medicaid or Medicare card, a veterans affairs card, a private company employment ID, or a medical insurance card.

The Notarization Step

Every mail-in VS-140 must be notarized. This is the piece most people miss. The form includes an affidavit that you sign in front of a notary, who then stamps and seals it, and applications without a notarized signature are not processed.³ Texas law caps notary fees at $10 for a single signature acknowledgment.⁶ Banks, UPS stores, and many public libraries offer notary services.

Online orders through Texas.gov and in-person requests at a local registrar handle identity verification differently and do not require a separate notarization. Birth verification letters ordered by mail are also exempt.

Fees

The base state fee is $22 per certified copy, which applies to both the long form and the short form as well as to birth verification letters.⁷ Heirloom certificates are $60. Optional add-ons from the January 2026 VS-140:

Expedited processing: $25 per application, which moves your request ahead of the standard queue.
Overnight return shipping by FedEx or UPS: $16.
USPS Express return shipping (PO Box addresses only): $22.95.³

Mail-in payments must be by check or money order made payable to “DSHS – Vital Statistics.” Online orders through Texas.gov take credit and debit cards but add service and convenience fees on top of the $22. Local registrars and county clerks may charge slightly different amounts. If a search turns up no matching record, the fee is generally not refunded.

How to Order

By Mail (Standard)

Complete the VS-140, sign it in front of a notary, attach a copy of your valid ID, and mail everything with your payment to:

DSHS – VSS
P.O. Box 12040
Austin, TX 78711-2040

Standard mail orders take about six to eight weeks from the time DSHS receives the application.³

By Mail (Expedited)

For faster handling, send the same package by an overnight carrier such as FedEx, Lone Star Overnight, or UPS to the physical address, and include the $25 expedited fee on top of the per-copy fee:

DSHS – VSS MC 2096
1100 W. 49th Street
Austin, TX 78756

Expedited orders are processed in roughly four weeks. If you also want the finished certificate shipped back overnight, add $16 for FedEx/UPS or $22.95 for USPS Express.

Online

Electronic orders go through the Texas.gov portal, which lets you upload documents and verify identity digitally. Online ordering adds convenience fees beyond the $22 base. Your mailing address must match the address on your current Texas driver’s license or state-issued ID for the order to go through.⁸

In Person

Local registrar offices and county clerks throughout Texas can issue certified copies for births that occurred in their jurisdiction. Walk-in service is the fastest option if you need a certificate the same day. Hours and fees vary, so call ahead to confirm.

From Outside the United States

Living abroad does not block your request, and immigration or citizenship status has no effect on your right to order. You can use the Texas.gov portal if your mailing address matches your Texas-issued ID. If it doesn’t, order by mail with the standard VS-140 process. DSHS does not accept requests by phone under any circumstances.⁸

How Long It Takes

DSHS publishes current processing times on its Vital Statistics page, and they shift with volume. Recent averages show standard mail-in birth certificate orders running 25 to 30 business days, though the VS-140 itself uses six to eight weeks as the safe planning window.⁹ Expedited orders take about four weeks. DSHS prioritizes completed overnight-mail applications that include the expedited fee.

If the information you gave doesn’t match the state’s records, you’ll get a letter asking for clarification instead of a certificate, and that exchange can add weeks. Confirming the exact spelling of parent names before you file saves real time. Online orders come with a tracking number so you can watch the shipment.

False Statements Are a Felony

The VS-140 carries a warning worth taking seriously. Knowingly making a false statement on the application, or signing a form containing one, is punishable by two to ten years in prison and a fine up to $10,000 under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 195.³ That covers misrepresenting your identity, your relationship to the person on the record, or any other information on the form.

1
State of Texas. Texas Government Code GOV’T 552.115
2
State of Texas. Texas Health and Safety Code HEALTH and SAFETY 191.051
3
Texas Department of State Health Services. Mail Application for Birth Record VS-140
4
Texas Department of State Health Services. Record Types
5
Cornell Law Institute. 25 Texas Administrative Code 181.28 – Instructions and Requirements for Issuance of Certified Copies of Vital Records by the State Registrar, Local Registrar, or County Clerk
6
Office of the Texas Secretary of State. Notary Public Educational Information
7
Cornell Law Institute. 25 Texas Administrative Code 181.22 – Fees Charged for Vital Records Services
8
Texas Department of State Health Services. Birth Record FAQs
9
Texas Department of State Health Services. Processing Times