To request a Texas birth certificate, submit an application with valid ID and a $22 fee per copy to the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Vital Statistics Section. You can apply online through Texas.gov, by mail using Form VS-140, or in person at a county registrar or the DSHS office in Austin. Only the person named on the record, an immediate family member, a legal guardian, or an authorized representative may order a certified copy while the record is still restricted.
Who Can Order a Certified Copy
Texas restricts birth records to “properly qualified applicants” under Health and Safety Code § 191.051. Texas Administrative Code § 181.1 defines that group as the person on the certificate, a guardian, or an immediate family member by blood, marriage, or adoption. Immediate family includes children, a spouse, parents, siblings, and grandparents.1Cornell Law Institute. 25 Texas Administrative Code 181.1 – Definitions A legal agent or representative can also order on someone’s behalf.
Records open to the public 75 years after the date of birth under Government Code § 552.115. Once a record is that old, anyone can request it without proving a relationship.2Texas Department of State Health Services. Request Procedures for Vital Statistics Data
Short Form or Long Form
Both versions are certified and both cost $22. The short form is an abstract listing the current name, date and place of birth, sex, and parent names, and it works for school enrollment and most everyday uses. The long form reproduces the original filing and shows any corrections or amendments; passport applications and international travel situations almost always call for it.3Texas Department of State Health Services. Mail Application for Birth Record VS-140
Either version satisfies REAL ID requirements as long as it carries a raised or embossed seal from a government vital records office. Hospital keepsake certificates do not qualify, and a faded or flattened seal is a reason to order a fresh copy.
Identification You’ll Need
DSHS uses a three-tier ID system. One Group A document is enough on its own. Without one, you need two from Group B. If you can only produce one Group B item, you also need two from Group C to round it out.4Texas Department of State Health Services. Acceptable Identification
- Group A includes a U.S. state driver’s license, a state or federal ID card, a military ID, a U.S. passport, a license to carry a handgun, a permanent resident card, or an employment authorization document.
- Group B includes a current student ID, an expired Group A document, a signed Social Security card, a DD-214, a Medicaid or Medicare card, a medical insurance card, or a foreign passport with a U.S. visa.
- Group C documents are supporting items used only alongside a single Group B document when no Group A is available.
How to Submit the Request
Online
The fastest route is the official Texas.gov ordering portal. It walks through relationship, birth details, and electronic payment in a single session.5Texas Department of State Health Services. Order a Birth Certificate – DSHS Official Application
By Mail
Download Form VS-140 from the DSHS website. Fill in the full name on the record, the date of birth, the city or county of birth, and both parents’ full names (the mother’s is listed as “name before first marriage”). Send the completed form, a copy of your valid ID, and payment to:
Texas Vital Statistics
Department of State Health Services
P.O. Box 12040
Austin, TX 78711-20406Texas Department of State Health Services. Vital Statistics Mailing Addresses
Keep copies of everything you send until the certificate arrives.
In Person
Local county registrars and the DSHS office in Austin accept walk-in requests. Local registrars may add a small administrative surcharge on top of the $22 state fee, and hours and availability vary by office.
How Long It Takes
Standard mail orders take about 25 to 30 business days.7Texas Department of State Health Services. Processing Times Online orders generally clear faster because the system validates information upfront and cuts postal transit in one direction.
Expedited processing adds $25 to the certificate fee. You have to ship the full application packet by overnight service (FedEx, UPS, or similar) to the expedited address at 1100 W. 49th Street, Austin, TX 78756, and you pay for expedited return shipping too: $16 for overnight delivery to a street address, or $22.95 for USPS Express Mail to a P.O. Box.8Texas Department of State Health Services. Costs and Fees An expedited long-form certificate with overnight return shipping runs $63 total: $22 for the certificate, $25 for expedited processing, and $16 for return.
Fees and Fee Waivers
A certified copy is $22 whether you pick the short or long form. The fee is non-refundable, even when DSHS cannot locate the record. Texas waives the fee entirely for active military personnel (with a letter from a unit commander), homeless youth, and applicants requesting a certificate for election identification purposes.8Texas Department of State Health Services. Costs and Fees
If No Record Exists
DSHS sends a “Not Found” letter when it cannot locate a record, which happens with some older or home births that were never registered. A delayed birth registration creates an official record for $25. If you already paid for the search and received a “Not Found” letter, DSHS waives the $22 certified copy fee when you submit the delayed registration packet.8Texas Department of State Health Services. Costs and Fees
If You Were Adopted in Texas
Adoption in Texas produces a new birth certificate at the time the adoption is finalized. A non-certified copy of your original pre-adoption certificate costs $10. Filing a new birth certificate based on an adoption decree runs $62 total: a $25 filing fee, $22 for a certified copy, and a $15 Central Adoption Registry fee for adoptions granted in Texas.8Texas Department of State Health Services. Costs and Fees
Fixing an Error on the Record
A misspelled name, wrong date, or missing parent can cause problems later with a passport application or school enrollment. Corrections go through Form VS-170, which must be signed before a notary public.9Texas Department of State Health Services. Birth Certificate Correction Application VS-170
Fees depend on the change:
- Most corrections, including name spelling, date, or place of birth: $15
- Adding, removing, or replacing a parent: $25
- Certified copy of the corrected certificate: $22 per copy, added on top of the correction fee
Supporting evidence varies with the type of error. A hospital medical record or a letter from the facility supports a correction to the child’s date, place, or time of birth. A misspelled last name usually requires a document dated before the birth, such as a parent’s birth certificate or a marriage license. A certified court order will support almost any correction.10Texas Department of State Health Services. Supporting Documentation for Record Changes and Corrections
Regular correction processing takes six to eight weeks. Expedited correction processing runs 20 to 25 business days for an extra $5 and has to be sent by overnight mail to the expedited address.9Texas Department of State Health Services. Birth Certificate Correction Application VS-170