Waxahachie Birth Certificate: Who Can Order, Fees, and How To Apply

To get a Waxahachie birth certificate, go through the Ellis County Clerk’s office at 109 S. Jackson Street, Waxahachie, TX 75165.¹ A certified copy costs $23, and you can request one in person, by mail, or online. In-person requests are usually filled the same day; mail and online orders take longer.

Who Can Request a Copy

Texas restricts certified birth certificates to “qualified applicants.” Under Texas Administrative Code Section 181.1, that means the person named on the record, an immediate family member (child, spouse, parent, sibling, or grandparent), a legal guardian, or an authorized legal representative.²

If you’re applying on someone else’s behalf, you’ll need to document the relationship or your legal authority. A legal representative must provide a designation document or a sworn statement showing they’re acting for the person named on the record.²

Identification You’ll Need

Texas uses a tiered ID system. The simplest path is one primary document; if you don’t have one, you combine secondary and supporting documents instead.

One primary ID: a driver’s license, state ID, U.S. passport, military ID, license to carry a handgun, or a permanent resident card. All primary identification must have been issued in the United States.
Two secondary IDs: options include an expired primary ID, a signed Social Security card, a DD Form 214, a Medicaid or Medicare card, or a foreign passport with a U.S. visa.
One secondary plus two supporting documents: supporting documents include a signed voter registration card or a private employer ID.³

One restriction catches people off guard: the Ellis County online portal accepts only primary (Group A) identification. If you want to use secondary documents, you’ll need to order in person or by mail.⁴

What the Application Asks For

Every application, no matter the channel, asks for the same core information: the full name on the birth record, the date and county of birth, and both parents’ names including the mother’s maiden name.⁵ You’ll also state your relationship to the person on the certificate and why you need the record.

Fill every field. An incomplete application gets returned, and the processing clock restarts when you resubmit. Falsifying information is a felony under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 195, punishable by two to ten years in prison and a fine up to $10,000.⁵

Fees

Each certified copy is $23. Unlike death certificates, additional birth certificate copies ordered at the same time are also $23 apiece — there’s no volume discount. Online orders through the Ellis County portal add a $5 service and processing fee per order, $1 for identity verification on delivery orders, and $2 for standard shipping.⁴

The in-person office takes cash, money orders, and major credit cards. Mail-in orders generally require a check or money order payable to the Ellis County Clerk.

How to Order

In Person

Walk into the Ellis County Clerk’s office at 109 S. Jackson Street, Waxahachie, TX 75165 during regular business hours, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The clerk checks your ID, locates the record, and typically hands you the certified copy during the same visit. Bring your original identification — not a photocopy — and your payment.

By Mail

Mail-in applications must be notarized. Sign the application in front of a notary public, who will apply a seal to the form.⁶ Texas notaries can charge up to $10 for the first signature acknowledgment.⁷ Include a photocopy of acceptable ID and your payment, and send everything to the Ellis County Clerk, P.O. Box 250, Waxahachie, TX 75168.¹

Online

Ellis County operates a vital records portal where you upload a primary ID, enter the record details, and choose between mail delivery and in-person pickup. The office processes online requests during regular business hours.⁴ You can also order through the statewide Texas.gov portal, which routes to the DSHS Vital Statistics Unit rather than the county.

Through the State Instead

If you’ve moved away from Waxahachie or prefer to deal with Texas directly, the Department of State Health Services Vital Statistics Unit accepts orders by mail and through Texas.gov. The base fee is the same $23. State processing is slower: 20 to 25 business days for online orders and 25 to 30 business days for mail-in orders, not counting shipping.⁸ Expedited handling by overnight mail is available for an extra fee but still takes several weeks.

How Long It Takes

Speed depends on the channel. An in-person visit to the Ellis County Clerk is almost always the same day. Online orders through the county portal are processed during business hours and then mailed or held for pickup, so plan for at least a few business days. Mail-in county orders take longer, since you’re adding postal transit on both ends plus the notary step.

State-level orders are slowest, averaging three to six weeks before anything ships.⁸ If a passport application, school enrollment deadline, or name change is pressing, going in person to the Ellis County Clerk is the only route with same-day certainty.

Fixing an Error on an Existing Certificate

Mistakes happen — a misspelled name, a wrong time of birth, a missing parent. Corrections go through the DSHS Vital Statistics Unit, not the county clerk. The evidence required depends on what you’re changing. A date, place, or time of birth correction can be supported by a hospital record, a letter from the hospital identifying the error, or a certified court order. A first or middle name correction after the first birthday needs a hospital record, early baptismal certificate, Social Security records, elementary school records, or a court order. Correcting a last name’s spelling generally requires a document that predates the birth, such as a parent’s birth certificate or marriage license. A legal name change requires a certified court order and nothing else will substitute.

The filing fee is $15 for most corrections and $25 to add, remove, or replace a parent. A corrected certified copy is $22. Standard processing takes about six to eight weeks; expedited processing cuts it to roughly four weeks for an additional $25, and the application must be sent by overnight mail. All amendment applications need a notarized signature, a copy of acceptable ID, and the supporting evidence for the specific change.⁹

Two Situations Worth Knowing About

If a Texas birth was never recorded, you can’t order a certificate — you first need a delayed birth registration through DSHS, which starts with a “not found” letter confirming no record exists. The documentation requirements grow with the person’s age, and only DSHS handles the process.¹⁰

Texas also offers a decorative “heirloom” birth certificate that is legally valid as a short-form certificate. You can request one through the same channels as a standard copy. The exception: heirloom certificates aren’t issued for births established through a court order or delayed registration.¹¹

1
Ellis County, TX Official Website. Ellis County Clerk
2
Legal Information Institute. 25 Texas Administrative Code 181.1 – Definitions
3
Texas Department of State Health Services. Obtaining a Birth Certificate in Texas
4
Ellis County Clerk Vital Records. Ellis County Clerk Vital Records
5
Texas Department of State Health Services. Texas Birth Certificate Application
6
Texas Department of State Health Services. Requirements for Mail/In-Person Orders
7
Texas Secretary of State. Notary Public Educational Information
8
Texas DSHS. Processing Times
9
Texas Department of State Health Services. Correcting a Birth Certificate
10
Texas Department of State Health Services. Delayed Birth Registration
11
Texas DSHS. Heirloom Birth Certificates