Texas Vital Records

Texas Vital Records

The Texas Vital Records are the information of live events that the state governmental authority stores and updates on crucial information about the state’s citizens. These vital records include: 

  • Birth certificates.
  • Marriage licenses (or marriage certificates).
  • Separation agreements.
  • Divorce certificates (or divorce party).
  • And death certificates.

Certain jurisdictions include civil unions or domestic partnerships in the vital records. However, people must understand that the state governs only the meaning of life events. In the U.S., vital records are generally available in person at a government office. Copies are also for sale. There are also two sorts of documents: certified and Informational/non-certified. 

Uncertified copies lack the official seal and are typically labeled not to be used for identification. On the other hand, certified copies have the official seal. 

Additional restrictions, such as direct family or written approval, may apply. Certified copies are expensive. Nonetheless, some governments now provide vital papers for free online. Online vital records are often 90 years old or more, assuming the person identified in the record is deceased. 

 The Texas Vital Statistics Section (VSS) 

Vital statistics duties are divided between two organizational entities within the Department of State Health Services: 

  • The Center for Health Statistics (CHS); and
  • The Vital Statistics Section (VSS).

The CSHS Vital Events Data Management team is in charge of creating, evaluating, and disseminating public health data obtained from vital event records. The team also prepares the Texas Vital Statistics Annual Report and responds to statistical data requests. 

On the other hand, the Vital Statistics Section (VSS) is responsible for the state of Texas’s vital records. In addition, it has two sub-divisions; 

  • Request processing.
  • Vital registration.

Requesting/Changing Vital Records Requirements 

Birth and death certificates, for example, are legal papers that individuals use to establish a person’s identification. However, you must be a qualified individual and submit a completed application to get a certified copy of a vital record or modify the official record. Acceptable identity, the necessary payments, and, in certain situations, supporting papers are all required in a completed application.  

Requirements Necessary For Performing Changes To Vital Records  

You may request changes to a critical document via mail. If the application is not adequately completed, the department will deny the request. Nonetheless, correct the application and resubmit it to restart the processing time. 

Moreover, to make a modification or correction to a vital record by mail, you must first: 

  • Be legally eligible and capable to make changes
  • No cross-outs, white-out, or correction tape on the amendment form.
  • Get a notary seal by signing the application in front of a notary.
  • With your mail-in application, include a photocopy of approved identification.
  • Make all related payments payable to DSHS Vital Statistics using a check or money order.
  • Make sure you have all of the necessary supporting documents.
  • Send your complete amendment application package, which includes all of the above, to the correct address.

However, note that these guidelines were last updated on November 19, 2020, by the DSHS-VSS. 

Are The Texas Vital Records Accessible To The Public? 

State law restricts public access to some Texas vital records. Authorized record custodians may limit access to data when state legal exclusions apply. Moreover, the type of record requested, the year the incident happened, and/or the requestor’s legal authority may all impact availability. 

Basic Requirements For An Online Search For Texas Vital Records? 

To conduct an online search for Texas vital records, the requesting party must give any information necessary to accomplish the record search. This includes the following: 

  • The registrant(s)’ full name(s) (including maiden name(s) if appropriate)
  • The jurisdiction in which the license or decree was issued.
  • The events estimated start and end dates.
  • The court records case file number (for divorce records).
  • The registrant’s parents’ and/or legal guardian’s complete names (if applicable).

How To Access Vital Records In Texas 

The methods for obtaining a Texas vital record differ depending on the record requested and the purpose for seeking it. Interested individuals may get copies of vital public records without any documentation or authorization. To get a certified copy for official usage, the requestor must provide a government-issued photo I.D. 

Consider a restricted or sealed record. It must be supported by proof of eligibility, such as a court subpoena or evidence of a connection. 

Some of these third-party platforms also manage and publish publicly available crucial data. Hence, this is a fantastic spot to start searching for specific records or many records. However, third-party websites are not government-affiliated. As a consequence, record availability may differ from official sources. 

The requesting party will be needed to submit the following information to locate a record utilizing third-party search engines: 

  • The city, county, or state of the case filing.
  • The location of the document in issue.
  • The name of the person provided is not a minor.

Tx Birth Records 

The Texas Department of Vital Statistics keeps track of births in the state. A birth certificate is an important document that documents a person’s birth. Vital Statistics issues birth certificates and birth verifications. Moreover, you may coordinate with Vital Statistics to get certified copies of birth records or make changes to them. 

Procedure For Obtaining A Copy Of My Birth Records 

You must have been born in Texas to get a copy of your birth certificate from the Texas Department of State Health Services – Vital Statistics Section. All prerequisites for getting a birth certificate may be found on the Birth Records website. From 1903 to the present, Vital Statistics may offer birth data for Texas residents. For certificates for out-of-state births, go to the National Center for Health Statistics website. 

Note that, without an application, payment, and valid I.D. from a qualified applicant, the VSS cannot give any information. However, VSS may produce a birth verification letter indicating if a birth record is on file with Texas with a written request. The verification letter will contain the person’s; 

  • Name
  • Date of birth.
  • County of birth.

For births that occurred after 1903, verification letters are provided. Verification letters are not accepted as legal replacements for verified birth certificates. VSS highly advises applicants to double-check that their verification will meet their needs. 

Can You Get A Copy Of The Birth Record If You Are Not An Immediate Family Member? 

You may provide a notarized written statement signed by a member of the immediate family. The report must provide the DSHS-VSS permission to deliver a certified copy of the certificate and include a photocopy of the person providing you with the authorization’s identification. The notarized declaration must also include your full name, and you must produce suitable identification along with it. 

Texas Death Records 

A death certificate is an important document that documents a person’s death. Vital Statistics issues death certificates and death verifications. You may work with Vital Statistics to get certified copies of death records or make changes to them.  

Death records from Texas 25 years or older are considered public information and are available to anybody interested. Death records that are less than 25 years old, on the other hand, are not public death records and cannot be accessed by the public. Hence, a limited death certificate search is only available to the registrant, close family members, and anyone lawfully allowed by court order. 

How Can I Get A Copy Of A Death Certificate In Texas? 

By downloading and filling in the appropriate fields of the Texas death certificate application, interested and qualified people may search for a Texas death record by name. Completed forms must be notarized and sent to the following address, together with the required fees and identification, in person or by mail: 

DSHS Vital Statistics 

P.O. Box 12040 

 Austin, TX 78711-2040 

What Are The Basic Requirements To Request For The Death Records?

The death must have occurred in Texas for the Texas DSHS-VSS to issue a death certificate. Also, the VSS may only have death data from 1903 to the present. 

Those who wish to acquire these copies may do so by applying online, via mail, or in person. No phone inquiries were made over the phone. All birth certificate requests must be accompanied by an application accepted by the State Registrar, according to Texas Administrative Code (181.28). 

Also, the VSS does not make these records available to everyone. Only the deceased’s immediate family members whose names appear on the death certificate may get a copy.  

Suppose you can produce a notarized written declaration signed by a family member. The authorization must contain a photocopy of the individual delivering the authorization’s identity. You must also provide your valid I.D. and the notarized statement, which must include your full name. 

Texas Marriage And Divorce Records 

A marriage or divorce is registered with the State of Texas if the local clerks receive the application for marriage or divorce. However, Texas does not accept wedding and divorce certificates as legitimate alternatives for verification letters. Candidates should confirm that verification will fit the office’s demands. 

Only the county clerk may certify marriage licenses. On the other hand, only the district clerk may certify divorce rulings. To get marriage/divorce records, one must go to the county or district initially filed. 

Are Texas Marriage Records Open To The Public? 

Unless a court determines otherwise, Texas marriage records are open to anyone who requests them. A registrant’s request or a court order may seal or make hidden public marriage records. Hence, individuals may acquire the Secret marriage records by the parties or by court order. 

How Can I Get A Copy Of A Marriage Certificate In Texas? 

Even though the county clerk’s office in the county where the marriage license was issued may provide Texas marriage records, VSS maintains free access to Marriage License Index that applicants may utilize to get marriage license information. This isn’t an official document, but it might help you find records or confirm the date and location of an event. Based on the information in the online database, the office also issues marriage verification letters. 

The Texas Marriage License Index is free to view and download. Interested parties may get them on Microfiche for $10 the first year and $5 each year afterwards (only up to 2008). The index searches reveal: 

  • File Number.
  • Husband’s complete name and age.
  • Wife’s Maiden name and age.
  • Date of the wedding.
  • The location of the wedding.

Interested parties may get certified copies of marriage licenses from the county court clerk’s office after obtaining the above data online. The clerk’s office will utilize the data to speed up record searches. The inquiring party also pays for copying and certification (if applicable). 

Are Texas Divorce Records Open To The Public? 

Divorce records in Texas are generally open to the public and may be made accessible upon request to anybody interested. However, Texas excludes some sensitive information from public records. That includes information such as; 

  • Financial agreements/settlements (alimony or child support).
  • Financial information such as bank statements and account numbers,
  • Identifying information of domestic violence victims.

How To Acquire A Copy Of Your Divorce Records In Texas 

The district court clerk’s office in the county where the divorce occurred keeps and distributes Texas divorce records. However, since the VSS office maintains a general index of divorces issued since 1968, the agency may send divorce verification letters to anyone interested. Interested parties may request this letter by following the guidelines on the Divorce Verification Letter Request Website. 

Furthermore, using the appropriate district court clerk’s office, individuals may request copies of divorce decrees; 

  • In-person.
  • By mail; or
  • Online

The requesting party will have to provide the necessary information to aid the search. This includes the following: 

  • The parties’ full names.
  • The date, or estimated date, of the divorce.
  • The registrants’ birth dates.
  • The record’s case file number.

Furthermore, requestors may also have to pay for copies and certification (if applicable). The seeking party will also have to produce a government-issued photo I.D. as well as a court subpoena if the record is secret. 

Texas Sealed Records 

How To Acquire Sealed Records In Texas 

Individuals may also acquire sealed vital records in Texas. By filing a court challenge to the document’s limits, interested parties may get access to sealed Texas vital records. They may do so by requesting a subpoena or court order from a Texas-licensed judge. The asking party may deliver the summons, together with the necessary application form, to the record custodian in charge of distributing the record of interest after it has been received. 

Similarly, those who do not match the eligibility standards for Texas birth and death records might get them if an eligible party agrees. Ineligible requestors may submit the relevant application form to the VSS of the DSHS, along with a signed and notarized declaration from an immediate family member. These papers, as well as the appropriate I.D. requirements, must be submitted by applicants.