Texas Birth Certificate: Requesting, Correction, Documents & Cost

Last Updated on July 25, 2023 by

Do you want to request birth certificate in Texas? Or do you want to make correction to birth certificate? If yes, this post will be of help to you. Here, readers will find all the important details that they need to know about requesting or correcting birth certificate (self or family) in Texas.

In this post, readers will find the following details –

• The process of requesting a birth certificate in Texas
• The process of making correction to birth certificate in Texas
• Application fee or cost
• Processing time
• Important documents required

 

How to request a birth certificate in Texas?

First of all, make sure that you are eligible to request the birth certificate or not. In simple terms, the person’s name on the birth certificate (self) or his/her immediate family members are eligible to request the birth certificate.   So basically, the following people can request the birth certificate –

• Self (the person whose name is on the record)
• His/her parent/guardian
• Brother/sister
• Grandparent
• Spouse
• His/her legal representative

 

Steps to request birth certificate

1. First of all, make sure that you are eligible to apply for the vital record (from the list mentioned above)
2. Visit the website of Texas Department of State Health Services and access the ‘Vital applications and forms’ section
3. Download the ‘Texas Birth Certificate Application’ and fill it up by entering the correct details
4. Sign the filled-up application in front of a notary and get a notary seal
5. Attach a photocopy of relevant ID card with your mail-in application
6. Pay the application fee by check or money order to DSHS Vital Statistics
7. Attach the required supporting documentation
8. Mail the application along with copy of ID and supporting documents to the following address – Texas Vital Statistics, Department of State Health Services, PO Box 12040, Austin, Texas

 

How to make correction to birth certificate in Texas?

First of all, make sure that you are eligible to make correction to the birth certificate or not. In simple terms, the person whose name is on the birth certificate (self) or his/her immediate family members are eligible to request correction to the birth certificate.   So basically, the following people can request for correction to the birth certificate –

• Self (the person whose name is on the record)
• His/her parent/guardian
• Brother/sister
• Grandparent
• Spouse
• His/her legal representative

 

Steps to request for correction to the birth certificate

1. First of all, make sure that you are eligible to request for correction (from the list mentioned above)
2. Visit the website of Texas Department of State Health Services and access the ‘Vital applications and forms’ section
3. Download the ‘Correcting a birth certificate’ form and fill it up by entering the correct details
4. Sign the filled-up application in front of a notary and get a notary seal
5. Attach a photocopy of relevant ID card with your mail-in application
6. Pay the application fee by check or money order to DSHS Vital Statistics
7. Attach the required supporting documentation
8. Mail the application along with copy of ID and supporting documents to the following address – Texas Vital Statistics, Department of State Health Services, PO Box 12040, Austin, Texas

 

Documents required for requesting or correction to birth certificate

Documents required can be classified into three groups – A, B and C. Under ideal circumstances, an applicant must provide one ID card belonging to the Group A.   If he/she is unable to provide a Group A ID card, he/she may even provide two cards from Group B.   If he/she is unable to provide one ID card from Group A or two ID cards from Group B, he/she may even submit one ID card from Group B and two ID cards from Group C.   The group-wise list of ID cards are as follows –  

Group-A ID cards

• Driver’s license from a U.S. state
• Federal or state ID card
• Military ID card
• U.S. passport
• License to Carry a Handgun
• Pilot’s license
• Law enforcement employment ID (federal, state, or city)
• Offender ID issued by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice or an ID from a federal or U.S. state correctional facility or institution
• Department of Homeland Security, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued:
  • Employment Authorization Document (EAD)
  • Permanent Resident Card (Green Card)
  • Travel documents:
    • Re-entry permit
    • Refugee travel document
    • Advance parole
  • SENTRI card
  • U.S. citizen ID card
• U.S. Department of State issued:
  • Border Crossing Card (BCC) – B1 for business or pleasure or B2 medical purposes
  • Visa

 

Group-B ID cards

• Current student ID
• Any Primary Acceptable ID from Group A that is expired
• Signed Social Security card or Numident
• DD Form 214 Certificate of Release
• Medicaid card or Medicare card
• Veterans Affairs card
• Medical insurance card
• Foreign passport accompanied by a visa issued by the U.S. Department of State
• Foreign passport in accordance with the U.S. Department of State, Visa Waiver Program
• Certified birth certificate from the U.S. Department of State (FS-240, DS-1350, or FS-545)
• Private company employment ID card
• Form I-94 – accompanied by the applicant’s visa or passport
• Mexican voter registration card
• Foreign identification with identifiable photo of applicant (including El Salvador consular certification, El Salvadoran Unique Identity Card [DUI], and Honduran consular certification)

 

Group-C supporting documents

• Recent utility bill or cell phone bill with current address
• Recent paycheck stub
• Any Secondary Acceptable ID from Group B that is expired
• Public assistance applications or letters
• Signed valid voter’s registration card
• Police report of stolen ID
• Official school transcript
• Bank account statement
• Social Security letter
• Marriage license or divorce decree
• Certified birth certificate from a state other than Texas, District of Columbia, or other country
• Automobile insurance card or contract
• Lease agreement
• Loan or installment payment contract
• Promissory note or loan contract
• Court order
• Property title or lien
• Automobile title or registration
• Library card
• Fishing or hunting license
• Recent medical record or bill
• Religious record with signature of religious official
• Recent rent receipt with address and name
• Federal, state, or local tax records
• U.S. Department of Homeland Security notice or correspondence

 

Application fee

The type of record request/correction request fee is as follows –

Type of birth certificate or correction	Fee / Cost
Certified Long Form (e.g., for U.S. Passports)	$22.00
Certified Short Form (e.g., for school registration)	$22.00
For Military Personnel	FEE WAIVED
For Homeless Youth	FEE WAIVED
Certificate for Election Identification	FEE WAIVED
Birth Verification (not a certified copy)	$22.00
Heirloom (official record for display)	$60.00
Non-Certified Copy of Original Birth Certificate (Adult Adoptees Only)	$10.00
Correction to Birth Certificate – to add/remove/replace a parent and seal old record	$25.00
Correction to Birth Certificate – all other changes	$15.00
New, Certified Copy of Corrected Birth Record	$22.00

 

Processing time

The mail-in order processing time is as follows –

• Birth certificate – 25 to 30 days (working/business days)
• Birth verification – 25 to 30 days (working/business days)
• Birth certificate correction – 25 to 30 days (working/business days)
• Adoptions – 25 to 30 days (working/business days)
• Add/change/remove a parent – 25 to 30 days (working/business days)