TN 29 (04-18)

A. Requesting Texas birth and death records

Direct requests for birth and death records to the Texas Department of State Health Services Vital Statistics Unit. For the address of the Texas Vital Statistics Unit, forms, fees, payment methods, expedited process, and request requirements, go to the Texas Department of State Health Services Texas Vital Statistics website at http://www.dshs.texas.gov/vs/reqproc/default.shtm. Also see the Texas.gov: Frequently Asked Questions page.

B. Requesting Texas marriage and divorce records

Direct requests for certified copies of marriage licenses to the county clerk’s office that issued the license.

Direct requests for certified copies of divorce decrees to the district clerk’s office where the divorce decree was granted.

For county and district clerk’s office addresses, forms, fees, payment methods, and request requirements, go to the Texas Vital Statistics Unit County and District Clerks, Local Registrars, and Remote Access Issuance Listings at https://www.dshs.state.tx.us/vs/field/localremotedistrict.shtm.

C. Certifying/verifying Texas birth or death records

The Austin, Texas field office (FO 813) is the parallel FO to the Texas Vital Statistics Unit but it cannot certify/verify birth or death records. However, the Dallas Region has an agreement allowing authorized SSA employees in FOs servicing Texas cities to search the Texas Vital Statistics online system to certify/verify Texas birth or death records.

Send an Electronic 562 request to the servicing Texas FO based on the zip code for the Texas city of birth. If the record is not available online, the requesting FO can then request a certified record or verification direct from Texas Vital Statistics as outlined in sections D and E in this section.

NOTE: Original birth certificates recorded within one year of birth from 1926 to the present are available for certification/verification via the Texas VS online access. Delayed birth certificates (DBC) and those created by probate court actions are not available online.

1. Requests for Certified Birth or Death Certificate

If a certified birth or death certificate is required and certification is not available via the Texas Vital Statistics Unit online access, send the following to the Texas Vital Statistics Unit:

• Texas Application for Birth or Death Record (Form VS-142.3), available at http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/vs/reqproc/default.shtm, that includes authorization for the birth or death certificate to be mailed to SSA;

• Notarized copy of the applicant’s picture identification (ID) as required by the Texas Vital Statistics Unit; and

• Required fee. If the criteria in GN 00301.210 is met for SSA purchase of a certified birth or death certificate, follow normal purchase procedures.

  NOTE: The parallel FO cannot follow up on any requests sent directly to the State.

2. Requests for Verification of Birth or Death

If you have reason to question the birth or death certificate (see e.g., RM 10210.270) and the information is not available via the Texas Vital Statistics Unit online access, then send the following to the Texas Vital Statistics Unit to verify the birth or death certificate:

• Texas Application for Birth or Death Verification Letter (Form VS-142.6), available at http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/vs/reqproc/default.shtm, that includes authorization for the response to be mailed to SSA;

• A copy of the birth or death certificate to be verified;

• A notarized copy of the FO employee’s ID as required by the Texas Vital Statistics Unit (see GN 00308.084D (in this section); and

• The required fee. If criteria in GN 00301.210 is met for SSA purchase of a verification letter, follow normal purchase procedures.

  NOTE: The parallel FO cannot follow up on any requests sent directly to the State.

D. Payment for notary fees associated with requests for vital records

FOs should pay for notary services using a Government purchase card.  If the vendor does not accept purchase cards, FOs may use SSA’s Third Party Payment System to pay the vendor by electronic funds transfer or third party draft. The accounting information for this expense is the FO’s own Common Accounting Number (CAN), Subobject Class (SOC) of 252K, and the description of “Notary BC TX.”

E. Employer Identification Number (EIN) for Texas Vital Records

You can find SSA’s TPPS Vital Records EINs at http://eis.ba.ssa.gov/ofpo/dap/tpps/vitalrecords.htm.