Certified Copies in Texas: Where and What It Costs
Certified copies
Ordering Certified Copies in Texas
Where to order a certified vital record or corporate record issued in Texas, what it costs, what the office requires, and what happens to it afterwards.
- Birth certificate
- $20.00 first copy, $3.00 each additional ordered at the same time
- Death certificate
- $20.00 first copy, $3.00 each additional ordered at the same time
- Marriage
- $20.00 per application (search and verification only)
- Divorce
- $20.00 per application (search and verification only)
Vital records
Issued by: Texas Department of State Health Services, Vital Statistics Section
Post to: DSHS Vital Statistics Section, P.O. Box 12040, Austin, TX 78711-2040
Verify current fees: (888) 963-7111
| Record | Certified copy |
|---|---|
| Birth | $20.00 first copy, $3.00 each additional ordered at the same time |
| Death | $20.00 first copy, $3.00 each additional ordered at the same time |
| Marriage | $20.00 per application (search and verification only) |
| Divorce | $20.00 per application (search and verification only) |
What Texas requires
- Certified marriage and divorce copies are NOT available from the state; the fee buys a verification. Go to the county clerk or district clerk.
- Birth and death from 1903; marriage from January 1966; divorce from January 1968.
- Online ordering through Texas.gov with a card; expedited return available.
Corporate records
A certificate of good standing and certified copies of formation documents for a Texas entity come from Texas Secretary of State, Authentications Unit, normally online and often the same day.
Texas Secretary of State, Authentications Unit
- Order from the state where the entity was formed, not where it trades.
- A certificate of good standing is a statement of current status. A certified copy of the articles is a different product; if a foreign authority asks for the formation documents, you need the latter.
- Ask for a certified or exemplified copy. A plain download from the state website carries no seal and cannot be authenticated.
What happens next
Once you hold the certified copy, authentication in Texas goes through Texas Secretary of State, Authentications Unit, at $15.00 per document.
Questions people actually ask
Where do I order a Texas birth certificate?
From Texas Department of State Health Services, Vital Statistics Section. Post to DSHS Vital Statistics Section, P.O. Box 12040, Austin, TX 78711-2040. A certified copy is $20.00 first copy, $3.00 each additional ordered at the same time.
Does the Texas Secretary of State issue birth certificates?
No. Vital records come from the health department; the Secretary of State handles corporate records and, in most states, the apostille. They are separate offices with separate fees.
Can I get a certified marriage certificate from the state of Texas?
Not in the ordinary way. $20.00 per application (search and verification only) Plan on dealing with the county rather than the state office.
What will Texas reject?
Certified marriage and divorce copies are NOT available from the state; the fee buys a verification. Go to the county clerk or district clerk.
Can I have it apostilled straight away?
Yes, and that is the right order. Order the certified copy first, then send it for authentication. Do not sign, stamp or laminate it in between, and do not open a sealed envelope.
This guide is published by a private document processing service. It is not legal advice and we are not a government agency. Requirements change without notice, so confirm anything critical with the mission before you post documents.
