Houston, Texas (TX) Birth Certificate Online

Houston, Texas (TX) Birth Certificate Replacement

Filling out a Houston birth certificate application form online will save you the hassle of waiting in line for hours at the vital records office since your document will be delivered to your home address in Texas.

To get a certified copy of a birth certificate in Houston, Texas, applicants will be asked to enter the following information:

• Last name (as it would appear on the certificate)
• First name
• Sex
• Date of birth
• Name of hospital or address where the citizen was born
• The reason why you need the birth certificate
• Mother’s name or parent’s name prior to first marriage
• Father’s name or parent’s name prior to first marriage

After completing the online Houston birth certificate application, you simply need to print and sign it.

Then, place it in an envelope with:

• A copy of both sides of a valid photo ID
• Notarized proof of identification form (which must be signed and notarized)
• Payment for each copy of the vital record you need to obtain

Please note you also need to include a self-addressed, postage-paid envelope of your preference to receive your Houston, Texas birth certificate at the address you require.

Then, you have the choice to mail your Houston birth certificate application or to present it in person **at the appropriate vital records office.

The easiest would be to post it to the Texas DSHS address below:

Texas Vital Records
Department of State Health Services
P.O. Box 12040
Austin, TX 78711-2040

If you would rather have your order processed at the county level, you may post your package to the Harris County Clerk’s Office:

Harris County Birth Certificates
Civil Courthouse
201 Caroline, Suite 330
Houston, TX 77002

For births recorded outside Houston, or the rest of Harris County, the Harris County Clerk's office can only provide a short-form birth certificate. If you need a long-form copy, you will need to post your request to the Texas DSHS address above, instead.

The Harris County Clerk's Office keeps birth certificates outside the city limits of:

• Houston
• Baytown
• La Porte
• South Houston
• Jacinto City
• Justice of the Peace Precincts 3 & 4

Who can apply for a Houston (TX) birth certificate?

In Houston, as in the rest of Harris County, Texas, birth and death certificates may only be issued to eligible individuals. Birth certificates filed within the past 75 years can be obtained by immediate family members such as the following:

• Mother
• Father
• Brother
• Sister
• Parent
• Grandparent
• Child

Additionally, a certified copy of a birth certificate from Houston, Texas (TX) may also be requested by the following representatives, provided they have a direct tangible need for the document:

• Legal guardian
• Legal representative of the family
• Organizations or governmental agencies

How to Order a Houston Birth Certificate

Citizens born in Houston —or the rest of Texas— can order a government-issued copy of a TX birth certificate by following these easy steps.

1. Fill out the birth certificate application form with the certificate bearer’s basic personal information
2. Print, sign, and mail the completed birth certificate application package with the required documents to the vital statistics office (see full address above and Houston birth certificate requirements below)
3. Receive a certified copy of the Houston, Texas birth certificate endorsed with the registrar’s signature, and raised, embossed, impressed or multicolored seal. The document will also carry the date the certificate was filed with the Texas registrar’s office

Please note that incorrect or incomplete information on your birth certificate application form may cause delays, so take the time to carefully revise the data entered in your form. In order to avoid unnecessary hassles and extended turnaround, simply complete the online Houston birth certificate application form and follow our personalized instructions.

Please note that As of May 7, 2025, U.S. citizens and residents must have a REAL ID-compliant driving license or ID card to enter federal facilities and board commercial aircraft. Requirements to obtain a REAL ID may include proof of identity, such as a certified copy of the birth certificate.

Houston Birth Certificate Apostille

Houstonians who need to provide their birth certificate outside the US territory will need an Apostille to provide the vital record with legal validity abroad.

Citizens born in Houston —or other parts of Texas— can obtain an Apostille on their birth certificate by following these simple steps:

1. Order a certified copy of the Texas Birth Certificate
2. State Apostille" as the reason for your birth certificate request in the application form
3. Upon receiving the certified copy, send it to the Texas Secretary of State's office with the required apostille fee

Texas Authentications Unit street address:

Secretary of State
Authentications Unit
1019 Brazos
Austin, TX 78701
Walk-In Service: Room 106

Texas Authentications unit PO BOX:

Secretary of State
Authentications Unit
PO Box 13550
Austin, TX 78711-3550

Houston (TX) Birth Certificate Processing Times

Houston birth certificate applications are processed once the citizen’s request is received by post. In order for a Houston birth certificate application to be filled without delay, it must be correctly filled out and submitted with all the necessary requirements, as detailed above.

The majority of Houston birth certificate orders are filled within 2 to 3 weeks, although a small number of cases may take slightly longer to process.

As soon as the certified copy of a Houston birth certificate is issued, it will be mailed to your current home address as printed on your postage-paid, self-addressed envelope.