Certified Copies Of Birth Or Death Certificate

How do I request Certified Copies?
Under Texas law birth and death records are confidential for seventy-five and twenty-five years, respectively, and can be obtained only by Qualified Applicants.

To obtain a certified copy of a birth or death record:

1. Come to the Office of Vital Statistics, 509 S.E. 7th Avenue, Amarillo, Texas, Monday - Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.;
OR
2. Complete the Application for Certified Copy of Birth or Death Certificate and mail it along with the
required fees to:

City of Amarillo
Office of Vital Statistics
P O Box 1971
Amarillo TX 79105-1971
(806) 378-9344
FAX: 378-3026

We process all requests the day they are received.

IMPORTANT: If the applicant is not the person named on the record we must have the purpose for obtaining the record and the applicants relationship to the person named on the record.

PLEASE NOTE: In addition to the written request you must send the required fees. Make your money order or cashiers check payable to the City of Amarillo.

What are the Fees?
The fee for each search and/or certified copy of a birth record is $24.00. This fee is not refundable or transferable if the record requested is not found.

The fee for each search and/or certified copy of a death record is $21.00. Additional certified copies of the same death record ordered at the same time on the same application are $4.00 each. This fee is not refundable or transferable if the record requested is not found.

ABSOLUTELY NO TELEPHONE REQUESTS OR VERIFICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED

Who can get certified copies of birth and death records in Texas?
Under Texas Law birth records are confidential for seventy-five(75) years and death records are confidential for twenty five(25) years and can be obtained only by qualified applicants.

A qualified applicant is defined as the registrant, or immediate family member either by blood or marriage, his or her guardian or his or her legal representative. Local, state and federal law enforcement or governmental agencies and other persons may be designated as properly qualified applicants by demonstrating a direct and tangible interest in the record when information in the record is necessary to implement a statutory provision or to protect a personal legal property right. A properly qualified applicant may also be any person who has submitted an application for a request to release personal information and has been approved as outlined in the Health and Safety Code, Section 181.11. relating to Requests for Personal Data.

Can I get my Texas birth certificate through your office even if I was born somewhere other than Amarillo?
Yes, we are a Remote Birth Access site.

What is a Remote Birth Access Site?
Certified copies of birth records are available by Remote Birth Access from 1926 to present.

As a Remote Birth Access site the City of Amarillo is directly linked to the Texas Department of Health/Bureau of Vital Statistics birth database and is able to access certified abstracts of birth records for births which occurred anywhere in the State of Texas. The abstract of birth facts is printed right in our office and is a legal birth certificate which can be used as your basic personal identification document.

These certificates are requested in the same manner and for the same Fees as other Certified Copies of birth certificates.

NOTE: Requests are processed the day they are received or while you wait if you come into our office.

What if I need a birth or death certificate mailed to me overnight?
To obtain overnight service for a certified copy of a birth or death record:

1. Fax the Application for Certified Copy of Birth or Death Certificate before 12:00 Noon central time, include the following information:

MASTERCARD or VISA account number;
expiration date;
name the account is in;
a statement with your handwritten signature authorizing charges to the credit card account for the certificate and overnight service;
return address.

Our fax number is (806)378-3026. Faxes received after 12:00 Noon central time will be processed the next working day. Your request must specifically state "overnight service" otherwise it will be handled through regular mail.

Charges to the credit card account will be $24.00 for each birth certificate or $21.00 for each death certificate plus the overnight return fees for pickup and delivery to your address.

2. Mail the Application for Certified Copy of Birth or Death Certificate overnight to:

Office of Vital Statistics
509 E 7th Avenue
Amarillo TX 79101
(806)378-9344
FAX: 378-3026

Include a money order or cashier check made payable to the City of Amarillo for the appropriate Fees plus the overnight return fees for pickup and delivery to your address.

Where do I get an Application?
Application for Birth or Death Certificate Application (MS WORD version)

Application for Birth or Death Certificate Application (Adobe Acrobat PDF version)

Application for Birth or Death Certificate Application (Text only version)