Bee County Birth Records

Bee County birth records are kept at the County Clerk's office in Beeville, Texas. The clerk maintains vital statistics for the county from 1903 and provides certified copies to eligible applicants. Requests can be made in person, by mail, or through the Texas DSHS state office.

Bee County Clerk

The Bee County Clerk in Beeville records all births in the county and acts as the local registrar for vital statistics. The office maintains birth records from 1903 to present. Certified copies are issued to qualified applicants upon request. You must provide a valid ID and establish your eligibility before the clerk can release any record.

Bee County is in the Coastal Bend region of South Texas. The county seat of Beeville is where the courthouse and clerk's office are located. The office provides vital records services to residents throughout the county. If you were born in Bee County and need a birth certificate, the County Clerk is the first office to contact.

Vital Records Resources for Bee County

The Texas DSHS vital statistics unit is the state resource for birth records from all Texas counties, including Bee County. You can order through the state if you prefer mail or online options. Visit dshs.texas.gov/vs for instructions.

The DSHS site has the birth certificate application form, fee information, and online ordering through VitalChek for Bee County and all other Texas counties.

Texas.gov provides an overview of all vital records options at texas.gov/texas-vital-records.

This portal explains the difference between long-form and short-form birth certificates, what ID you need, and how to correct a birth record in Texas.

Getting Birth Certificates in Bee County

Go in person to the Bee County Courthouse in Beeville to get a birth certificate the same day. Bring a valid photo ID. Know the name on the birth record and your relationship to that person. If the record is for someone else, bring proof of the relationship. The clerk checks your eligibility and processes the request while you wait in most cases.

Mail requests are also accepted. Fill out the VS-140 form, attach a copy of your ID, and send a check or money order payable to the Bee County Clerk. Mailed requests take about 2 to 4 weeks to process. The Texas DSHS state office is another option for mail requests if you cannot reach the county clerk.

Under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 191, birth records are restricted for 75 years. Eligible requestors during this period include:

• The person named on the birth certificate (age 18 or older)
• A parent listed on the record
• A court-appointed legal guardian
• An attorney acting on behalf of any of the above

Bee County Birth Certificate Fees

The state-set fee is $23 for the first certified copy. Each additional copy ordered at the same time costs $3. Bee County charges these state rates. Online orders through VitalChek add a service fee, making the total approximately $35 to $40. Contact the clerk's office to confirm accepted payment methods before mailing your fee.

What Bee County Birth Records Include

The long-form Texas birth certificate shows the child's full legal name at birth, the date and time, the hospital or location, both parents' names and ages, parents' birthplaces, and the doctor's or midwife's signature. This is the version required for passports, Texas IDs, and Social Security enrollment.

Texas also provides a short-form birth certificate. It is a brief summary labeled "informational, not a valid document to establish identity." It is accepted for school enrollment and many non-official purposes. If you are using your birth certificate to get a government ID, always order the long form.

Bee County records from the early 1900s may be less detailed than modern certificates. For genealogy research involving very old records, the Texas State Library and Archives at tsl.texas.gov can be a useful supplement to county records.

Legal Resources in Bee County

Lone Star Legal Aid serves the South Texas region including Bee County. They provide free civil legal help to income-eligible residents. Their phone number is (800) 733-8394 and their website is lonestarlegal.org. TexasLawHelp at texaslawhelp.org has self-help resources on birth records, name changes, and vital records corrections.

Nearby Counties

Bee County is in the Coastal Bend of South Texas. These counties are nearby.