Fort Bend County Birth Records

Fort Bend County birth records are filed with the County Clerk's office in Richmond. The clerk maintains birth certificates and other vital records going back to 1865 and issues certified copies to qualified applicants. Fort Bend County is one of the fastest-growing counties in Texas, located southwest of Houston.

Fort Bend County Clerk - Vital Records

The Fort Bend County Clerk handles vital records for the county, including birth and death certificates, marriage records, and more. Birth records go back as far as 1865. The main clerk office is at 301 Jackson Street in Richmond. The clerk has multiple service locations throughout the county, including offices in Katy, Missouri City, and Sugar Land to serve the growing population more conveniently.

Fort Bend County's vital division handles all birth and death record requests. Requests can be made in person at any of the county office locations or by mail to the Richmond address. Birth and death certificates are restricted records and are not placed on public online search portals. You must contact the clerk directly or use VitalChek to order certified copies.

How to Request Fort Bend County Birth Records

You can request a Fort Bend County birth certificate in person at any county office location, by mail, or online through VitalChek. The main vital records division is at the Richmond office at Suite 136. In-person requests are handled during regular business hours. Mail requests should go to the main Richmond office.

Texas law restricts who may receive a certified birth certificate. Under Health and Safety Code Chapter 191, eligible requestors include the person on the record, listed parents, a spouse, adult children, adult siblings, grandparents, and legal guardians. After 75 years from the birth date, the record is public.

Fort Bend County participates in the VitalChek online ordering system. VitalChek is the approved official partner for Fort Bend County vital records. Note that births occurring in Texas before 1950 are generally not available through VitalChek and require a direct request to the county. For statewide orders, use Texas DSHS Vital Statistics at dshs.texas.gov.

When submitting a Fort Bend County birth certificate request, provide:

• Full name on the birth record
• Date and place of birth (Fort Bend County)
• Parents' full names for the long-form version
• A copy of your valid government-issued photo ID
• Proof of your relationship to the registrant if not the person named
• Payment for the applicable fee

Note: Fort Bend County's vital records are restricted and not available through public online search portals. All certified copies must go through the clerk's office or VitalChek.

Fort Bend County Birth Certificate Fees

Fort Bend County follows the Texas state fee schedule for vital records. A certified birth certificate is $23 for the first copy. Additional copies ordered at the same time are $4 each. For mail requests, payment should be by check or money order made out to the Fort Bend County Clerk. Payments can also be made by credit or debit card with a processing fee for in-person requests.

VitalChek orders include a service fee on top of the county fee. The total for online orders will be higher than ordering directly. For current fee information, call (281) 341-8685 or visit fortbendcountytx.gov.

Fort Bend County Birth Certificate Details

The long-form birth certificate from Fort Bend County contains the registrant's full legal name, date and exact location of birth, parents' full names and birthplaces, the attending physician or midwife, and the hospital or place of birth. The document carries the county registrar's official seal and signature, making it valid for passports, driver's licenses, school enrollment, and Social Security applications.

Birth and death certificates are restricted records in Fort Bend County. They are not available on public online search portals. Only qualified applicants can receive certified copies. Fort Bend County can issue long-form birth certificates for persons born in Fort Bend County. For out-of-county births in Texas, the county issues the short-form abstract.

Fort Bend County has one of the oldest and deepest record bases in Texas. Birth records go back to 1865, and archives reach back to 1821 for other record types. For genealogy research, the county's historical records are particularly valuable. Resources are available through FamilySearch and the Texas State Library at tsl.texas.gov.

Legal Resources in Fort Bend County

Lone Star Legal Aid serves the Fort Bend County area and handles family law and vital records matters for low-income residents. Call (800) 733-8394 or visit lonestarlegal.org for information. The State Bar of Texas lawyer referral service is at (800) 252-9690. TexasLawHelp at texaslawhelp.org has self-help guides on vital records and related legal topics.

Fort Bend County Clerk Online

The Fort Bend County Clerk website provides contact information, office locations, and details on vital records services including birth and death record requests.

The clerk's office has multiple locations throughout the county and provides vital records services including birth certificates, death certificates, and marriage licenses for Fort Bend County residents and researchers.

Cities in Fort Bend County

Fort Bend County includes several large cities and communities. All births occurring in any of these cities are on file with the Fort Bend County Clerk.

Other communities in Fort Bend County include Missouri City, Stafford, Katy, Rosenberg, and Richmond. All birth records for these areas are maintained by the Fort Bend County Clerk.

Nearby Counties

Fort Bend County is southwest of Houston. These neighboring counties also maintain their own vital records offices.