Hardin County Birth Records
Birth records for Hardin County are on file at the County Clerk's office in Kountze. If you need a certified birth certificate from this Southeast Texas county, you can request it in person or by mail. The county has maintained vital records since 1903, and the clerk is the local authority for these documents.
Hardin County Overview
Hardin County Clerk
The Hardin County Clerk in Kountze handles all birth certificate requests for the county. The office is the local registrar and maintains vital records going back to 1903. Hardin County is in the Beaumont-Port Arthur metropolitan area in Southeast Texas, bordered by the Sabine and Neches rivers. The clerk's office in Kountze serves the entire county.
For residents who were born in another Texas county, the Hardin County Clerk can access those records through the state remote system for births from 1926 onward. If you need a record from before 1926 from another county, contact that county directly or the Texas DSHS state office.
| Office | Hardin County Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address |
300 W. Monroe Street, Suite 109 Kountze, TX 77625 |
| Phone | (409) 246-5185 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
Requesting Hardin County Birth Certificates
Walk-in requests at the County Clerk's office in Kountze are typically processed the same day. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID and $23.00 per certified copy. Order all needed copies at once to avoid multiple trips or requests.
Mail-in requests require a notarized application. Include a copy of your valid photo ID and a check or money order payable to the Hardin County Clerk. Mail your application to the Kountze address. Allow extra time for mail processing if you have a deadline.
Under Texas Government Code Section 552.115, birth records under 75 years old are restricted to qualified applicants. These include the person named on the certificate, their parents, siblings, spouse, children, grandparents, legal guardians, and legal representatives. You must show proof of your relationship when requesting someone else's record.
Note: Long form birth certificates from Hardin County are available for births that occurred in the county. Out-of-county Texas births through the remote system result in a short form abstract, which is not accepted for passport applications.
Texas DSHS Vital Statistics
The state office, Texas DSHS Vital Statistics Section, holds all Texas birth records from 1903 onward. You can order online through Texas.gov or by mailing Form VS-140 to P.O. Box 12040, Austin, TX 78711-2040. Download the official Texas Birth Certificate Application from the DSHS website. Fees are $22.00 per copy through the state.
Online orders take 20-25 business days. Mail orders take 6-8 weeks. Walk-in service in Austin is same-day at 1100 West 49th Street. Call 888-963-7111 for questions or to check your order status. Military personnel with current deployment orders may qualify for a fee waiver under Texas Government Code 437.217.
The legal framework for birth registration in Texas comes from Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 192. This chapter requires every birth to be registered with the local registrar within five days. Hardin County operates under the same standards as all other Texas counties.
Texas Birth Records System
The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics Section website provides comprehensive guidance for getting a birth certificate from Hardin County or any Texas county.
The portal links to the VS-140 form, the online ordering system, and information about processing times and fees for all request types.
Nearby Counties
Hardin County is in Southeast Texas in the Big Thicket area. These neighboring counties each have their own clerk handling birth records.