Mason County Birth Records

Mason County birth records are kept by the County Clerk in Mason, Texas. The Clerk's office handles vital statistics for this Hill Country county and can issue certified birth certificates to qualified applicants. Records in the statewide system start from 1903, and county records date back to the 1870s.

Mason County Clerk

The Mason County Clerk serves as the local registrar for vital statistics in this small Hill Country county. The office maintains birth and death records, marriage licenses, land filings, and probate documents. The Clerk's office is at the Mason County Courthouse in Mason, the county seat.

Mason County was created from Gillespie County in 1858 and named for Fort Mason, which itself was named for George Thomson Mason, a soldier killed in the Mexican-American War. Marriage records in Mason County date from 1871, land records from 1845, and probate records from 1871. Birth and death records in the statewide system begin in 1903.

Birth records less than 75 years old are restricted under Texas Government Code Section 552.115. Qualified applicants include the registrant, their spouse, parents, children, grandparents, siblings, and legal representatives.

Getting a Mason County Birth Certificate

You can request a Mason County birth certificate from the local County Clerk or from the Texas DSHS Vital Statistics Section in Austin. The state office offers online ordering through Texas.gov.

Mail requests go to DSHS-VSS, P.O. Box 12040, Austin, TX 78711-2040 and take about 6 to 8 weeks. Online orders take about 20 to 25 business days. Walk-in service at the DSHS office at 1100 West 49th Street in Austin is available Monday through Friday with same-day service in most cases.

Use Form VS-140 for all requests. Complete Sections 1, 2, 5, and 6. Notarize Section 6 and attach a copy of your valid photo ID. Only original forms are accepted.

Note: Mason County is a small rural county. Calling the local Clerk before visiting is recommended to verify hours and what to bring.

Birth Certificate Fees

Certified Texas birth certificates cost $22.00 per copy through the state DSHS office. Extra copies at the same time are also $22.00 each. Confirm local fees with the Mason County Clerk before submitting a local request.

Long form certificates are full copies of the original record with correction history. They are required for passports. Short form certificates are abstracts of current information and work for most everyday purposes. Verification letters only confirm a birth is on file and are not accepted as legal identity documents.

To correct a Mason County birth record, use Form VS-170. Most corrections cost $15. New certificate issuance costs $25.

Mason County Vital Records

Mason County has records going back to 1845 for land documents, well before the county's formal organization in 1858. Marriage and probate records start from 1871. Birth and death records in the statewide system begin in 1903. For family research, records older than 75 years are public under Texas law.

The FamilySearch Mason County genealogy page provides details on available records and how to access them. Mason County is in the German settlement belt of the Hill Country, so records may include German-language documents from early settlers in the area.

Texas delayed birth registrations from 1939 to 1975 may also cover some Mason County residents born before 1903. Contact the DSHS or County Clerk to check on these.

Texas Vital Statistics for Mason County

The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics Section at dshs.texas.gov handles certified birth certificate requests for all 254 Texas counties, including Mason County. The site has full details on forms, fees, and ordering methods.

Birth registration rules are in the Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 192. Records privacy rules are in Texas Government Code Section 552.115.

Texas vital records are governed by state law and administered through the DSHS Vital Statistics Section, covering Mason County and all Texas counties.

Nearby Counties

Mason County is in the Texas Hill Country. These surrounding counties have their own County Clerks for local birth records.