Matagorda County Birth Records

Matagorda County birth records are filed with the County Clerk in Bay City, Texas. The Clerk's office handles vital statistics for this coastal county and can issue certified birth certificates to qualified applicants. Records go back to 1903 in the statewide system, and county records date from the 1830s when Matagorda County was organized as one of the original Texas counties.

Matagorda County Clerk

The Matagorda County Clerk serves as the local registrar for vital statistics in the county. The office keeps birth and death records, marriage licenses, land filings, and probate documents. The Clerk's office is located at the Matagorda County Courthouse in Bay City.

Matagorda County is one of the original counties created when Texas was still a republic. It was established as a Municipal County in 1836 and named for the canebrakes that once grew along the coast (the word means "thick bush" in Spanish). Land records date from 1827, marriage records from 1837, and probate records from 1837. Birth and death records in the statewide system begin in 1903.

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

Requesting a Matagorda County Birth Certificate

Matagorda County birth certificates are available from the County Clerk in Bay City or from the Texas DSHS Vital Statistics Section. The state office processes requests for all 254 Texas counties. Online ordering is available at Texas.gov.

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

Complete Form VS-140 for all requests. Fill in Sections 1, 2, 5, and 6. Section 6 must be notarized. Attach a copy of your valid photo ID. Only original forms are accepted.

You need to provide the full name on the record, date of birth, county of birth, mother's maiden name, father's name if on the record, and your relationship to the person.

Birth Certificate Fees

Certified Texas birth certificates cost $22.00 per copy through the state DSHS. Each additional copy ordered at the same time is $22.00. Check with the Matagorda County Clerk for their current local fee.

Long form certificates are full copies of the original including all correction history. They are required for passport applications. Short form certificates show current information only and are accepted for most purposes. Verification letters confirm that a birth record exists in Texas but are not a substitute for a certified copy.

Correction requests use Form VS-170. Most corrections cost $15. Corrections requiring a new certificate cost $25.

Matagorda County Vital Records History

Matagorda County has some of the oldest records in Texas. Land records date from 1827, before Texas independence. Marriage and probate records start from 1837. Birth and death records in the statewide system begin in 1903. For genealogical research, records older than 75 years are public under Texas law.

The FamilySearch Matagorda County genealogy page explains what records are available, covering multiple archives and time periods. Given the county's long history, there is a rich set of documents available for family researchers.

Delayed birth registrations from Texas (1939 to 1975) may include some Matagorda County residents born before 1903. These were filed to establish birth records for legal and benefit purposes. Contact the DSHS or the County Clerk if you are looking for records from that era.

Texas Vital Statistics Resources

The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics Section at dshs.texas.gov manages certified birth records for all Texas counties including Matagorda County. The site covers forms, fees, ordering methods, and processing times.

Texas birth registration law is in the Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 192. Records privacy is governed by Texas Government Code Section 552.115.

Texas government vital records resources cover Matagorda County births, with the DSHS Vital Statistics Section serving as the central state repository.

Nearby Counties

Matagorda County is on the Texas Gulf Coast. These surrounding counties have their own County Clerks for birth records.