Real County Birth Records

Real County birth records are maintained by the County Clerk in Leakey. Certified birth certificates for births in this Hill Country county are available from 1903. The County Clerk handles in-person and mail requests for birth records.

Real County Clerk

The Real County Clerk is the official keeper of birth records for all births that took place in Real County. The office is in Leakey, the county seat. Real County is a small, rural county in the Texas Hill Country, known for the Frio River and its rugged landscape. Despite its small population, birth records are maintained here going back to 1903.

Real County is remote, and the county seat of Leakey is a small community. If you plan to visit in person, calling ahead is a good idea to confirm hours and current procedures. Mail requests are often the most practical approach for those not living nearby. Delayed Birth Certificates for births registered late are also held at the county clerk's office.

Getting Real County Birth Certificates

To request a birth certificate from Real County, visit the County Clerk in Leakey or mail a written request. Include the full name at birth, date and place of birth, both parents' names, your relationship to the person on the record, a copy of your valid ID, and payment for the fee.

Send mail requests to Real County Clerk, P.O. Box 750, Leakey, TX 78873. Include a check or money order. Do not send cash. The clerk will process your request and mail the certified certificate to you.

The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics office in Austin also holds Real County birth records from 1926 onward. Order online at dshs.texas.gov or through VitalChek. The DSHS Form VS-140 is used for mail applications. For births before 1926, only the Real County Clerk has original records.

Under Health and Safety Code Chapter 192, certified birth records are limited to eligible applicants: the registrant, parents, siblings, grandparents, a spouse, and authorized legal representatives. Valid photo ID is required.

Real County Birth Certificate Fees

Certified birth certificates in Real County cost $22 for the first copy and $3 for each additional copy at the same time. Texas state law sets these fees. Both the county clerk and DSHS charge the same base amount.

Pay by check or money order for mail requests. Online orders through VitalChek or DSHS accept cards. Because Real County is small and remote, call the clerk at (830) 232-5202 before sending your request to confirm current fees and procedures.

Real County Birth Record Resources

The Rusk County Clerk at ruskcountytx.gov is an example of how a Texas county clerk handles vital records requests. All Texas county clerks, including Real County, follow the same state process for birth certificate requests under state law.

The process for requesting Real County birth records mirrors the standard Texas county clerk process: submit an application, provide ID, and pay the $22 fee.

The VitalRec.com Texas counties guide at vitalrec.com provides contact information and ordering guidance for Real County birth certificates including county and state ordering options.

Use these resources to help navigate the ordering process for Real County birth records from both the county and state DSHS systems.

Texas Vital Records

The Texas DSHS manages birth records statewide. The Real County Clerk holds original records. The state holds copies from 1926 onward. For births before 1926, only the county clerk has original documents.

Birth registration in Texas is governed by Health and Safety Code Chapter 192. Births must be registered within five days. The county clerk is the official local custodian of those records once filed.

Genealogists researching Real County births can also check the Texas State Library and Archives Commission at tsl.texas.gov. Their Hill Country and South Texas collections include early vital records and indexes that may supplement what the county and state offices hold.

Cities in Real County

Leakey is the county seat and main community in Real County. All birth records for the county are managed through the County Clerk in Leakey.

Real County is entirely rural beyond Leakey. No communities meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site.

Nearby Counties

Real County is in the Texas Hill Country. Check the county of birth when requesting records from nearby areas.