Smith County Birth Records

Smith County birth records are on file with the County Clerk in Tyler, Texas. The Clerk maintains vital records including birth certificates for all births that occurred in Smith County from 1903 to the present. Certified copies are available to qualified applicants in person at the courthouse or by mail request. Birth records in Texas are confidential for 75 years under state law.

Smith County Clerk

The Smith County Clerk maintains vital records including birth certificates for the county. Tyler is the county seat and the location of the main courthouse. The Clerk receives birth certificate filings from hospitals, doctors, and midwives in Smith County, stores the records, and provides certified copies to qualified applicants.

Birth certificates cost $23.00 per certified copy. Additional copies ordered at the same time cost $4.00 each. The office handles in-person requests at the courthouse and also accepts mail requests. Smith County is one of the larger East Texas counties, so the records office is well staffed and familiar with handling vital records requests efficiently.

How to Get a Smith County Birth Certificate

You can request a Smith County birth certificate in person at the courthouse in Tyler or by sending a mail request. In-person visits are the fastest option. Bring a valid photo ID, know the full name and date of birth on the record, and be ready to pay the $23.00 fee. Staff can usually process the request the same day.

Mail requests are also accepted. Include the full name on the birth record, date of birth, city or county of birth, parents' full names as shown on the certificate, your name and address, and your relationship to the person on the record. Have your signature notarized. Attach a clear copy of your photo ID and a check or money order for $23.00 made out to the Smith County Clerk. Send everything to the Smith County Clerk's office in Tyler, Texas.

For online ordering, the Texas.gov vital records portal lets you order state-certified copies for $22.00 each. Orders are processed by the Texas DSHS Vital Statistics Section in Austin and delivered in about 20-25 business days.

Who Can Request Smith County Birth Records

Under Texas Government Code Section 552.115, birth records are confidential for 75 years. Only qualified applicants can get certified copies of recent records. This applies to all Smith County birth records from 1903 to the present, unless 75 years have passed since the birth date.

Qualified applicants include the registrant, their parents, siblings, children, spouse, grandparents, legal guardians, and legal representatives. Governmental agencies with a direct and tangible need for the record may also qualify. You must show valid government photo ID with every request. For mail requests, your signature must be notarized. Acceptable IDs include a Texas driver's license, state ID, US passport, or military ID.

Texas Birth Certificate Laws

The legal framework for birth records in Texas comes from Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 192. This law requires every birth to be registered within five days with the local registrar. Doctors, midwives, and hospital staff are all required to file the birth certificate after a birth. The Smith County Clerk receives and stores these filings as local registrar.

Texas offers different forms of birth certificates. The long form shows the complete record history and is required for passport applications when born before 1964. The short form is an abstract showing current information and works for most purposes including school enrollment. A heirloom certificate is available for display purposes. A verification letter confirms that a birth is on file without providing the full record. More information on all certificate types is on the DSHS website.

To correct information on a Texas birth certificate, use Form VS-170 from the DSHS amendments page. Correction fees range from $15 to $25 depending on the type of change.

The Texas vital records portal provides an online way to order Smith County birth certificates issued by the state Vital Statistics Section.

Online orders from the state take about 20-25 business days, while in-person requests at the Smith County Courthouse in Tyler are usually handled the same day.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Smith County in East Texas. Each has a County Clerk who handles local birth records.