Travis County Birth Records

Travis County birth records involve two different offices depending on where in the county the birth occurred. The County Clerk handles births from 1903 to 1956, while Austin Public Health manages more recent city births. Knowing which office to contact first will save you time.

Travis County Clerk - Vital Statistics

The Travis County Clerk's Recording Division handles birth and death certificates for specific categories of records. The county clerk is NOT the local registrar for all birth and death certificates in Travis County. The clerk holds all births and deaths within Travis County that occurred from 1903 to 1956.

You can get copies of those older records by filling out a request form and mailing it to the Recording Division. Payment must be sent by cashier's check, money order, or personal check to: Recording Division, Travis County Clerk, P.O. Box 149325, Austin, TX 78714. The fee is $22.00 for a certified copy of a birth certificate. More information is available at countyclerk.traviscountytx.gov.

The Travis County Clerk's Recording Division at countyclerk.traviscountytx.gov handles birth records from 1903 to 1956 for Travis County. For more recent Austin births, contact Austin Public Health.

Austin City Vital Records Office

For births that occurred within Austin city limits after 1956, the City of Austin holds the records. Contact Austin Public Health at 6310 Wilhelm Drive, Austin, TX. Phone: 512-972-5508. You can also find information at austintexas.gov/department/vital-records.

This two-office system is a key thing to know about Travis County. If you or your relative were born inside Austin city limits, you go to Austin Public Health for records from 1957 onward. If the birth was outside Austin city limits but still in Travis County, contact the Justice of the Peace court where the birth occurred. For records from 1903 to 1956, the Travis County Clerk's Recording Division is the right place regardless of whether the birth was inside or outside city limits.

For birth and death records outside Austin city limits but within Travis County from 1957 onward, contact the Justice of the Peace court in the precinct where the birth occurred. There are several JP courts in Travis County. The county clerk's office can help you identify which precinct covers a specific address.

Note: If you are not sure which office holds your record, start with the Travis County Clerk and they can tell you where to go from there.

Travis County Birth Record Details

A certified birth certificate from Travis County includes the full name of the child, the date and place of birth, and the names of both parents as registered. The fee for a birth certificate from the County Clerk is $22.00. Death certificates from the same office cost $20.00.

Under Texas law, birth records are restricted for 75 years. Only qualified applicants can get certified copies during that time. Qualified applicants include the person named on the certificate, their parents, siblings, children, grandparents, and legal representatives. Records from before 1951 are now public in Travis County.

Travis County has one of the longest record collections in Texas, with land and court records going back to 1840. The county was one of the original Texas counties and held a key role in early Texas governance as the site of the state capital. Birth records start in 1903, which is standard for Texas counties, but the depth of other records here is significant for genealogy work.

Other Ways to Get Travis County Birth Records

The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics Unit holds all Texas birth records including those from Travis County. If you want to order through the state rather than the county or city office, you can do so by mail or through VitalChek online. The state has records from 1903 forward for all counties.

For births in Austin, the Texas DSHS is often a simpler option than navigating the city-county split. The state's system covers both city and county births and can issue a certified copy to qualified applicants regardless of which local office originally registered the birth.

Texas vital records law is found at Health and Safety Code Chapter 192. This sets out who can get records, when they become public, and how the registration system works across the state. Travis County follows these rules along with all other Texas counties.

Cities in Travis County

Travis County includes Austin, the state capital, along with many surrounding communities. Birth records for city and county residents may be held by different offices depending on location and year.

Nearby Counties

Travis County is in Central Texas. These neighboring counties each have their own offices for birth records requests.