Wheeler County Birth Records

Wheeler County birth records are held by the County Clerk at the courthouse in Wheeler, Texas. Birth records date back to 1906, and certified copies are available to qualified applicants in person or by mail. The Clerk maintains birth and death records, along with marriage, probate, and land records.

Wheeler County Clerk

The Wheeler County Clerk maintains birth and death records beginning in 1906. Marriage records date from 1879, and land and probate records have been kept since that same year. Wheeler County holds the distinction of being the first organized county in the Texas Panhandle. At one point, 14 other counties were attached to it for judicial purposes until 1881.

To get a certified birth certificate, you must be a qualified applicant under Texas law. The registrant, parents, siblings, spouses, grandparents, and legal representatives all qualify. You need valid photo ID with your request. Under Texas Government Code Section 552.115, birth records are restricted for 75 years. After that, they become public.

Requesting Wheeler County Birth Records

Visit the Wheeler County Clerk at 401 Main Street in Wheeler for in-person requests. Bring your valid photo ID and payment. Walk-in requests are processed the same day in most cases.

For mail requests, complete Form VS-140, the Texas Birth Certificate Application, available from the DSHS website. The form must be notarized for mail submissions. Include a copy of your valid ID and a cashier's check or money order. Personal checks are not accepted.

You can also request from the Texas DSHS state office. Online orders through texas.gov take about 20 to 25 business days. Mail orders to the state take 6 to 8 weeks. Walk-in at the DSHS Austin office at 1100 West 49th Street provides same-day service on weekdays.

Note: Wheeler County birth records start in 1906. If you are looking for records from before that year, you may need to consult alternate historical sources or contact the Texas State Library and Archives.

Wheeler County Birth Certificate Fees

Certified copies of birth certificates from the Wheeler County Clerk cost $23.00 each. The Texas DSHS charges $22.00 per copy. If you order multiple copies at the same time, each one costs the same per-copy fee.

Send a cashier's check or money order for mail requests. Do not send personal checks or cash. Call (806) 826-5931 to confirm in-person payment options before your visit.

Birth Registration in Wheeler County

All births in Texas must be registered within five days under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 192. The attending physician, midwife, or hospital files the certificate with the Wheeler County Clerk as the local registrar. A copy is then forwarded to the DSHS in Austin.

Both the county and state hold copies of Wheeler County birth records. You can request from either office. The local clerk is usually the better option for Panhandle residents. Wheeler County birth records begin in 1906, which is slightly later than the 1903 statewide start date. Records from before 1906 may not be available at either the county or state level.

The District Clerk handles divorce records in Wheeler County. If you are looking for divorce records rather than birth records, you need to contact the Wheeler County District Clerk.

What Wheeler County Birth Records Show

A certified birth certificate from Wheeler County shows the registrant's full name, birth date and place, and both parents' names. The long form includes the full original record and any amendment history. It is used for passports, court proceedings, and name changes. The short form shows only current data and is accepted for most everyday purposes.

A Texas birth certificate typically includes:

• Child's full legal name
• Date, time, and county of birth
• Sex and race
• Both parents' full names
• Mother's maiden name
• Attending physician or midwife
• Filing date and certificate number

State Birth Records Resources

The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics Section holds state copies of Wheeler County birth records from 1903. Births that occurred before Wheeler County began keeping records in 1906 may only be accessible through the Texas State Archives or similar historical sources.

The Texas State Library and Archives Commission, along with FamilySearch, maintains historical records that may supplement Wheeler County birth records for genealogy research.

You can order certified birth certificates from the DSHS online ordering system for Wheeler County births. The DSHS processes all requests and mails them to the requester.

Help with Wheeler County Records

The State Bar of Texas lawyer referral service is available at (800) 252-9690. Find an attorney at texasbar.com. Self-help guides and forms are at texaslawhelp.org. For birth certificate amendments, use Form VS-170 from the DSHS amendment page.

Cities in Wheeler County

Wheeler is the county seat of Wheeler County in the Texas Panhandle. Shamrock is another community in the county along old Route 66. All birth records for Wheeler County are on file with the County Clerk in Wheeler.

No cities in Wheeler County currently exceed the population threshold for individual city pages.

Nearby Counties

Wheeler County is in the Texas Panhandle near the Oklahoma border. Nearby counties include: