The Birth/Death Records Application (English) is the Tarrant County Clerk's form for ordering certified copies of a birth or death certificate, and it is the form you use to request a Tarrant County birth certificate from the Clerk's Vital Records office. A parent, child, spouse, sibling, grandparent, legal guardian or the person named on the record can use it, with a valid government-issued ID and a sworn statement. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the original is published by the Tarrant County Clerk.
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What is Birth/Death Records Application (English) – Tarrant County, TX?
The Birth/Death Records Application (English) is the Tarrant County Clerk's printed Birth or Death Certificate Application, used to request certified copies of a Texas birth certificate or death certificate. One sheet carries a BIRTH section and a DEATH section; you complete only the section for the record you want.
The form is issued by the Tarrant County Clerk, whose Vital Records office is at 200 Taylor St., Ste. 301, Fort Worth, TX, 76196. It asks for the name of the person on the record, the date and place of the birth or death, the names of both parents as given at birth, your relationship to the person on the record, and a specific reason for the request. A second page is the Sworn Statement, with a notary acknowledgment, that goes with a mailed request.
What you receive depends on the record. A full reproduction of the original birth certificate is issued if Tarrant County is the local registrar. An Abstract Birth Certificate is issued if the birth occurred in another Texas county, and the form warns that an abstract may not be suitable for a passport or other purposes.
The Tarrant County Clerk's Vital Records office is not the local registrar for every record in the county. For events within the city limits of Arlington after 1971, or Grapevine after 1973, the form directs you to the applicable City Hall. Fees apply, including a non-refundable search fee when a record is not found; the amounts are printed on the form.
Who needs to file Birth/Death Records Application (English) – Tarrant County, TX?
The main group is the registrant (the person named on the record) and the registrant's immediate family: parents, children, spouses, siblings, a legal guardian or grandparents, as the form cites TAC, Title 25, Rule 181.1 (13). They can obtain certified copies of a birth or death certificate with this application.
- Not an immediate family member: you must provide a certified copy of legal documentation that states your direct and tangible interest in the record.
- A father not listed on the birth record: he may not obtain the child's birth certificate unless he can provide a certified copy of a court order that names him as the father.
- Public-information dates: a birth record is public information on or after the 75th anniversary of the date of birth, and a death record on and after the 25th anniversary of the date of death (Government Code 552.115).
- Events in Arlington or Grapevine: do not use this form for an event within the city limits of Arlington after 1971 or Grapevine after 1973; contact the applicable City Hall instead.
Every applicant signs a sworn statement declaring that they are an authorized person under the Texas Health and Safety Code.
When to file Birth/Death Records Application (English) – Tarrant County, TX
Submit the application whenever you need a certified copy of a birth or death certificate; the form prints no deadline of its own. Check first that you are an authorized person, or that the record has reached the age at which it is public information (75 years after the date of birth, 25 years after the date of death).
The form states that all mail requests are completed within 72 hours from the time they are received. It also states that a non-refundable search fee applies to all records not found, so check the names, dates and place before you send the request.
If the event happened within the city limits of Arlington after 1971 or Grapevine after 1973, do not send it to the County Clerk; the form tells you to contact the applicable City Hall.
Documents you need
- A legible photocopy of your valid, U.S. government-issued photo ID, included with a mailed request; applications without photo ID are not processed.
- The Sworn Statement, with Part III signed in the presence of a notary public; applications without the attached sworn statement are not processed.
- A self-addressed stamped envelope, included if you mail the request.
- A check or money order payable to MARY LOUISE NICHOLSON, TARRANT COUNTY CLERK, for the fees shown on the form.
- A certified copy of a court order naming him as the father, only if a father is not listed on the child's birth record.
- A certified copy of legal documentation stating your direct and tangible interest in the record, only if you are not an immediate family member.
How to fill out Birth/Death Records Application (English) – Tarrant County, TX
Choose the BIRTH or DEATH section
Complete only the section of the application labeled BIRTH or DEATH, depending on the record you want. Check the first page of the form for the eligibility rules before you start.
Enter the number of copies
On line 1 of the section, enter the number of certified copies you are buying in the NUMBER OF COPIES box. The fees are printed beside it.
Enter the name on the record
On line 2, enter the first, middle and last name of the person on the certificate.
Enter the date and place
On line 3, enter the date of birth or death, and the city and county. The State box is marked Texas Only.
Enter both parents' names
On lines 4 and 5, enter Parent 1 and Parent 2: first, middle and last name given at birth, including the name Prior to 1st Marriage (Maiden) where it applies.
State your relationship and reason
Write your relationship to the person on the record, then give a specific reason for obtaining the certificate; the form says to be specific.
Answer the Home Visitation question
Check Yes or No to choose whether to contribute to promote healthy early childhood (TX Home Visitation). The form presents it as your choice.
Sign and add contact details
Sign as the applicant, then enter your mailing address and a daytime phone number where you can be reached.
Complete the Sworn Statement
On the Sworn Statement page, print your name, then in Part I enter the full name of the person on the record and the date of birth or death. In Part II enter your name and relationship and the type and number of ID.
Sign Part III before a notary
Print and sign the notarized acknowledgment only in the presence of a notary public. Print the PDF first, since the notary must witness your signature.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check names, dates and the place against the record, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF. Assemble the package described under How to submit.
How to submit Birth/Death Records Application (English) – Tarrant County, TX
The form describes one submission channel: mail to the Tarrant County Clerk. It also states that you must show valid, U.S. government issued identification.
- By mail. Send the completed application, the Sworn Statement, a legible photocopy of your valid government-issued photo ID, a self-addressed stamped envelope and the fee to: Mary Louise Nicholson, Tarrant County Clerk, 200 Taylor St., Suite 301, Fort Worth, TX 76196.
- Payment. Pay by check or money order made payable to MARY LOUISE NICHOLSON, TARRANT COUNTY CLERK. The amounts are printed on the form; contact the County Clerk's office for current fees.
- Notary. Part III of the Sworn Statement must be signed in the presence of a notary public.
Applications without a photo ID and the attached sworn statement will not be processed. The form names no other channel, portal or private-delivery address. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Mailing the application without the attached Sworn Statement or a photocopy of a valid photo ID; the form says such applications will not be processed.
- Signing Part III of the Sworn Statement before meeting the notary; it must be signed in the presence of a notary public.
- Sending a request to the County Clerk for a birth or death in Arlington after 1971 or Grapevine after 1973, which the form directs to the applicable City Hall.
- Requesting a father's copy of a child's birth certificate when the father is not named on the record and has no certified court order naming him as the father.
- Applying as someone who is not an immediate family member without a certified copy of legal documentation showing a direct and tangible interest.
- Writing a vague reason; the form asks for a specific reason for obtaining the certificate.
- Expecting an Abstract Birth Certificate to work for a passport; the form warns it may not be suitable, and it is issued if the birth occurred in another Texas county.
- Making the check or money order out to the wrong payee instead of MARY LOUISE NICHOLSON, TARRANT COUNTY CLERK.
- Leaving out the self-addressed stamped envelope on a mailed request.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get a Tarrant County birth certificate by mail?
Complete the Birth/Death Records Application, the Sworn Statement (notarized in Part III), and mail them with a photocopy of your valid photo ID, a self-addressed stamped envelope and a check or money order to the Tarrant County Clerk, 200 Taylor St., Suite 301, Fort Worth, TX 76196.
Who can request a birth or death certificate from the Tarrant County Clerk?
The registrant or an immediate family member: parents, children, spouses, siblings, a legal guardian or grandparents. Anyone else must provide a certified copy of legal documentation showing a direct and tangible interest in the record.
Can a father get his child's birth certificate if he is not on it?
Only with a certified copy of a court order that names him as the father. The form states that a father may not obtain his child's birth certificate if his name is not listed on the record without that order.
Is there a fee for a Tarrant County birth or death certificate?
Yes. The form prints a fee per certified copy and a non-refundable search fee that applies when a record is not found. Pay by check or money order payable to MARY LOUISE NICHOLSON, TARRANT COUNTY CLERK, and see the form or the County Clerk's office for amounts.
How long do mail requests take?
The form states that all mail requests are completed within 72 hours from the time they are received. That period starts when the County Clerk receives a complete request, which includes the sworn statement and photo ID.
What is the difference between an abstract birth certificate and a full copy?
A full reproduction of the original is issued if Tarrant County is the local registrar. An Abstract Birth Certificate is issued if the birth occurred in another Texas county, and it may not be suitable for a passport or other purposes.
Does the Tarrant County Clerk issue records for births in Arlington or Grapevine?
Not for every case. The Clerk's Vital Records office is not the local registrar for events within the city limits of Arlington after 1971 or Grapevine after 1973; contact the applicable City Hall for those records.
Can I fill out the Birth/Death Records Application online on FillingPDF?
Yes. You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is independent, does not file the request, and does not notarize the sworn statement; you send the package to the Tarrant County Clerk yourself.
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