Texas Public Records

Can I Access Texas Public Records?

According to the Texas Government Code, Chapter 552, anyone has the legal right to access Texas public records. These records are considered free information - the officer in charge of disseminating this information is not allowed to ask you why you want it, what you will use it for, or who you are as it pertains to the information.

Texas public records are available both online and offline through several different channels. Not only do you have the right to access these records, but you have legal rights towards how the government is allowed to respond to your request. Any request to access these records:

  • Must receive the information in a prompt/timely manner.
  • Should be notified of any fees in excess of $40.
  • May be allowed to receive a copy for free or for a nominal cost.
  • Can request a less expensive copy of the records if they are deemed of public importance.
  • Texas public records and the laws governing them are designed to be made available to anyone that wants to view that type of information. As long as the information is publically available, the Texas government is not allowed to delay or prevent you from receiving that information for any reason, nor are they allowed to monitor what you do with it.

    Texas Birth Records

    Texas birth records might possibly be the easiest to get. The entire State is computerized, and certified copies can be order over the Internet in less than five minutes.If the Texas birth record that you are interested in is less than 75 years after the event, then the birth record is considered protected. There are certain requirements you will need to fulfill to request a copy and this includes having the right to the Texas birth record.Additionally, Texas offers “verification Letters of Birth” that can date back to the early 1900’s. These letters can come in handy for those who are researching Texas Birth Records for genealogy reasons.

    Texas Death Records

    Texas death records and certificates are part of the Texas Department of State Health Services; they are housed under the Texas Vital Statistics Department. Texas death records are not obtainable as an online search or index, they instead require that if you are trying to validate a death record that you request death verification, and that request must be in writing. When you make this request it will be able to answer if the death record was filed in the state of Texas, it will then also inform you of the name, and county along with the date of the death and file. These letters can be found back as far as 1903. These letters will not provide a legal document in anyway.

    If you need a certified copy you will have to meet some requirements before you will be granted the request. For online orders the qualifications are as follows. If the death was within the last twenty five years, the immediate family members living within the state of Texas may request a certified copy of death, however if you have moved, or do not for any reason live within the state of Texas you must be either a parent or a spouse of the person who has passed away the only exception is for funeral directors, as long as they are the one on record. So you must be able to show a state sanctioned ID, and the record must be delivered to a US address, including territories and common wealth, the only exception to this are APO/FPO addresses. It is also required to make the purchase via credit card. When you are sending it via mail you may pay through different means other than a credit card, offline ways to apply for a death certificate are at the vital statistic office, sent through a company like UPS, or FedEx, and standard mail.

    Search Texas Public Records By County

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