Harris County residents, need a copy of your birth certificate? Here’s a new online service you need to know about

A screenshot from the Harris County Clerk's Office, as seen on April 20, 2022. (Amanda Cochran, Harris County Clerk's Office)

HOUSTON – The Harris County Clerk’s Office has launched an online ordering system to purchase certified copies of birth certificates – the first online option to access these vital documents, authorities said.

“We have partnered with VitalChek to give the public an easy and secure way to request certified copies of birth certificates online,” said Harris County Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth. “Enhanced security measures are in place to ensure a secure transaction and protect residents from identity theft.”

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Birth certificates are not public records and can only be obtained by the person whose name is on the birth certificate or immediate family members with valid identification. Requests can be made online, by mail or in person at any of HCCO’s 11 locations. For additional information call 713-274-8686.

HCCO issues the short abstract birth certificate, which contains the person’s name, date of birth, place of birth, and parent’s name. The cost to obtain a certified copy of a birth certificate is $23, plus the convenience fee to use the new online service.

“We are so pleased to be able to offer this new vital online service that will make our constituents daily lives a little bit easier,” Hudspeth said via the news release. “This is just one of the many ways our office will continue to make services more accessible and operate more efficiently.”

Click here to order birth certificates online. For a list of other available online services, visit www.cclerk.hctx.net.