Birth & Death (Vital) Records ProgramThe City Clerk serves as the Local Registrar of births, deaths, and fetal deaths that occur in Bexar County. The Office of the City Clerk provides long form birth certificates for Bexar County births needed for immigration and some passports. We also provide abstract birth certificates for persons born in Texas. We do not have access to birth certificates outside of Texas. We do not have access to death certificates for deaths that occurred outside of Bexar County. Show
AddressOffice of the City Clerk REGISTER FOR SERVICESMonday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM, although we may close registration earlier if demand and customer wait time is beyond the capacity to provide services for the day. The office is closed on approved City holidays and Special Events. Customers must register using the Qless mobile application using a cell phone and can register in advance of arrival or on-site. Once registered, periodic text notifications will be sent to the cell phone number entered indicating estimated wait time. Get in Line - The Qless registration application opens at 8:00 AM and may close earlier than 3:00 PM if demand and customer wait time is beyond the capacity to provided services. ELIGIBILITY AND RESTRICTIONSTexas law mandates that birth and death certificates are confidential records with Restricted Access. Texas Public Information Act (TPIA) Section 552.115 states that Birth records are restricted until 75 years after the file date; Death records are restricted until 25 years after the file date. Restricted Access birth and death records can only be issued to qualified applicants, defined as: the registrant, their legal representative or agent, guardian, children, spouse, parent, sibling, or grandparent (valid ID and proof of relationship or legal interest must be presented – all qualifying documents must be original. Photos or copies ARE NOT accepted). Click here for a list of acceptable qualifying documents. The Office of the City Clerk maintains an index of births, deaths, and fetal deaths that occurred in Bexar County. Birth records are available from 1897, death records from 1873, and fetal death records from 1952. Search the Vital Records Index BORN IN TEXAS AFTER 1925, BUT NOT IN BEXAR COUNTYBirth abstracts can be used for most purposes except genealogy and immigration. Some abstracts will not be acceptable for the purpose of obtaining a passport, in which case the long form will be required. Please contact your county of birth or the Texas Department of State Health & Human Services (DSHS) Vital Statistics Unit (1-888-963-7111) for information on how to obtain the long form. Please note that if you order records through DSHS or another city or county, we will not have access to your order information and cannot provide status updates. Please contact them directly. How to apply for a Birth or Death RecordBirth and death certificates can be obtained in-person or by mail with the Office of the City Clerk Vital Records Division and online with Vital Check or the Texas Department of State Health Services. In Person at central officeOffice of the City Clerk BY mail Download and complete the application. The cost for a birth certificate is $23 each + $14.50 shipping. Payments MUST be made by check or money order payable to the City of San Antonio and MUST be made in the exact amount.
Download and complete the application. The cost for the first death certificate is $21 + $14.50 shipping. Each additional death certificate is $4. Payments MUST be made by check or money order payable to the City of San Antonio and MUST be made in the exact amount.
Mail your completed application AND check or money order in the exact amount to: Office of the City Clerk PROCESSING REQUIREMENTS: Applicants MUST provide a copy of his/her valid ID when mailing the notarized application. The check or money order payable to the City of San Antonio MUST be made in the exact amount. Incomplete applications and applications submitted with an incorrect payment amount WILL NOT be processed. ON-LINE - vital checkThe Office of the City Clerk - Vital Records Division has partnered with VitalChek, an independent company, to accept online orders for birth and death records. VitalChek can be reached either through its website or by phone at 1-800-255-2414. An additional fee of $10.00 is charged by VitalChek for using this service and all major credit cards are accepted, including American Express®, Discover®, MasterCard®, or Visa®. After you have submitted your online request, VitalChek will send you an order confirmation at your email address. In that email there is a section titled "What Next?". The State of Texas requires that you provide documentation to verify your identity. If you have not done so already, please use the link below to provide the required documents:
Once your documents have been submitted, it will take 24-48 hours for approval. You will be contacted by email when your documents have been received. This is a very important step in the online
ordering process. If this step is not accomplished within seven days after receiving your VitalChek confirmation email your order request is automatically canceled. The additional fee of $10.00 charged by VitalChek to access their online ordering system is added to your credit card even if your request is canceled.
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| Item | Fee | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Birth Certificate (Bexar County only) | $23.00 | Fee per certificate for person born in Bexar County. |
| Birth Certificate Search Fee | $23.00 | Fee charged to search for a birth certificate that is either not found or not purchased. |
| Death Certificate: 1st copy | $21.00 | Fee for one death certificate. |
| Death Certificate: Additional copies | $4.00 | Fee for the purchase of each additional death certificate when more than one copy is purchased in a single transaction. |
| Death Certificate Search Fee | $21.00 | Fee charged to search for a death certificate that is either not found or not purchased. |
| Standard Certified Mail with Return Receipt | $14.50 | Fee for USPS mail with tracking. |
Acknowledgement of Paternity (AOP)
An Acknowledgement of Paternity (AOP) is a legal document that allows parents who aren't married to establish legal paternity.
Who can complete an Acknowledgement of Paternity?
Biological parents who want to establish their child’s legal rights to his or her father can voluntarily establish paternity with an Acknowledgement of Paternity (AOP).
Important: Minors can sign the AOP without parental consent.
How to File an Acknowledgement of Paternity
To complete and file an AOP, both parents must work with an AOP-certified entity. AOP-certified entities have been trained by the Office of the Attorney General to help parents voluntarily establish paternity. The Office of the City Clerk is a certified AOP entity. Contact the Vital Records office at 210.207.7253 to leave a message to make an appointment.
Acknowledgement of Paternity Resources
- Find other AOP locations. If the other parent is in the military, incarcerated, or living in a different city or state, contact the AOP Hotline at 866-255-2006.
- Answers to common questions and situations from the Texas Attorney General
- Information regarding paternity and child support
Home Births
In order to receive a birth certificate for a baby born without a medical professional, the baby and parents must come to the Vital Records office for registration. All required paperwork must be provided to complete registration.
Registration
Parents should contact the Vital Records office at 210-207-7253 to leave a message to make an appointment.
- Both parents must be present at time of registration appointment.
- Both parents (if applicable) need to show at least one
of the following identifications:
- A current driver license or other state identification card.
- A passport or certificate of naturalization.
- A military service or military dependent identification card.
- A United States Government Identification card or national identification card issued by another country.
- An alien registration receipt card (Form L-551).
- An employee or student identification card with a photograph.
- If the parents are not married, the father must take AOP Class (Acknowledgment of Paternity) to be added to the birth record.
- The child needs to be brought in at the time of registration. If child can not be brought in due to medical reasons, a letter from the child's doctor, on a letter head explaining why the baby can not be brought in is needed.
Paperwork Needed to Register Your Baby
The following information must be gathered within five days from the date you notified Vital Records in order to meet state requirements to file the birth certificate.
Parents must download and complete the TxEVER Birth Worksheet.
We also need the name and address of the child’s current doctor and Medicaid paperwork (if applicable).
Prenatal Care Records
- Yes, prenatal care was provided: Prenatal Records or a letter from the doctor that provided the care, and it should state the date of the first and last office visit and the total number of times you went.
- No prenatal care: Original Notarized Affidavit with photo ID presented from person (other than the parents) having knowledge of the pregnancy.
EMS Records
- Yes, EMS service was used: We will need a copy of the EMS report on both mother and child. The EMS number is 210-207-4974.
- No EMS service: Nothing is needed.
Hospital Records
- Yes, mother and child were admitted to a hospital: We will need the Admitting paperwork on both mother and child.
- No hospital admission: Clinic, Wellness check after the birth or Original Notarized Affidavit with ID (other than the parents). The notarized letter must include the mothers and child’s name, date, and time of birth.
Where the Child was Born
- Yes, baby was born at the mother's residence: We will need proof of residency for the mother, such as a bill which includes the mothers name and address (from the month of the child’s birth).
- No, baby was not born at the mother's residence: We will need an Original Notarized Affidavit with ID of person (other than the parents). The notarized letter must include the mothers name, with the address where the child was born.
