Tennessee Vital Records

What are Tennessee Vital Records?

Vital records in Tennessee are the official records of all births, deaths, marriages, and divorces in the state of Tennessee. The Tennesse Department of Health, Office of Vital Records maintains all vital records since 1908. Vital records before 1908 may be available at the county clerk's office, where the event occurred, or from the Tennessee Library and Archives.

How Can I Get a Copy of a Birth Certificate in Tennessee?

The Tennessee Vital Records Office has maintained birth records since 1908. The majority of birth records in Tennessee are available to the public. However, only eligible individuals can get a certified copy of their birth certificates. These individuals include:

• The person named on the birth certificate.
• The parents of the registrant.
• The legal guardian of the registrant.
• The legal representative of the registrant.

If you are not any of the qualified applicants, you will need to provide any documents to support your request. These documents can include custody orders, letters of testamentary, insurance policies denoting the beneficiaries, etc.

To request a copy of a Tennessee birth certificate, you should complete the application for a certified copy of a certificate of birth. There is a $15 fee for the first certified copy and $15 for every additional copy of the same record. Fees paid by check or money order should be payable to Tennessee Vital Records.

You will need to provide the following information on the application:

• The full name of the registrant.
• The date of birth.
• The city or town of birth.
• The mother's full maiden name.
• Your relationship to the person on the certificate.
• Your reason for requesting the certificate.

You will also need to provide a copy of your government-issued ID (or any required ID) and proof of your relationship with the registrant.

You can obtain a Tennessee birth certificate online, by mail, or in person. To order a Tennessee birth certificate online, you can visit VitalChek.

VitalChek charges additional fees for online orders and accepts all major credit and debit cards, including MasterCard, Visa, Discover, and American Express.

You may also mail in your request for a Tennessee birth certificate along with your payment by check or money order (payable to Tennessee Vital Records) to:

Tennessee Vital Records
1st Floor, Andrew Johnson Tower
710 James Robertson Parkway
Nashville, TN 37243

When requesting by mail, make sure to include the completed and signed application form and any of the following identification:

• A photocopy of your government-issued photo ID.
• A notarized application for a certified copy.
• The mother's copy of the birth certificate issued at the hospital at the time of birth.

If you have no access to any of the mentioned above, see other required IDs for alternatives.

You may also request a certified copy of the Tennessee birth certificate in person by visiting the address above. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.

How Can I Get a Copy of a Death Certificate in Tennessee?

The Tennessee Vital Records Office has maintained death records since 1908. If you are looking for death records before 1908, you can check the Tennessee Library and Archives website. Older death records may also be available to the county clerk's office where the event occurred.

For death records less than 50 years old, only those who can demonstrate a tangible interest in the death record and other eligible individuals can obtain a certified copy of a Tennessee death certificate. These individuals include:

• The decedent's spouse.
• The parent(s) of the decedent.
• The legal guardian(s) of the decedent.
• The legal representative of the decedent.

To request a copy of a Tennessee death certificate, you should complete the application for a certified copy of a certificate of death. There is a $15 fee for the first certified copy and $15 for every additional copy of the same record. Fees paid by check or money order should be payable to Tennessee Vital Records.

You will need to provide the following information on the application:

• The full name of the decedent.
• The date of death.
• The city or town of death.

You will also need to provide a copy of your government-issued ID (or any required ID) and proof of your relationship with the person named on the certificate.

You can obtain a Tennessee death certificate online, by mail, or in person. To order a Tennessee death certificate online, you can visit VitalChek.

VitalChek charges additional fees for online orders and accepts all major credit and debit cards, including MasterCard, Visa, Discover, and American Express.

You may also mail in your request for a Tennessee death certificate along with the completed application form, a copy of your photo ID, and payment by check or money order (payable to Tennessee Vital Records) to:

Tennessee Vital Records
1st Floor, Andrew Johnson Tower
710 James Robertson Parkway
Nashville, TN 37243

You may also request a certified copy of the Tennessee death certificate in person by visiting the address above. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.

How Can I Get a Copy of a Marriage Certificate in Tennessee?

The Tennessee Vital Records Office has maintained marriage records since 1905. Marriage records in Tennessee are not open to the public for the first 75 years. For marriage records less than 75 years old, only the following persons may obtain a copy:

• The marriage parties as listed on the certificate.
• The parents of either of the married parties.
• A legal representative of either of the married parties.
• Any descendant of the married parties.

To request a copy of a Tennessee marriage certificate, you should complete the application for a certified copy of a certificate of marriage. There is a $15 fee for the first certified copy and $15 for every additional copy of the same record. Fees paid by check or money order should be payable to Tennessee Vital Records.

You will need to provide the following information on the application:

• The full name of the groom.
• The full name of the bride.
• The place where the marriage license was issued.
• The date of marriage.
• The place of marriage.
• Your signature.
• Your purpose for requesting a copy.
• Your daytime telephone number and email.

You will also need to provide a copy of your government-issued ID (or any required ID) and proof of your relationship with the married parties.

You can obtain a Tennessee marriage certificate online, by mail, or in person. To order a Tennessee marriage certificate online, you can visit VitalChek.

VitalChek charges additional fees for online orders and accepts all major credit and debit cards, including MasterCard, Visa, Discover, and American Express.

You may also mail in your request for a Tennessee marriage certificate along with the completed application form, a copy of your photo ID, and payment by check or money order (payable to Tennessee Vital Records) to:

Tennessee Vital Records
1st Floor, Andrew Johnson Tower
710 James Robertson Parkway
Nashville, TN 37243

You can also request a certified copy of the Tennessee marriage certificate in person by visiting the address above. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.

How Can I Get a Copy of a Divorce Certificate in Tennessee?

The Tennessee Vital Records Office maintains divorce records for 50 years. If you are looking for divorce records over 50 years old, you can check the Tennessee Library and Archives website. For divorce records less than 50 years old, only the following persons may obtain a copy:

• The divorced parties.
• The attorneys of divorced parties.
• Any descendant of the divorced parties.
• A legal representative of a divorced party.

To request a copy of a Tennessee divorce certificate, you should complete the application for a certified copy of a certificate of divorce. There is a $15 fee for the first certified copy and $15 for every additional copy of the same record. Fees paid by check or money order should be payable to Tennessee Vital Records.

You will need to provide the following information on the application:

• The full name of the divorced parties.
• The date of divorce was granted.
• The place where the divorce was granted.
• Your purpose for requesting a copy.
• Your daytime telephone number and email.

You will also need to provide a copy of your government-issued ID (or any required ID) and proof of your relationship with the divorced parties.

You can obtain a Tennessee divorce certificate online, by mail, or in person. To order a Tennessee divorce certificate online, you can visit VitalChek.

VitalChek charges additional fees for online orders and accepts all major credit and debit cards, including MasterCard, Visa, Discover, and American Express.

You may also mail in your request for a Tennessee divorce certificate along with the completed application form, a copy of your photo ID, and payment by check or money order (payable to Tennessee Vital Records) to:

Tennessee Vital Records
1st Floor, Andrew Johnson Tower
710 James Robertson Parkway
Nashville, TN 37243

You can also request a certified copy of the Tennessee divorce certificate in person by visiting the address above. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Helpful State Resources

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