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Memphis and Shelby County Health Department
OFFICE OF VITAL RECORDS
814 Jefferson Ave., Room 101- 103
Memphis, TN 38105
PH (901) 544- 7608 - FAX (901) 544-7610
Dorris Conner, Local Registrar
The Tennessee Office of Vital Records registers and maintains the original certificates of births, deaths, marriages and divorces that occur in Tennessee. Certified copies of the original records are available to the person named on the record and to certain family members or legal representatives through the Memphis and Shelby County Health Department's Vital Records Office. Our office is on line with the State Office of Vital Records for copies of birth and death certificates. Marriage and divorce files are NOT available through this office, but are obtained through the County Clerk's Office (901-545-4242.) Use the links below to find information about birth and death records. Personal checks are not accepted. Valid I.D. is required.
** WHEN PAYING WITH A CREDIT CARD PLEASE FAX A COPY OF YOUR VALID I.D. TO 901-544-7610.
Birth Records
The Memphis and Shelby County Health Department's Vital Records Office is on line with the State of Tennessee Vital Records Office located in Nashville. This makes it possible for the local Vital Records office to electronically issue birth certificates for all persons born in the State of Tennessee from 1949 to present. Certified copies of the original records are available to the person named on the record and to certain family members or legal representatives.
Certified copies of birth records may be obtained in person at the Vital Records Office, 814 Jefferson Ave., Suite 101, Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., by mail or through the Vitalchek website, http://www.vitalchek.com/. This is the website of the vendor under contract to the State of Tennessee for remote ordering and funds processing for vital records requests.
The Tennessee Office of Vital Records in Nashville maintains records beginning with January 1914 births. Records of some births that occurred in the major cities from 1881- 1913 are also available. For more information visit their website: http://www2.state.tn.us/health/vr
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What is the difference between a long form and short form birth certificate?
Short or Long Form Birth Certificates
The Automated Index Retrieval System (AIRS) allows the Health Department's Vital Records Office to issue short form certificates for the years of 1949 to the present, at a cost of $8.00 per copy. Additional copies of the same record are $5.00 each, if purchased at the same time.
The short form is a certified transcript showing:
|
Name |
County of Birth |
|
Birth date |
Certificate Number |
|
Sex |
Date Certificate was filed |
Short form records are sufficient for travel identification in lieu of passport in most cases. (If for a child, contact the office for more information). Short form records from 1976 to present will also show parents names. No short form is available for births before 1949. Birth records prior to 1949 from other counties can be obtained from the Vital Records Office in Nashville. Records of Shelby County births before 1949 will not be available on the short form. Short form records can be obtained from the Memphis and Shelby County Health Department for $8.00 per copy with $5.00 for each additional copy of the same record purchased at the same time.
Method of Payment: cash, ( personal checks are not accepted), money order or credit card. Valid I.D. is required with both mail in and walk in requests.
** WHEN PAYING WITH A CREDIT CARD PLEASE FAX A COPY OF YOUR VALID I.D. TO 901-544-7610.
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Long form records for persons born in Shelby County where no amendments to the birth records (such as paternity, legitimation or adoption, etc.) have occurred, can still be obtained from the Memphis and Shelby County Health Department for $15.00 per copy and $5.00 for each additional copy of the same record purchased at the same time. Long forms for births outside of Shelby County and those Shelby County births with amendments may be obtained from the state Vital Records Office in Nashville.
Method of Payment: cash, (personal checks are not accepted), money order or credit card. Valid I.D. is required with both mail in and walk in requests.
** WHEN PAYING WITH A CREDIT CARD PLEASE FAX A COPY OF YOUR VALID I.D. TO 901-544-7610.
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Death Records
Death records are available for the past 50 years (beginning with 1955). The fee is $7.00 per certified copy. The cause of death is not included on a certified copy unless specifically requested and then is available only to certain family members or legal representatives.
Method of Payment: cash, (personal checks are not accepted), money order or credit card. Valid I.D. is required with both mail in and walk in requests.
** WHEN PAYING WITH A CREDIT CARD PLEASE FAX A COPY OF YOUR VALID I.D. TO 901-544-7610.
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Where can I obtain a copy of birth or death certificate prior to 1955?
Older Records
Birth and Death records are available at the Tennessee State Library and Archives.
Shelby County death records prior to 1955 are available at the Shelby County Archives, 150 Washington, 2nd floor, Memphis, TN 38103; call (901) 545-4356 for more information.
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How to obtain a certified copy of a birth or death certificate. How To Request A Certified Copy
For your convenience, applications for certificates that can be obtained from the Memphis and Shelby County Health Department's Vital Records office are now available at, http://www.vitalchek.com/ or by completing the downloadable application and bringing it to the Health Department or submit the application by mail.
**When paying with a credit card please fax a valid copy of your State issued I.D. to 901-544-7610.
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Where can I go get a certified copy of birth or death certificate?
By Personal Visit
The Memphis and Shelby County Health Department has one location where birth certificates, dating from 1949 to present, may be obtained in person.
Vital Records Office
Memphis and Shelby County Health Department
814 Jefferson Ave., Room 101-103
Memphis, TN 38105
Office hours are Monday - Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
(Closed on holidays)
Death certificates, dating from 1955 to present, along with legitimations are also available at this location.
Method of Payment: cash,( personal checks are not accepted), money order or credit card. Valid I.D. is required with both mail in and walk in requests.
** WHEN PAYING WITH A CREDIT CARD PLEASE FAX A COPY OF YOUR VALID I.D. TO 901-544-7610.
Effective May 1, 2007 there is no charge for VAoP (Voluntary Acknowledgement of Paternity)
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Application for new Certificate of Birth by Subsequent Marriage of Parents
This is a legitimation process when a child is born and the mother marry the father after the birth of the child or if the father volunteers to acknowledge paternity of the child out of wedlock. State Idenification is required to complete this process. There is a processing fee of $15 for this service.
Method of Payment: cash, (personal checks are not accepted), money order or credit card. Valid I.D. is required.
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By Mail
Mail your request to the
Birth/Death Records Office
Memphis and Shelby County Health Department, Room 101, 814 Jefferson Ave.
Memphis, TN 38105
with the completed application regarding the birth/death, along with a credit card number or money order ( personal checks are not accepted) . Certificates requested through the mail are usually returned to the customer within two weeks of the day received. The certificate of a recent birth is often not available until several weeks after the birth.
For more information regarding birth certificates, call the Health Department's Birth Certificate Information Line at 544-7605. To talk with a Vital Records representative during normal business hours - 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday- Friday (except for holidays), call 544-7608.
For more information regarding death certificates, call the Health Department's Death Certificate Information Line at 544-7691. To talk with a Vital Records representative during normal business hours - 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday- Friday (except for holidays), call 544-7730.
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Forms
For more information, contact the Health Department's Vital Records Department at (901) 544-7608 during normal business hours. | 
