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Vital Records

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How do I get a raised seal on my birth certificate?

The certified copies issued by the Tennessee Department of Health – Office of Vital Records always have a raised seal. A raised seal is the same as an embossed seal. Both types of birth certificate copies, the long form and the short form, contain the raised seal.

I have been told that I need to get an apostille seal. How do I do that?

You may apply to the Tennessee Vital Records Office for an apostille. Follow the instructions to request a certified copy and include one check made payable to Tennessee Vital Records for the required copies. Include a second check made payable to the Tennessee Secretary of State for the apostille; the fee for the apostille is $2.00 for each document. After preparing your certified copies, the Vital Records Office will forward your copies, your check, and your request to the Tennessee Secretary of State. The Secretary of State will apply the apostille and return your documents to you as directed in your request. Additional information may be viewed with Adobe® Acrobat® Reader™ at http://www.state.tn.us/sos/forms/apos.pdf.

How do I change or correct my record?

Requirements for making corrections or changes to vital records vary depending on the type of record, the age of the record, and the change that is being requested. You may call or write the Vital Records Office to ask what is required for the specific change that you are requesting.

The biological father and mother have married since the child was born. How can the father’s name be added to the child’s birth certificate?

The mother and father should complete the form Application for New Certificate of Birth by Subsequent Marriage of Parents. There is a fee of $27.00 to prepare a replacement birth certificate with the father’s information and to issue one certified copy of the new certificate. Click here for the form and additional instructions.

If either the mother or the father is not willing to add his name to the birth certificate or if another man is already listed as the father, then a court order will be required to make the change to the birth certificate.

How can I add the father’s name to my child’s birth certificate?

If the mother was not married at the time the child was born or within 300 days prior to that day and if she and the biological father desire to add his name to the child’s birth certificate, this can be done by completing the "Voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity" form if the child is less than 19 years of age. If you live in Tennessee, you may obtain the form and information from either your local child support enforcement office or from your county health department. Whether you live in Tennessee or somewhere else, if your child was born in Tennessee, you can contact or visit the Tennessee Vital Records Office for instructions.

If either the mother or the father is not willing to add his name to the birth certificate or if another man is already listed as the father, then a court order will be required to make the change to the birth certificate.

How do I get a birth certificate if I never had one?

Even if you believe that you never had a birth certificate, you should follow the instructions to request a certified copy from the Tennessee Vital Records Office if you were born in Tennessee. If no record of your birth is located, the Vital Records Office will send you a letter certifying that no record is on file. Many agencies that ask you for a birth certificate will accept this certified letter from the State of Tennessee in place of a birth certificate.

There are procedures that you can follow to establish a delayed registration of birth. You will be required to furnish old documents as evidence to prove the facts of your birth. Before beginning the delayed registration process, you must first obtain the certified letter from the Vital Records Office that there is no birth record for you. Then upon your request, the Vital Records Office will provide you with the form and instructions for preparing a delayed birth registration.

I was adopted. How can I obtain copies of my original birth record before the adoption?

After an adoption, the original birth record and all other legal documents related to the adoption are sealed and are not accessible except under certain procedures specified by state law. If you were adopted in Tennessee, requests for access to information about your adoption and copies of your sealed adoption records should be directed to

Tennessee Department of Children’s Services
Post Adoption Services
Cordell Hull Building, 8th floor
436 6th Avenue North
Nashville, TN 37242-1290
Telephone: 615-532-5637

Additional information can be found at the website for the Department of Children’s Services:

http://www.state.tn.us/youth/

If you were born in Tennessee but adopted in another state, the Tennessee Vital Records Office will require a court order to open and release your original birth certificate and other information from the sealed file. The court order should come from either the court in which you were adopted or the Chancery Court in Davidson County, Tennessee.