Birth & Death Certificates

Obtaining a Birth Certificate


Only a qualified applicant may obtain a copy of a birth or death certificate. Qualified applicants include:
  • Parent
  • Child
  • Brother or Sister
  • Spouse
  • Grandparent
  • Legal guardian
  • Managing conservator
  • The registrant
  • Legal representative
  • Agent or other person acting under contract for the registrant

Required Information


  • Full name on birth / death record
  • Date and place of birth / death
  • Fathers full name
  • Mothers maiden name
  • Name, address, and phone number of requestor
  • Relationship to person on birth / death record
  • Purpose for requesting a copy
  • Copy of your driver's license must be attached to your application

Applications


Any Texas birth certificate may be purchased in Taylor County, this office uses a remote access system to the State's records dating, at this time, from 1926 to the present. Death records in Taylor County date back from early 1900s to the present. They are available only if the death occurred outside the city limits of Abilene, Texas.

Fees


Cash, money order, credit, or debit card.
  • $23 per birth certificate copy
  • $21 for the first death certificate copy and $4.00 each additional issued at the same time.

Birth Certificate for Passport


If you are getting your birth certificate for passport purposes you will need the "long form" certificate. To obtain the long form, you must contact the registrar in the county in which you were born.  The Taylor County Clerk was the birth registrar from the beginning of Taylor County until 1950, in which the City of Abilene then became the registrar.  In 1993, the County Clerk became the registrar for births occurring OUTSIDE the City limits of Abilene, Texas, but still within Taylor County.  The County Clerk is the registrar for ALL the births from Merkel, Taylor County, Texas - past to present.  If you were born in the City of Abilene after 1950 and you need a birth certificate for a passport please contact the Abilene-Taylor County Public Health District at 325-692-5600 or visit their website.

The Taylor County Clerk's office is not responsible if the passport office rejects the birth certificate