Health
and
Human
Texas
Department
of
State
Services
Health
Services
MAIL APPLICATION FOR MARRIAGE OR DIVORCE RECORD
Processing times are estimates and subject to change with an increased volume of customer applications.
FAILURE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION REQUESTED ON THIS FORM MAY RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT
PROCESSING DELAYS AND/OR DENIAL OF YOUR APPLICATION.
Walk In: Same day service in most cases. Hours are Monday-Friday 8:00 am - 4:00 pm. DSHS - Vital Statistics Section, 1100 W. 49th
St., Austin, TX 78756
Online Orders: Visit www.texas.gov to order online. Online orders are mailed 15-20 business days after receipt of the request.
Mail In Orders: Processed and mailed 6 - 8 weeks after receipt of the request. Mail to: DSHS - VSS, P.O. Box 12040, Austin, TX
78711-2040. For current processing times, please see our website at: https://www.dshs.texas.gov/vs/processing/.
Expedited Orders: Processed and mailed 20 - 25 business days after receipt of the request. Must be sent to the Texas Department
of State Health Services - Vital Statistics Section via an OVERNIGHT mail service, such as FedEX, LoneStar, or UPS to: DSHS – VSS
MC 2096, 1100 W. 49th St., Austin, TX 78756
Marriage Verification - A verification letter will include the registrant names, date of marriage, and place of marriage as it appears
on the application for marriage license index filed with Vital Statistics. Verification letters of marriage are available for marriages
that occurred from 1966 to present. Verification letters are not considered legal substitutes for marriage licenses. Vital Statistics
strongly recommends that applicants ensure a verification will satisfy its intended use.
Divorce Verification - A verification letter will include the registrant names, date of divorce, and place of divorce as it appears on the
report of divorce or annulment of marriage index filed with Vital Statistics. Verification letters of divorce are available for divorces that
occurred from 1968 to present. Verification letters are not considered legal substitutes for divorce decrees. Vital Statistics strongly
recommends that applicants ensure a verification will satisfy its intended use.
A verification is a letter verifying whether or not a marriage or divorce was recorded with the State of Texas. Please note
that these verification letters are not certified and are not intended to be a certification of marriage or divorce. To order a
certified copy of the marriage license, you must contact the County Clerk’s Office in the county in which the marriage
license was obtained. To order a copy of a divorce decree, you must contact the District Clerk’s Office in the District in
which the divorce was filed.
Marriage Application – A photocopy of a marriage application may be issued as recorded with the State of Texas based on the
application for marriage sent to our office by the county or district clerk. Marriage applications will have confidential information
redacted.
Heirloom Wedding Anniversary Certificate – This certificate may be customized to recognize a couple's wedding anniversary. This
parchment-like certificate is suitable for framing for commemorative purposes only. It bears the signatures of the Governor of Texas
and Texas State Registrar and is 11 inches by 14 inches in size. This is not a legal certificate of marriage. It does not establish and may
not be used to establish a marriage relationship.
The applicant must include a photocopy of his or her valid photo ID issued by a governmental entity. See Section
181.28 of the Texas Administrative Code for a complete list of acceptable forms of identification. You also can see
VSS’s page on acceptable identification in English (http://www.dshs.texas.gov/vs/reqproc/Acceptable-IDs/) and
Spanish (http:// www.dshs.texas.gov/vs/reqproc/Acceptable-IDs-(Spanish)/).
If a record is not on file, our office will issue a “not found” letter.
Customer Checklist
☐ Complete steps 1, 2, and 3 of the application. Please type or print clearly.
☐ Sign and date the application.
☐ Make sure the application is original and not a photocopy and there are no cross-outs or white-out.
☐ Enclose a copy of a current driver's license, passport or state identification. See complete ID list on our website.
☐ Enclose appropriate fees. Make checks or money orders payable to DSHS - Vital Statistics.
For more information, go to: https://www.dshs.texas.gov/vs/requirements.aspx.
For the status of your request, contact VSS by telephone at 1-888-963-7111 or online at: https://www.dshs.texas.gov/orderstatus/.
VS – 142.9 (1/21)