Vital Records - Birth/Death Certificates

The Hamilton County Health Department Office of Vital Records issues birth and death certificates for those born in Tennessee within the last 100 years and for deaths in Tennessee within the last 50 years. "Certified copy of the original" means it will be on the government-issued blue security paper and the state seal on the front page's lower corner. For birth records more than 100 years old and death records more than 50+ years old, check with the Tennessee State Library and Archives here http://sos.tn.gov/tsla/history

With the introduction of our electronic issuance system, all Tennessee county health departments can issue any birth or death certificates that have been registered statewide with the Tennessee Office of Vital Records. You will no longer have to travel to the county where the birth or death occurred. In Hamilton County, our Vital Records office is located at our 3^rd Street campus. Identification will be required when submitting your application, and fees will be payable. IF you are not a qualified applicant (parent, child, or spouse), you will also need to present any documents to support your right to the certificate. Entitlement documents can include custody orders, letters of testamentary, insurance policies denoting the beneficiaries, etc.

Hamilton County Vital Records Office
921 East Third Street
Chattanooga, TN 37403
Telephone: (423) 209-8025
Fax: (423) 209-8024
Email: [email protected]

Hours: 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday

A computer-generated certified birth certificate for the last 100 years is available for persons born in TN. Computer-generated birth certificates will be processed while you wait. Certified copies of the original records are available to the person named on the record and to certain family members or legal representatives.

To receive a birth certificate, you will need to provide Vital Records with a completed and signed application, and a photocopy of a government issued photo ID, which includes the signature of the requestor (See ID Requirement section).

Download and fill out the Birth Certificate Application

The fee will be $15.00 for each certified copy.

Death records are issued for events occurring in Tennessee within the last 50 years. Copies of Tennessee death certificates will only be issued to parent, spouse, or child of the decedent. If you are not eligible family member, you must provide valid documentation of your need for the certificate.

To receive a death certificate, you will need to provide Vital Records with a completed and signed application, and a photocopy of a government issued photo ID, which includes the signature of the requestor. (See ID Requirement section)

Download and complete the Death Certificate Application

The fee will be $15.00 per certified copy.

After a child’s birth certificate has been recorded at the TN Office of Vital Records, parents who did not acknowledge paternity in the hospital may go to the local health department for assistance in acknowledging paternity. Unmarried parents can make an appointment at the Hamilton County Vital Records Office to add the father to the certificate through the paternity acknowledgment process. This process can be done for a child up to 19 years of age. Call (423) 209-8025 to schedule an appointment.

If the application is signed and notarized, no additional identification documents are required.
If the actual mother’s copy of a birth certificate is for the prior or current year and is submitted as the application and the response is being mailed or presented to a parent, no additional identification documents are required.

Otherwise, you will need one item from the first list OR two items from the second list.

One item from the following list:

Current driver’s license, including the issue and expiration date.
Current passport, Military I.D. card, alien, temporary or permanent resident card
Employment authorization card
U.S. Certificate of Naturalization Certificate of Citizenship or Citizenship I.D. card

OR

Two items from the following list:

Current pay stub or W2
Expired Driver's License (within 1 year).
Vehicle registration with name and current address
Voter Registration card
Military Discharge (DD214)
Utility Bill, Bank Statement, or deposit slip with name and current address
Health care coverage card
Medical record
Application page of an insurance policy
Signed Social Security Card

For those whose identification has been stolen, a copy of a police report or other official document verifying the theft is required.

Requests can be mailed to our address listed below, or if you prefer to pay with a credit card, requests can be faxed or e-mailed to the fax number or the email address listed above. A Vital Records representative will contact you for credit card information.

We accept Discover, American Express, Visa, or MasterCard. A fee will be charged for credit/debit card transactions.

Mail to:

Hamilton County Vital Records Office
921 East Third Street
Chattanooga, TN 37403

Application for Birth Certificate

Application for Death Certificate

The Tennessee Office of Vital Records Office can be contacted at (615) 741-1763 (Central Time Zone). All Tennessee Office of Vital Records applications may be found HERE.

Vital Records (Birth/Death)