Tennessee Vital Records

Tennessee vital records are government documents that track specific life events within the state. Life events are significant milestones in a person's life. Birth, death, marriage, and divorce are examples of life events that are compiled under vital records.

The Tennessee public records laws regulate the creation and maintenance of vital records. Under this law, interested persons may access vital records by fulfilling requirements set up by record custodians. The requirements may include providing valid IDs when requesting confidential documents.

Public Access to Tennessee Vital Records

Tennessee Statutes classify most vital records as confidential documents and may restrict unauthorized access to such records. For example, the Tennessee Statutes 68-3-205 may disclose birth certificates to only the following parties:

• The record subject
• Immediate family members.
• Attorneys representing the record subject or other eligible parties.
• Government personnel in the course of performing an official duty.
• Persons backed by a court order.

However, the Tennessee open records laws allow unrestricted access to specific vital records, such as marriage and divorce documents. To access such documents, inquirers are typically required to provide the necessary copy fees and relevant search information.

Older vital records are usually accessible to the public. You may find such records in the purview of the Tennessee State Library and Archives. The agency generally maintains records of marriages, deaths, and divorces that are over 50 years old. However, it only maintains birth records that are 100 years old or more.

Types of Vital Records Available in Tennessee

Types of vital records in Tennessee may include the following:

• Birth records: Birth records in Tennessee reveal information about birth events. The record might reveal the record subject' personal information, birth parent's name, and occupation.
• Death records: Death records contain all related data about a death event. The record may contain the deceased's personal information, cause of death, funeral director's name, and information on related family members.
• Marriage records: Marriage records contain information on marriage events within the state. Such records typically include the couple's name, occupation, names of witnesses, place and date of marriage, and the names of officiating ministers.
• Divorce records: These are official court documents regarding divorce cases handled in the state's chancery court or circuit court. These records typically reveal the case party's personal data, case summaries, and decrees.

The Tennessee Department of Health, via the Office of Vital Records, maintains and issues copies of divorce, death, and marriage records. County-level health departments are also custodians of vital records in Tennessee. These entities provide access to certified and non-certified copies of vital records.

Tennessee Birth Records

Tennessee birth records typically include these details:

• The record subject's birth name, age, sex, and weight at birth.
• Place and date of birth.
• Parent's names, including the mother's maiden name.
• Parents' occupation.

Tennessee birth certificates are confidential documents and may only be accessible to the following parties.

• Record subjects that are 18 years old or above.
• Parents listed on the birth certificate.
• Legal guardians
• Third parties authorized by the record subject.
• Persons backed by a court order.

Eligible parties may get a birth certificate in Tennessee by contacting designated custodian agencies. For example, the Tennessee Vital Records Office is the state-level custodian of birth certificates that are less than 100 years old. To obtain records from the agency, inquirers are typically required to submit a request along with a valid ID to the agency at:

Tennessee Vital Records

1st Floor

Andrew Johnson Tower

County-level health departments also issue birth certificates. Interested parties may contact the nearest health department to obtain the record.

Tennessee Death Records

Tennessee death certificates may provide information on the following:

• The deceased's name, age, address, and occupation.
• The surviving spouse.
• Place and date of death.
• Medical report, including the cause of death.
• Funeral director or coroner's name and other related information.
• Name of the next of kin.

Death records contain confidential information. Record custodians may disclose the document to the record subject, immediate family members, legal representatives, and persons backed by a court order.

To find death records in Tennessee, interested parties must submit a request to the state or local-level record custodians. You may obtain death records below 50 years old at the state's Vital Records Office. The agency receives requests for death records at:

Tennessee Vital Records

1st Floor

Andrew Johnson Tower

However, older death records are often accessible through the Tennessee Library and Archives and local county health departments.

Tennessee Marriage Records

Tennessee marriage records are documents that reveal information on marriage events within the state. Such records are crucial for genealogical research and legal processes, such as inheritance cases. The Tennessee State Vital Records Office offers statewide access to marriage records generated in the last 50 years. To obtain marriage certificates, inquirers must submit a request via mail or in person to the agency.

On the other hand, you may locate marriage certificates in Tennessee via the clerk of the county where the event occurred.

Tennessee Divorce Records

Tennessee divorce records are a compilation of court-related documents regarding a divorce event. A divorce record is not the same as a court decree. The latter only reveals the final terms or outcome of a divorce case proceeding.

You may obtain divorce decrees by contacting the local district clerk in the county where the divorce occurred. On the other hand, the Tennessee Vital Records office also maintains and issues divorce certificates created in the last 50 years.

How to Order Vital Records in Tennessee

You may order Tennessee vital records via any of these options:

Online orders for vital records in Tennessee

The Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts hosts a searchable database for divorce cases heard in the appellate court. To look up records on the platform, inquirers must provide relevant search information like the case number and year.

Mail-in and in-person orders for vital records in Tennessee

Record custodians in Tennessee may provide vital records upon receiving a mail or in-person request from inquirers. You may use these general steps when requesting vital records from the Tennessee Vital Records Office:

1. Fill out the required request form:
   1. Request form for birth certificate.
   2. Request form for a death certificate.
   3. Request form for marriage certificate.
   4. Request form for divorce certificate.
2. Attach a copy of a valid ID.
3. Send the required fee as a check or money order payable to Tennessee Vital Records. The agency charges $15 per copy of requested
4. Send the request via mail or in person to:

Tennessee Vital Records

1st Floor

Andrew Johnson Tower

Who Can Request Tennessee Vital Records?

Eligibility for Tennessee vital records may depend on the record age. For example, vital records that are below 50 years old are confidential and not accessible to the general public. On the other hand, birth records below 100 years old are confidential and only accessible to the following parties:

• Record subjects who are 18 years old or above.
• Parents listed on the birth certificate.
• Legal guardians
• Third parties authorized by the record subject.
• Persons backed by a court order.

Record Type	Eligible Requestors	Required Documents	Official Source Link
Birth Certificate	- Registrant (if adult) - Parents/Legal Guardians - Immediate family (varies by state) - Legal representatives - Individuals with a court order. All parties (if the record is above 100 years old).	May require ID, proof of relationship, or court documents	Tennessee Vital Records 1st Floor Andrew Johnson Tower 710 James Robertson Parkway Nashville, TN 37243. https://vitalrecords.tn.gov/hc/en-us/articles/36323891148435-How-do-I-get-my-certificate-In-Person-Local-County-Health-Department-Mail-or-Online
Death Certificate	- Immediate family - Legal representatives - Individuals with documented legal interest. All parties (if the records are above 50 years old)	Valid ID, request forms.	Tennessee Vital Records 1st Floor Andrew Johnson Tower 710 James Robertson Parkway Nashville, TN 37243. https://vitalrecords.tn.gov/hc/en-us/articles/36323891148435-How-do-I-get-my-certificate-In-Person-Local-County-Health-Department-Mail-or-Online
Marriage Record	- Anyone (if unrestricted) - Otherwise, eligible requestors vary by county	Valid ID, request forms	Tennessee Vital Records 1st Floor Andrew Johnson Tower 710 James Robertson Parkway Nashville, TN 37243. https://vitalrecords.tn.gov/hc/en-us/articles/36323891148435-How-do-I-get-my-certificate-In-Person-Local-County-Health-Department-Mail-or-Online https://www.tn.gov/revenue/title-and-registration/county-clerks-locations.html
Divorce Record	- Anyone (if unrestricted) - Otherwise, parties named in the record or legal representatives	Valid ID, request forms.	Tennessee Vital Records 1st Floor Andrew Johnson Tower 710 James Robertson Parkway Nashville, TN 37243. https://vitalrecords.tn.gov/hc/en-us/articles/36323891148435-How-do-I-get-my-certificate-In-Person-Local-County-Health-Department-Mail-or-Online https://www.tncourts.gov/courts/court-clerks/clerks-list

Processing Times for Tennessee Vital Records Requests

The processing time for Tennessee vital records may vary based on factors like record type, creation date, and the agency handling the request. The request option may also affect the time it takes to obtain vital records. In-person requests are generally faster than mail-based requests. In most cases, in-person requesters may receive the record on the same day they made the request.

Record Type	Factors That Influence Processing Time	Considerations
Birth Certificate	- Request method (mail, in-person) - Verification of eligibility - Volume of requests	- Online requests may be faster - Restricted access records require additional review
Death Certificate	- County vs. state processing - Method of submission	- Some counties have longer retrieval times - Additional documentation may be required
Marriage Record	- County of record - Whether a search is required - Request method	- County clerks' workloads vary - Certified copies may take longer than informational copies
Divorce Record	- Court retrieval procedures - Complexity of the case - Request method	- Timelines vary by court and county - Expedited processing may be available

Fees for Obtaining Vital Records in Tennessee

In Tennessee, the fees for obtaining vital records may vary based on the record type and number of requested copies. For instance, a Tennessee birth certificate costs $15 at the state's Vital Records Office. In contrast, county-level record custodians may set various fees. So, always inquire about the required fees when requesting vital records from a county-level custodian.

How to Search Vital Records Online in Tennessee

You may search online vital records in Tennessee via the following official repositories:

• The Tennessee County Clerk's marriage record lookup.
• The Tennessee Administrative Office of Court's online search database.
• The Tennessee State Library and Archives' search database.

Inquirers seeking to search vital records may do so by providing relevant search terms. For example, you may input the case parties' names when searching marriage records on the county clerk search portal.