Amendment forms and fees are available at this office. Texas law requires that a birth certificate be filed within five days of the birth and that a death certificate or fetal death certificate be filed within ten days. Most death certificates are filed within this period unless it is a medical examiner case. The great majority of birth certificates are not filed in a timely manner. Generally, it takes at least eight weeks after a birth before the certificate is filed.
Most death certificates are available within three to four weeks after the death.
The name of the funeral home is needed to find a death certificate. They are not open for browsing. The document must be paid for and sufficient information provided on the application for the search. It is possible for a birth certificate to be processed in a shorter time if there is a clear and justifiable emergency such as leaving the country. The hospital must call the checking supervisor, explain the emergency and make an appointment.