Vital Records

The Houston County Health Department issues certified copies of Birth, Death, Marriage, and Divorce certificates for events that occurred within the State of Alabama. The application can be submitted in person to the Houston County Health Department or mailed to the state office in Montgomery. Applications submitted by mail must include payment and be addressed to:

Alabama Department of Public Health
Center for Health Statistics
P.O. Box 5625
Montgomery, AL 36103-5625

Applications submitted to the Health Department must be received in person for processing. Effective May 1, 2017, identification, including a photo, will be required of any applicant requesting a restricted Alabama vital record. Applications are taken from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Same-day results may be available if the application is received before 4:00 p.m., all information necessary is provided, and the event can be easily located. The fee to search for a certificate is $15.00, which includes one certified copy of the certificate or a "Certificate of Failure to Find." Additional copies can be obtained for $6.00 each if requested with the original application. Payment must be made by cash, check, or money order. Credit or debit cards will be accepted and will include a processing fee.

Referrals and contact information can be provided when seeking certificates for events occurring outside the state of Alabama.

Download Application

For more information regarding birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates, see below. For information on Houston County Health Statistics, visit Health Statistics.

Alabama Birth Certificates

Records are available from 1908 to present. By Alabama Law, birth certificates are confidential records with restricted access for 125 years from the date of birth. They may be obtained by the following persons:

Mother / Father (as shown on Certificate)
Husband / Wife of Person Named on Certificate
Son / Daughter of Person Named on Certificate
Sister / Brother of Person Named on Certificate
Executor / Administrator of Deceased's Estate

Alabama Death Certificates

Records are available from 1908 to present. By Alabama law, death certificates are confidential records with restricted access for 25 years from the date of death. They may be obtained by the following persons:

Mother / Father (as shown on Certificate)
Husband / Wife of Person Named on Certificate
Common Law Spouse (applicant must provide documentation verifying he/she is a common law Husband / Wife, which will be kept as a permanent record in the Vision System)
Son / Daughter of Person Named on Certificate
Sister / Brother of Person Named on Certificate
Executor / Administrator of Deceased's Estate
Informant of Death as Providing Information

Certificates over 25 years old may be requested by anyone who can provide enough information to search for the record.

Alabama Marriage Certificates

Records are available from August 1936 to the present. By Alabama law, marriage certificates are not confidential records and may be obtained by any individual. (Information for marriages prior to 1936 must be obtained from the probate office in the county where the marriage license was issued.)

Alabama Divorce Certificates

Records are available from 1950 to present. By Alabama law, divorce certificates are not confidential records and may be obtained by any individual. (Information for divorces prior to 1950 must be obtained from the circuit court in the county where the divorce was issued.)