Requesting Sealed Adoption Records

Adoption records are sealed by the court after an adoption has been granted and no identifying information about the biological family can be released without a court order. The court order must order Vital Statistics (VS) to release the records, indicate what records they are ordering to be released, and the name of the person who the records are to be released to. You will need to submit a certified copy of the finalized court order to our office with a copy of your valid photo ID and a $10.00 processing fee.

To open sealed files, send VS the following:

 

  • certified copy of a court order granting the opening of the sealed adoption file;
  • adoptee's name (as it appears on the current birth certificate);
  • adoptee's date of birth, and
  • adoptee's place of birth.

  If you do not know which court granted the adoption or if the court is unable to locate the cause number, you can submit a Request for Identity of Court of Adoption (DOC) to VS. 

Vital Statistics

Vital Statistics

Adoption Information

Contáctenos

Contáctenos

Horario de oficinas
De lunes a viernes, de 8 a.m. a 4 p.m.
Teléfono: 888-963-7111
Fax: 512-776-7711
Direcciones: https://www.dshs.texas.gov/vs/addresses-sp.aspx | Mapa del edificio de la oficina central (PDF): https://www.dshs.texas.gov/visitor/images/campus-sp.pdf
Preguntas generales: https://www.dshs.texas.gov/vs/forms/generalinquiry-sp/