Handbooks/Guides

• Death Registration Handbook (PDF)
• Fetal Death Registration Handbook (PDF)

TxEVER

• TxEVER User/Training Guides
• Death Registration Shortcuts (PDF)
• Fetal Death Shortcuts (PDF)
• Certify records guide (PDF)
• Certify records demo (YouTube)
• Data Entry for Medical Certifiers (YouTube)
• Amend death records guide (PDF)
  Correcting the medical portion of a death record after it's been released to the state

Death Registration Training

Vital Statistics has partnered with Texas A&M School of Public Health to create online trainings to improve the death registration process. There are specific trainings for each type of medical certifier, which include information on the significance of accurate death reporting to public health. In addition, there are two trainings covering death reporting in times of disaster.

Death Certificate and Cause of Death Reporting-Funeral Home Directors

Death Certificate and Cause of Death Reporting-Justices of the Peace

Death Certificate and Cause of Death Reporting-Physician Training

Death Certificate and Cause of Death Reporting in Times of Disaster

Just in Time-Death Certificate and Cause of Death Reporting in Times of Disaster

NVSS - Training

Vital Statistics is committed to providing Stakeholders with valuable insights and resources aimed to enhance their work to ensure exceptional public service for all Texas residents. This section offers links hosted by the CDC for Medical Examiners, Justices of the Peace, and Physicians to access additional training material regarding Birth and Fetal Deaths. For more information, please visit NVSS - Training.

Medical Certifier Text Message Notification

Medical Certifiers can opt into TxEVER text message notifications of medical designation for a death record. If you are interested, email FieldServices@dshs.texas.gov. We’ll send you step-by-step instructions. Local Admins can also set up their Medical Certifiers to receive text messages.

TxEVER Account Lockout

Your account will automatically lock after 90 days of inactivity. Contact your local administrator or submit a help request.

Burial Transit Permits (BTP)

A BTP is required for a body to be removed from the state, cremated, or transported by a common carrier. As per TAC 181.2(b), a death certificate “completed in so far as possible” is required before a local registrar can issue the BTP.

Local registrars are still responsible for issuing these permits. Local registrars can use the death general data entry screen to verify that a death certificate is in TxEVER.

Local registrars can require documents such as verification of death facts, report of the death, and/or authority to cremate.

The funeral directors can print the verification of death facts and report of death from TxEVER, and the authority to cremate can be found on the TxEVER Landing Page.

Users can now obtain Burial Transit Permits (BTPs) from TxEVER before medical and demographic verification.

For the Natural Death BTP, the medical certifier only needs to accept medical designation in TxEVER and select "Natural" as the manner of death. The medical certifier can return and complete the death certificate within the required 5 days after medical designation.

The manual BTP process can still be used as needed to issue a written BTP without a completed death certificate. BTPs have been incorporated into TxEVER. This electronic process requires the medical certifier to indicate a manner of death but does not require medical certification.

Steps for Medical Certifier for Burial Transit Permit (PDF)

COVID-19

For the Natural Death BTP, the medical certifier only needs to accept medical designation in TxEVER and select "Natural" as the manner of death. The medical certifier can return and complete the death certificate within the required 5 days after medical designation.