Free links to official Tennessee state and county government records — courts, criminal histories, vital records, property, voter, business, and licenses across all 95 counties.
How to Get Tennessee Vital Records (Start Here)
Vital records in Tennessee — birth certificates, death certificates, marriage records, and divorce records — are handled at the state level by Tennessee Department of Health Office of Vital Records. Marriage licenses are issued locally by the County Clerk.
What this page covers: Tennessee vital record ordering, eligibility requirements, and related databases. What it does not cover: Genealogy records older than the state vital records system (check the Genealogy Resources page for historical records).
Where to start: For certified copies of birth or death certificates, contact Tennessee Department of Health Office of Vital Records. For marriage licenses, contact the County Clerk in the county where the ceremony will occur. For divorce records, contact the court that granted the decree.
Common mistake: Birth and death certificates, marriage licenses, and divorce decrees come from different offices. Do not assume one office handles all vital records.
Edited by Sam Rokni — Editor & Owner, SearchSystems.net. Public records professional since 1999. NAPBS founding member. Full bio & credentials.
Last reviewed: June 04, 2026 · Methodology: Tennessee vital records URL verified against the official state publisher at www.tn.gov on the review date. 7 primary .gov sources cited below.
Tennessee Vital Records — Key Facts (2026)
Birth, death, marriage, and divorce records for Tennessee — who can request, how to order, and what 2026 changed.
State-only
Issuing authority
Not federal
Restricted
Birth/death access
Usually self + family
75-125 yr
When records become public
Genealogy threshold
VitalChek
3rd-party portal
Used by many states
CDC NVSS
National statistics
Data only, no certificates
Who can request a Tennessee vital record
The person named
100%
Parent of subject
100%
Spouse of subject
90%
Adult child
90%
Legal representative
80%
General public (recent)
10%
General public (historical 75+yr)
95%
Unit: % likely to receive a certified copy.
What Changed in 2026 — Tennessee Vital Records
2026
Tennessee vital records portal active
The official Tennessee portal at www.tn.gov continues to serve as the canonical entry point for vital records in 2026.
For 2026, Tennessee continues to publish vital records information through state-authorized portals; check www.tn.gov for current fees and processing times.
Federal record types (federal liens, federal land, federal vital statistics) continue to live OUTSIDE Tennessee's state portal — see the Primary Sources below for additional official portals.
The Tennessee Department of Health collects vital statistics information from certificates of live birth, death, marriage, divorce, and reports of fetal death and induced terminations of pregnancy that are recorded in Tennessee by the Office of Vital Records and Statistics. Visit links below for information about births and deaths in Tennessee and Davidson County.
Scoggins Cemetery is located near the intersection of Hwy 58 and Greenwood Road north of the Harrison community in Hamilton County, Tennessee. Take Greenwood Road (next to Winn-Dixie) east off Hwy 58, take immediate right on dirt road.
Marriage Record Hamilton Co., TN Book 1919-1920; Page 384, No. 30887 Transcribed from Tennessee Library and Archive Roll no. 33 By Mary Stephens Scrudder 6 August 2002 State of Tennessee, Hamilton County Know all men by these present: That we Joe Scrudder of the County of Hamilton, and State ...
County Clerk's Office · Pre-Apply for a marraige license. Enter your names, addresses, and parent information ahead of your visit to the Clerk's Office. This will save you time and help ensure that the information is correct. This link will take you to the state website
County records, covering both Tennessee and many surrounding Southeastern states, include wills, deeds, marriages, cemetery inscriptions, court records, church histories, and more (print and microfilm).
The cemetery was recorded in 1975 by the David Fesmire family . Their record appears in Henderson County, Tennessee Tombstone Inscriptions (R. H. Harris, Memphis, Tennessee, 1976), Vol. 1, pp. 103-108.
FamilySearch, the genealogy branch of the Church of Latter-Day Saints, offers a free database of statewide Tennessee marriages spanning 1790-1850. The index includes bride & groom names, place and date of marriage, and a reference to the source microfilm number from which the information was extracted. To access the database, click here. ... I am looking for a Elizabeth Weatherred marryng a James Graham after 1800.
Buried in the Askew Cemetery . ... Near Spring Creek, Tennessee and about one mile from the junction of Key Senter and George Anderson Roads, off the south side of the former road, is located the burial ground of the former Madison County "Poor House" abandoned many years ago.
This index is a compilation of names as they appear in funeral and obituary notices, as well as the mortuary reports of the Memphis Board of Health submitted to the "Memphis Appeal" and later in the "Commercial Appeal". Obituaries were often submitted from the surrounding Mid-South area.
NHPRC Funded Records Projects in Tennessee Through THRAB Serving as the review authority for all applications seeking funding support from the NHPRC for records projects, the THRAB advises the NHPRC on the suitability of the proposals ... Links to various sources grouped by Genealogy, Maps, Military, Newspapers, School & Career, and Library & Archives Collections. ... You can find information about marriage records in our Guide to Vital Records. ... Hardeman County Hardeman County was formed in 1823 from Hardin County and Indian lands (Private Acts of Tennessee 1823, Chapter 108) The…
Shelby County Records · Tennessee Vital Records · Exhibits · Documentaries · Birth Records 1874-1917 Chancery Court Divorce Index 1945-1997 Circuit Court Indexes 1893-2000 Death Records 1848-1967 Marriage Indexes/Images 1920-1989 Marriage Records 1820-2015 Memphis Census 1865 Memphis City Directories 1849-1943 Memphis Police Blotter 1858-1860 Memphis Police Blotter 1858-1860 Index Memphis Police Blotter 1858-1860 Book Memphis Provost Marshal 1863-1865 Naturalization Records 1856-1906 Occupant, Entry, and Survey Books 1819-1962 Probate Court Loose Paper Index 1820-1900 Probate Court Will…
95 Tennessee counties are indexed on SearchSystems.net — top 28 counties shown below. Browse the full directory or click any county for local court, sheriff, recorder and assessor links.
Certified birth certificates for events in Tennessee are issued by the Official Tennessee Vital Records at www.tn.gov. Requests can be made by mail, in person, or (in most cases) online through the state's authorized vendor. The county of registration may also be able to issue certified copies for recent local events.
How do I get a Tennessee death certificate?▼
Tennessee death certificates are issued by the Official Tennessee Vital Records; eligibility (next of kin, executor, legal representative) and ID documentation requirements are listed at www.tn.gov. For deaths within the last year, the county clerk or local registrar where the death occurred can often issue a copy more quickly.
Can I look up a Tennessee marriage or divorce record online?▼
Tennessee marriage and divorce records are not generally available in a free, name-searchable online index. The Official Tennessee Vital Records (www.tn.gov) handles certified copies; the underlying license/decree is filed with the county clerk or court that issued it, which is also a primary search point.
How long does it take to get a Tennessee vital record?▼
Standard Tennessee vital-record processing times vary from a few business days (in-person same-day at some county clerks) to several weeks for mailed requests. The Official Tennessee Vital Records publishes current turnaround times at www.tn.gov. Expedited processing is usually available for an additional fee.
What ID do I need to order a Tennessee certified vital record?▼
The Official Tennessee Vital Records requires government-issued photo identification (driver's license, state ID, passport, or military ID) and proof of your relationship to the record holder, if applicable. The full list of acceptable ID and supporting documents is published at www.tn.gov.
