Tennessee

RELEASE OF RECORDS

Legislation effective July1, 1996 allowed certain persons the right to request access to adoption records, sealed records, and post adoption records of adoptions which were attempted or occurred on or after  
March 16, 1951.

Vital Records and Other Help

Office of Vital Records,
 Dept. of Health, 
312 8th Avenue, 3rd floor,
 Nashville, TN 37247-0350, 
615-741-1763

Make check or money order payable to
 Tennessee Vital Records.

State office has had birth records for entire state since January 1914, 
for Nashville since June 1881,
 for Knoxville since July 1881, 
and for Chattanooga since January 1882. 
Fee for short form is $5.00. 
Birth enumeration records by school district are available for July 1908 through June 1912.

State office has had death records for entire state since January 1914,
 for Nashville since July 1874,
 for Knoxville since July 1887, 
and for Chattanooga since March 6, 1872. 
Death enumeration records by school district are available for July 1908 through June 1912. 
Vital Records office keeps death records for 50 years; older records are maintained by 
Tennessee Library and Archives,
Archives Division, 
Nashville, TN 37243-0312.

For Memphis birth records from April 1877 through December 1887 and November 1898 to January 1, 1914 or death records from May 1848 to January 1, 1914, 
write to: 
Memphis-Shelby County Health Department, 
Division of Vital Records,
 Memphis, TN 38105

State office has divorce and marriage records since July 1945. 
If the records are not available at the State office, 
They should be available from the Clerk of Court in the county where the divorce was granted or marriage license was issued. 
Fees vary.

Other Tennessee adoption-related information can be found by searching the State's website

Tennessee Mama's Home Page

The University of Memphis Libraries

Birth Certificate Fees

If you experience any difficulties with any links, 
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