Obtain a birth certificate application form. Visit the Tennessee Office of Vital Records website (see Resources for a link). Click on the "Applications and Downloads" link on the left side of the page. Download and fill out a birth certificate application form. If you are requesting a birth certificate in person, application forms are also available at the Office of Vital Records in Nashville.
Make a photocopy of your current government-issued ID. This ID must bear your photo and signature. Acceptable forms of ID include a driver's license, passport or military ID. If you do not have a government ID, you may provide two documents, such as pay stub and voter registration card, or a signed Social Security card and insurance card.
Include a check or money order for the birth certificate search fee made payable to Tennessee Vital Records. The fee for long-form birth certificates is $15. If you were born in or after 1949, computer-generated short-form birth certificates are available for $8. Additional copies of both long- and short-form birth certificates are $5 each.
Mail your application materials to: Tennessee Vital Records, 421 5th Avenue North, 1st floor, Central Services Building, Nashville, TN 37243. Your birth certificate may take up to six weeks to process. You may also submit your application in person at the same address. The office is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Same day service is available.
