Campbell County Birth Records
Campbell County birth records are maintained through the Tennessee Department of Health and are available at the local health department in Jacksboro. Residents can request a certified birth certificate in person at the county health department, by mail to the state office in Nashville, or online through VitalChek. Tennessee began statewide birth registration in 1908, so most records from that year forward exist in the system. This page explains every option for getting Campbell County birth records, including historical research sources for older documents.
Campbell County Quick Facts
Campbell County Health Department
The Campbell County Health Department is located at 570 Main Street, PO Box 435, Jacksboro, TN 37757. This is the local office for in-person birth certificate requests in Campbell County. The department participates in the Tennessee Vital Records Information System (VRISM), which connects all 95 county health departments across the state. Through VRISM, the Jacksboro office can issue a certified copy of any Tennessee birth certificate, not just those from Campbell County births.
To request a certificate in person, bring a valid government-issued photo ID and a completed application. You can download the application from the Tennessee Vital Records applications page. Fill it out before you arrive to save time. The fee is $15.00 per certified copy. Additional copies ordered at the same time are also $15.00 each. Call ahead to confirm current hours, since small county health departments may have limited walk-in windows for vital records.
The Campbell County government website has contact information for the health department and other county offices. If you need records other than birth certificates, the website can help you find the right department.
The Campbell County Health Department in Jacksboro provides local access to Tennessee birth records through the statewide VRISM system.
How to Get a Campbell County Birth Certificate
Three options are available for getting a certified birth certificate from a birth that occurred in Campbell County: in person at the local health department, by mail to the state, or online through VitalChek.
In person is the quickest method. Visit the Campbell County Health Department at 570 Main Street in Jacksboro. Bring your photo ID, your completed application, and $15.00. Most requests are filled the same day. This is the best choice when you need the certificate fast, whether for a passport, school enrollment, or other official purpose.
Mail requests go to the Tennessee Office of Vital Records, 710 James Robertson Pkwy, Nashville, TN 37243. Send your completed application, a copy of your photo ID, and a check or money order for $15.00 per copy. Do not send cash. The state office is open Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 4 PM, with extended hours Tuesday and Thursday until 6 PM. The state phone number is (615) 741-1763. Mail processing times vary but typically take several weeks. Send by certified mail to track your request.
Online orders go through VitalChek, the only state-authorized vendor for online Tennessee birth certificate requests. Fill out the order form on VitalChek's website, verify your identity, and pay by card. The state processes and mails the certificate to you. VitalChek charges the $15.00 state fee plus a service fee. For full fee details, visit the Tennessee Vital Records fees page.
Who Can Request a Birth Certificate
Tennessee limits who can get a certified birth certificate. The rules are set by state law and apply equally in Campbell County as in any other part of Tennessee.
People who can request a birth certificate include:
- The person named on the certificate (18 or older)
- A parent listed on the record
- A legal guardian with court documentation
- A spouse or adult child of the person named
- An attorney acting for any eligible party
- A person with a valid court order allowing access
Every requestor must present a valid, government-issued photo ID. If you are making a request on behalf of someone else, also bring proof of your relationship or legal authority. For third-party pickups, a signed letter from the person named on the certificate may be required along with your own ID. These identity checks apply whether you request in person, by mail, or through VitalChek online.
Genealogists and researchers without a direct family connection may access records that are 100 or more years old. Those records are publicly available under Tennessee law. Records under 100 years old are restricted under Tenn. Code Ann. ยง 68-3-205.
Online and Mail Options
Campbell County is a rural county in the mountains of Northeast Tennessee, and for some residents, online or mail access is more practical than driving to Jacksboro.
VitalChek is the state's authorized online platform for birth certificate orders. Place your order on the VitalChek website, complete the identity verification steps, and pay by credit or debit card. The state processes the order and mails the certificate to you. VitalChek adds a service fee on top of the state's $15.00 fee. This is a solid option for people who are out of state, prefer not to visit any office, or need a record for someone else in another location.
Mail requests are sent to Tennessee Office of Vital Records, 710 James Robertson Pkwy, Nashville, TN 37243. Include your completed application from the applications page, a photocopy of your photo ID, and a check or money order made out to Tennessee Vital Records. Do not fold the ID copy. Using certified mail gives you a tracking number and proof of delivery. The Tennessee Vital Records website has more on both options and what to expect for turnaround times.
Historical Campbell County Birth Records
Tennessee began mandatory birth registration in 1908. Coverage was often incomplete in the early years, particularly in rural mountain counties like Campbell. Some remote communities and home births in the Appalachian highlands of the county went unregistered for years, if at all. State-level compliance improved steadily and reached about full coverage around 1927. For births before 1908, no official state registration took place.
For records that are now 100 years old or older, the Tennessee Electronic Vital Archives (TEVA) is the best starting point. The free public database at digitaltennessee.tnsos.gov/tennessee_births/ lets you search and view scanned original birth records from the early registration period. Search by name, year, and county. New records are added as they cross the 100-year mark. TEVA is especially valuable for Campbell County genealogists researching families from the early twentieth century who may not appear in more complete later records.
The Tennessee State Library and Archives (TSLA) in Nashville holds early vital records, church registers, and local documents that supplement the state system. TSLA is open Tuesday through Saturday, 8 AM to 4 PM, and accessible through sos.tn.gov/library-archives. Staff can assist with remote research if you cannot visit in person. For a broader guide to finding Tennessee records, check the Tennessee Genealogy Research page and the CDC's Where to Write guide for Tennessee. The Tennessee vital records access regulations cover who can access records and how.
Nearby Counties
Campbell County borders several counties in Northeast Tennessee, all part of the same statewide Tennessee birth records system.