Lewis County Birth Records
Lewis County birth records are part of Tennessee's statewide vital records system. If you need a certified birth certificate for a birth that took place in Lewis County or anywhere else in Tennessee, the Lewis County Health Department in Hohenwald is your local access point. You can also request records through the Tennessee Office of Vital Records in Nashville or online through VitalChek. Birth records in Tennessee are restricted for 100 years, and only qualified people can get certified copies. This page walks through the steps and sources for Lewis County birth records.
Lewis County Quick Facts
Lewis County Health Department
The Lewis County Health Department at 20 Smith Street in Hohenwald is the local office where you can request birth certificates. The department uses the statewide VRISM electronic system, which means staff can pull up birth records for any Tennessee birth, not just those that happened in Lewis County. This saves a trip to Nashville if you need a certificate and you live in or near Hohenwald.
Lewis County is part of the South Central Health Department Region. This region includes several counties in south-central Tennessee. Some applications for short-form birth certificates submitted at the Lewis County Health Department may be processed and mailed from one of the regional printing locations rather than issued on the same day. Those printing locations include Coffee-Tullahoma, Hickman, Lawrence, Lincoln, and Maury County health departments. Call the Lewis County office at (931) 796-2161 before you go so you know what to expect when you arrive.
The fee for a certified birth certificate is $15.00 per copy. Payment is accepted in cash, check, money order, or by credit and debit card. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID. The office runs Monday through Friday but hours can change, so confirm by phone before visiting.
| Office |
Lewis County Health Department 20 Smith Street Hohenwald, TN 38462 Phone: (931) 796-2161 |
|---|---|
| Fee | $15.00 per certified copy |
| Payment | Cash, check, money order, credit/debit cards |
| County Website | lewiscountytn.gov |
Lewis County Health Department Online
The official Lewis County website at lewiscountytn.gov provides contact details for county offices, including the health department that handles vital records requests.
Use the county site to confirm office hours and phone numbers before making your trip to Hohenwald. Staff there can answer questions specific to Lewis County birth certificates and help you prepare your request.
Tennessee Office of Vital Records
The Tennessee Office of Vital Records holds all birth records statewide. The office is in Nashville at the Andrew Johnson Tower, 1st Floor, 710 James Robertson Parkway, Nashville, TN 37243. Walk-in visits are welcome without an appointment. Hours run Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with extended hours until 6:00 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The main phone number is (615) 741-1763.
The state has held birth records since July 1908. Records from 1913 are missing. If you are looking for an early Lewis County birth record, keep this gap in mind. The state office can also tell you if a record was never registered, which can happen for home births or very early births in small rural counties like Lewis.
Mail requests go to the Nashville address above. Include a completed application, proof of ID, and a $15.00 check or money order payable to Tennessee Vital Records. Processing by mail takes around four weeks. See the official Tennessee Vital Records fee page for the full cost breakdown, including online order fees through VitalChek.
Note: VitalChek at vitalchek.com or 800-241-8322 is the only state-approved online vendor for Tennessee birth certificates. Third-party sites that charge a fee are not authorized by the state.
Who Can Get Lewis County Birth Records
Tennessee restricts access to birth records for 100 years under Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1200-07-01-.11. You must be an eligible person to get a certified copy. The restriction protects people from identity theft and protects personal health information.
Eligible requesters for Lewis County birth certificates include the registrant (the person named on the record), a parent listed on the certificate, the registrant's spouse, a person with legal custody backed by court documentation, or anyone with a notarized statement from the registrant giving permission. If you are requesting on behalf of someone else, bring the court order or notarized statement with you. The office will check your ID before issuing any certified copy.
If the birth you are looking for was never registered, Tennessee has a process to file a delayed birth registration. See the Tennessee Vital Records guidance on delayed birth registration for the steps involved.
How to Request a Lewis County Birth Certificate
You have four ways to request a birth certificate for a Lewis County birth: visit the local health department in Hohenwald, visit the state office in Nashville, mail a request, or order online through VitalChek. Each method costs $15.00 per certified copy for the base certificate fee.
For in-person requests at the local level, go to the Lewis County Health Department at 20 Smith Street in Hohenwald. Bring a valid photo ID. Staff will search the statewide system and either print your certificate or route it through the South Central regional processing system. Ask about same-day service when you call ahead. The Tennessee Vital Records help center explains what each request method involves and what you need to bring.
For genealogy research, the Digital Tennessee birth records index can help you search historical records. The CDC vital records page for Tennessee also gives a brief overview of the statewide system.
Historical Lewis County Birth Records
Lewis County was formed in 1843 from parts of Maury, Lawrence, Wayne, and Hickman counties. Statewide birth registration did not start until 1908, and full compliance in small rural counties like Lewis took time. The general compliance date across Tennessee was around 1927. Birth records before that date may be incomplete or missing entirely.
Records more than 100 years old move from the Office of Vital Records to the Tennessee State Library and Archives. The TSLA is at 1001 Rep. John Lewis Way N., Nashville, TN 37219, phone (615) 741-2764. The TSLA guide to vital records explains what is available and how to access it. The Tennessee Virtual Archive (TEVA) has some digitized records you can browse online before making a trip.
Cities in Lewis County
Lewis County's county seat is Hohenwald. The county is one of the least populous in Tennessee. No cities in Lewis County meet the population threshold for a dedicated page on this site. All birth certificate requests for Lewis County residents are handled through the county health department in Hohenwald or through state-level channels.
Nearby Counties
Lewis County sits in south-central Tennessee. If you are not certain where a birth was recorded, check the neighboring counties listed below.