Overton County Birth Records
Overton County birth records are handled by the Overton County Health Department in Livingston, which can issue certified birth certificates for any person born in Tennessee. The Tennessee Office of Vital Records in Nashville is the central state source for all birth records. Whether you need a certificate for yourself, a family member, or a legal matter, this page covers how to get birth records in Overton County, what they cost, and what historical records exist for this part of Upper Cumberland Tennessee.
Overton County Quick Facts
Overton County Health Department
The Overton County Health Department issues duplicate birth certificates and provides vital records services in Livingston. Their office is at 5880 Bradford-Hicks Drive in Livingston. The phone number is (931) 823-6260. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call ahead to confirm before you make the trip, as hours can change.
Staff at this office can issue a certified birth certificate for any Tennessee birth, not just births that occurred in Overton County. Tennessee's statewide electronic issuance system connects all county health departments, so your birth county does not matter when choosing where to request your record. The fee is $15.00 per copy. You need a government-issued photo ID to request a certificate in person. For someone else's record, you must show eligibility, such as a parent-child relationship or legal guardianship with documentation.
| Office |
Overton County Health Department 5880 Bradford-Hicks Drive Livingston, TN 38570 Phone: (931) 823-6260 |
|---|---|
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Fee | $15.00 per certified copy |
| County Website | overtoncountytn.gov |
Overton County Health Department Online
The Overton County website at overtoncountytn.gov lists county offices and services including the health department. Use the site to look up current contact details and check for any notices about hours or office closures before you visit for birth record services.
The Tennessee Department of Health also maintains a full list of county health departments with contact information at tn.gov/health. That page is a good starting point if you need to compare options for getting an Overton County birth certificate or want to find the nearest office to you.
Overton County Clerk and Marriage Records
The Overton County Clerk keeps marriage records from 1878 to the present. Their office is at 317 E. University Street in Livingston. The phone is (931) 823-2631. While this office has limited birth and death records, it is the main local source for marriage records in Overton County.
The clerk's office is a small operation with limited staff. They are not set up to do research for outside requests. If you need genealogical help with Overton County records, the Tennessee State Library and Archives is a better resource. The TSLA holds older vital records and has guides for researching families in counties like Overton where older records may be incomplete.
Note: An Overton County Archive project is underway to enter all marriage records from 1878 to the present. Once complete, those records will be more accessible for online and in-person research. Contact the county clerk for the current status of that project.
Ways to Get an Overton County Birth Certificate
You can get a certified birth certificate for a Tennessee birth tied to Overton County through four channels. The first is in person at the Overton County Health Department or any other Tennessee county health department. The second is by mailing a request to the Tennessee Office of Vital Records. The third is through VitalChek online. The fourth is by phone through VitalChek at 800-241-8322.
For a mail request, you need a completed application, a photocopy of a government-issued photo ID or a notarized application form, and a $15.00 check or money order made out to Tennessee Vital Records. Send everything to the state office at 710 James Robertson Parkway, Nashville, TN 37243. Processing takes about four weeks by mail. The state office is open weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with extended hours until 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday.
More information on each request method is at the Tennessee Vital Records help center. The CDC also publishes a guide for Tennessee vital records at cdc.gov.
Who Can Access Overton County Birth Records
Tennessee restricts access to birth records for 100 years. During that time, certified copies are only available to specific eligible parties. Those parties are: the person named on the certificate, a parent listed on the certificate, a spouse, an adult child of the person, someone with legal custody backed by court documents, or anyone who has a notarized authorization from the person named on the record.
Once a birth record passes the 100-year restriction, it transfers to the Tennessee State Library and Archives (TSLA) and becomes accessible for genealogy research. The TSLA is at 1001 Rep. John Lewis Way N., Nashville, TN 37219. Their phone is 615-741-2764 and email is ask@tsla.libanswers.com. Digitized birth records are also searchable online through the Digital Tennessee births database for records that have passed the restriction period.
The full guide to vital records at the TSLA is at sos.tn.gov. It explains what Overton County records are held there, how far back records go, and what substitute sources exist for the years when registration was incomplete.
Birth Certificate Fees in Overton County
The fee for a certified birth certificate is $15.00 per copy. This is the same statewide rate whether you request at the Overton County Health Department, at any other county health department, or at the state office. Each additional copy of the same record costs another $15.00. Fee details are posted at vitalrecords.tn.gov.
Online orders through VitalChek include a $10.00 processing fee, a $5.00 agency expedite fee, and optional shipping costs. In-person or mail requests avoid those extra charges. Cash, check, money order, and credit or debit card are all accepted at the Overton County Health Department and at the state office in Nashville.
Cities in Overton County
Livingston is the county seat of Overton County. No cities in Overton County meet the population threshold for a dedicated birth records page. All residents seeking birth certificates in Overton County should contact the Overton County Health Department in Livingston or the state office in Nashville.
Nearby Counties
Overton County is in the Upper Cumberland region of Middle Tennessee. Several counties share borders with Overton. Any county health department in Tennessee can issue your birth certificate regardless of where the birth took place.