Sumner County Birth Records
Sumner County birth records are issued through the Sumner County Health Department and the Tennessee Office of Vital Records. Residents can get a certified birth certificate for any Tennessee birth at the local health department in Gallatin for $15.00 per copy. The county clerk in Gallatin also holds historical birth records from 1881-1882. This page covers how to get a certified copy, what the Sumner County Clerk has on file, and how to find older birth records through the state archives for genealogy research.
Sumner County Quick Facts
Sumner County Health Department Vital Records
The Sumner County Health Department is the main local office for birth certificate requests. Tennessee's statewide VRISM system connects every county health department to the central birth records database. That means any county health department, including Sumner's, can issue a certified birth certificate for any Tennessee birth. You do not have to request it from the county where you were born. If you live in Hendersonville or Gallatin, you can walk into the Sumner County Health Department and get your certificate the same day.
Each certified copy costs $15.00. Bring a valid, government-issued photo ID. A driver's license, state ID card, or passport are all accepted. Parents requesting a certificate for a minor child will need to provide proof of their relationship to the child. The health department can tell you what documents to bring. Check the county website at sumnertn.org for current hours and office location before you visit.
For full details on the in-person, mail, and online request process, see vitalrecords.tn.gov. The current fee schedule is posted at vitalrecords.tn.gov/fees.
| Office | Sumner County Health Department Gallatin, TN |
|---|---|
| Fee | $15.00 per certified copy |
| ID Required | Valid government-issued photo ID |
| Website | sumnertn.org |
Sumner County Clerk
The Sumner County Clerk's office in Gallatin is at 355 Belvedere Drive North, Room 111, Gallatin, TN 37066. The phone number is (615) 452-4063. The clerk's office issues marriage licenses and provides guidance on where to get birth certificates. While the clerk does not issue certified birth certificates directly, the staff can answer questions and point you to the right office or process.
The clerk accepts cash, personal checks, and major credit cards for any fees related to the documents they do issue. Visit sumnertn.org for office hours and a full list of services. If you are researching historical vital records in Sumner County, the clerk is a good place to start. The Sumner County Archives, also accessible through the county website, holds historical birth records from 1881 to 1882.
Note: The Sumner County TNGenWeb project has made birth records from 1908-1912 available online, which can be helpful for genealogy work without making a trip to Nashville or Gallatin.
Tennessee Office of Vital Records
Sumner County residents who want to order by mail or online should use the Tennessee Office of Vital Records. The office is on the 1st Floor of the Andrew Johnson Tower, 710 James Robertson Parkway, Nashville, TN 37243. Phone: (615) 741-1763. Walk-in hours are Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 4 PM, plus Tuesday and Thursday until 6 PM. The state vital records office covers all registered Tennessee births from 1908 forward.
For online or phone orders, use VitalChek at vitalchek.com or call 800-241-8322. An extra service fee applies through VitalChek, on top of the $15.00 state fee. General information about Tennessee vital records is at tn.gov/health. The CDC also has a helpful reference at cdc.gov.
Under Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1200-07-01-.11, Tennessee birth records are restricted for 100 years. Only the registrant, a parent, a legal guardian, or other specifically authorized parties can request a certified copy of a record that is less than 100 years old. Records older than 100 years are open to the public and available for genealogy research.
Genealogy Research for Sumner County
The Tennessee Department of Health's genealogy resources page at vitalrecords.tn.gov explains how researchers can access older vital records, including what is available for Sumner County.
The genealogy page covers the time periods and types of records held at the state level for each county, including Sumner. For birth records before 1908, the Tennessee State Library and Archives in Nashville and the Sumner County Archives are the primary sources. Researchers often find it useful to cross-reference the TSLA's holdings with county-level archives to fill in gaps in early birth registration.
Note: If you need a birth certificate and were born outside the state, you must contact the vital records office in the state where the birth occurred. The Tennessee Office of Vital Records only issues certificates for births registered in Tennessee.
Historical Sumner County Birth Records
The Tennessee State Library and Archives (TSLA) holds early birth records for Sumner County. The TSLA is at 1001 Rep. John Lewis Way N., Nashville, TN 37219. Their guide to vital records at sos.tn.gov is a good starting point. It lists what records are available by county and year, so you can see exactly what exists for Sumner before making the trip.
The Sumner County Archives also holds historical birth records from 1881 to 1882. These early records were kept locally before the state took over formal registration. If you are tracing a family line in Sumner County that goes back to the 1800s, the county archives and TSLA together give you the most complete picture possible. Many early records are also accessible through the Tennessee Digital Archives online, which saves time for remote researchers.
Cities in Sumner County
Sumner County includes several cities. The two largest are Hendersonville and Gallatin, both of which have dedicated city pages on this site. Birth certificate requests for residents of any Sumner County city go through the local health department or the state office in Nashville.
Hendersonville and Gallatin are the qualifying cities in Sumner County. Both cities are served by the Sumner County Health Department for vital records requests.
Nearby Counties
Sumner County is in Middle Tennessee, north of Nashville. It borders several counties in the region. Birth records are filed in the county where the birth occurred, so check the right county if you are unsure where a relative was born.