General Information
The Ector County Clerk is the local registrar of vital records for Ector County, including birth, death and marriage records.  Issuance of birth certificates is restricted to qualified applicants for 75 years from the date of filing.  Issuance of death certificates is restricted to qualified applicants for 25 years from the date of filing.  BIRTH AND DEATH RECORDS ARE NOT OPEN FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION. 

Birth records are available from all counties in the State of Texas from 1926 to the present, and for Ector County from 1903 to the present.  We also have Probate/Court ordered birth records and delayed birth records. Death records are available for deaths occurring in Ector County from 1903 to the present. 

How to Apply for a Birth or Death Certificate

https://ectortxvitals.permitium.com/rod

Qualified applicants may obtain a certified copy of a birth or death record.  A qualified applicant is defined as the registrant or an immediate relative or legal representative of the registrant.  An immediate family member would be a spouse, parent, grandparent, sibling, or child of the registrant.  A legal representative is defined as a court appointed administrator or guardian, or a power of attorney appointee.  If the mother is the only parent listed on the birth certificate, the qualified applicant is limited to the mother or maternal grandmother unless the applicant is the person named on the birth certificate and the individual has reached the age of 18 years. Applicant must present a valid photo ID, such as a driver’s license, state issued identification card, or other valid form of photo identification.  A legal representative must also present documents showing proof of appointment and specific authorization to obtain the document.  It is at the discretion of the County Clerk to determine whether sufficient identification has been provided.  If you do not have a valid photo ID, or have questions about ID requirements, please call the Ector County Clerk’s office at (432) 498-4130. 

The fee for a birth certificate is $23.00.  The fee for a death certificate is $21.00 for the first copy, $4.00 for each additional copy requested at the same time.  Fees may be paid by cash, check or money order.

Remote Access to Birth Records

If you are a native born Texan and were born in a county other than Ector County you can obtain a birth certificate from the Ector County Clerk’s Office.  You no longer have to travel or write to the State Vital Statistics Office in Austin Texas or the vital records office in the county where you were born.  Please note that some birth certificates issued from the remote site are not accepted at the U. S. Passport Office.

How to Apply for a Copy of a Marriage License

Marriage records are available for licenses issued in Ector County from 1891 to the present, and are accessible for research and inspection during regular business hours.   The fee for a certified copy of a marriage license is $21.00. If we do not locate the record you are requesting, we will return your copy fee. 

Office Location and Business Hours

To obtain a birth or death certificate, or a copy of a marriage license, you may come to the Ector County Clerk’s Office, 300 N. Grant Room 111, Ector County Courthouse, Odessa, Texas, 79760.  The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; we are not open on holidays and weekends. 

You may also request the record by mail.  You may obtain an application form on the Ector County website, at co.ector.tx.us. Please include a copy of your identification, along with your correct address and telephone number.  Enclose a money order or cashier’s check for the appropriate fees and mail your request to: Ector County Clerk, P. O. Box 707, Odessa, TX 79760 Phone:  (432) 498-4130