Sec. 191.0045. FEES

(a) The bureau of vital statistics may charge fees for providing services to the public and performing other activities in connection with maintenance of the vital statistics system, including:

(1) performing searches of birth, death, fetal death, marriage, divorce, annulment, and other records;

(2) preparing and issuing copies and certified copies of birth, death, fetal death, marriage, divorce, annulment, and other records; and

(3) filing a record, amendment, or affidavit under this title.

(b) The board by rule may prescribe a schedule of fees for vital statistics services. The aggregate of the amounts of the fees may not exceed the cost of administering the vital statistics system.

(c) The bureau of vital statistics shall refund to an applicant any fee received for services that the bureau cannot perform. If the money has been deposited to the credit of the vital statistics fund, the comptroller shall issue a warrant against the fund for refund of the payment on presentation of a claim signed by the state registrar.

(d) A local registrar or county clerk who issues a certified copy of a birth or death certificate shall charge the same fees as charged by the bureau of vital statistics, including the additional fee required under Subsection (e), except as provided by Subsections (g) and (h).

(e) In addition to fees collected by the bureau of vital statistics under Subsection (b), the bureau shall collect an additional $2 fee for each of the following:

(1) issuing a certified copy of a certificate of birth;

(2) issuing a wallet-sized certification of birth; and

(3) conducting a search for a certificate of birth.

(f) Repealed by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 263, Sec. 5(1), eff. May 30, 2005.

(g) A local registrar or county clerk that on March 31, 1995, was charging a fee for the issuance of a certified copy of a birth certificate that exceeded the fee charged by the bureau of vital statistics for the same type of certificate may continue to do so but shall not raise this fee until the fee charged by the bureau exceeds the fee charged by the local registrar or county clerk. A local registrar or county clerk to which this subsection applies shall charge the additional fee as required under Subsection (e).

(h) In addition to other fees collected under this section, a local registrar or county clerk may collect a fee not to exceed $1 for:

(1) preserving vital statistics records maintained by the registrar or county clerk, including birth, death, fetal death, marriage, divorce, and annulment records;

(2) training registrar or county clerk employees regarding vital statistics records; and

(3) ensuring the safety and security of vital statistics records.

(i) A fee under this section shall be collected by the registrar or county clerk on the issuance of a vital statistics record, including a record issued through a Remote Birth Access site.

Added by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 14, Sec. 52, eff. Sept. 1, 1991. Amended by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 651, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1991; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 76, Sec. 9.62, eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 305, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 975, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2003. Amended by: Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 263 , Sec. 5(1), eff. May 30, 2005. Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 400 , Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2005. Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1022 , Sec. 3, eff. June 17, 2011.