Birth Records in Miller County

Miller County birth records are managed by the Arkansas Department of Health, and certified birth certificates for births in the Texarkana area and across Miller County can be requested at the local health unit on Walnut Street or through the state office in Little Rock. This page explains the process for searching and getting a Miller County birth record.

Where to Get Miller County Birth Records

The Miller County Health Unit is at 503 Walnut Street, Texarkana, AR 71854. The phone number is (870) 773-2108. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Walk-in requests submitted before 3:00 PM are typically handled the same day. That means you can get your birth certificate on the spot if you arrive in the morning with the right documents.

Miller County is unique in Arkansas because its county seat, Texarkana, sits on the state line between Arkansas and Texas. If you were born in Texarkana, Arkansas, your birth record is an Arkansas state record held by the Arkansas Department of Health. If you were born in Texarkana, Texas, you would need to contact the Texas Vital Statistics Unit. The Walnut Street health unit serves the Arkansas side of Texarkana and all of Miller County, Arkansas.

Birth and death records for Miller County are recorded with the Division of Vital Records in Little Rock and have been since 1914. The Miller County Clerk's website at millercountyclerkar.com confirms this and directs residents to the local health unit for assistance with birth and death certificates.

The state-level office is the Arkansas Department of Health, Division of Vital Records, 4815 West Markham Street, Slot 44, Little Rock, AR 72205. Phone: (501) 661-2174. The CDC's Arkansas vital records page at cdc.gov/nchs/w2w/arkansas.htm also points to this office.

The CDC's guide confirms the Arkansas ADH as the source for certified Miller County birth certificates going back to 1914.

How to Request a Miller County Birth Certificate

In person at the Miller County Health Unit is the fastest route. Go to 503 Walnut Street in Texarkana. Bring your photo ID, fill out the request form, and pay. You can often leave with your certificate the same day if you arrive before 3:00 PM.

Mail requests are processed by the Division of Vital Records in Little Rock. Include a completed application form, a copy of your photo ID, proof of your relationship to the person on the record if not your own, and a check or money order for the fee. Mail takes several weeks. Give yourself plenty of lead time if you have a deadline.

Online ordering is available through VitalChek at vitalchek.com/v/vital-records/arkansas. This service is available around the clock. You pay the state fee plus a VitalChek service charge, and the certificate is mailed to you. Good for those who cannot visit in person or who need to place an order after business hours.

Note: The Miller County Clerk's office at (870) 774-1501 can answer basic questions about which office to contact for birth records, though the Clerk itself does not issue certificates.

What You Need to Apply

Prepare your documents before going to the health unit or sending a mail request. Having everything ready the first time saves a return visit.

• Completed birth certificate application form
• Valid government-issued photo ID
• Proof of relationship if the record is for someone else (birth certificate, marriage certificate, court order)
• Payment: $12 for the first copy, $10 for each additional copy in the same order
• For mail: check or money order payable to Arkansas Department of Health
• For Texas-side Texarkana births: contact the Texas Vital Statistics Unit instead

If you are unsure whether your birth occurred on the Arkansas or Texas side of Texarkana, check the address on your existing records or ask the health unit. The staff at the Miller County Health Unit are familiar with this question and can help you figure out which state's records system to use.

Birth Certificate Fees in Miller County

The fee structure at the Miller County Health Unit follows the statewide standard. The first certified copy of a birth certificate costs $12. Each extra copy in the same order costs $10. The $12 base fee includes a non-refundable search charge. You pay it even if the record is not found.

Pay at the health unit by cash or check. Mail requests must use a check or money order. Cash should never be mailed. VitalChek accepts credit and debit cards online but adds its own processing fee to the state fee.

If you need multiple copies, order them together. Ordering additional copies in the same request saves $2 per copy compared to making separate requests later. Two copies ordered together cost $22 total, versus $24 in two separate requests.

Who Can Access Miller County Birth Records

Birth records less than 100 years old are not open to the general public in Arkansas. Under Arkansas Code 20-18-305, access is limited to the person named on the record (if age 18 or older), a parent or legal guardian, a spouse, an adult sibling or child, an attorney for the family, or someone who can show a direct and tangible interest in the record.

Records that are 100 years old or older become fully public. No relationship proof is needed for those. The earliest Arkansas birth records from 1914 are now publicly accessible, and more records enter that open category each year. For genealogists researching Miller County families from the early 20th century, this means the oldest state records are available without restriction.

Courts, law enforcement, and certain government agencies have additional access rights under state law. If you need to access records in an official capacity, contact the Division of Vital Records directly to learn what you need to provide.

Historical Miller County Birth Records

Arkansas statewide birth registration began February 1, 1914. Miller County was created in 1820, so nearly a century of county history passed before state birth recording began. Births before 1914 are not in the Arkansas vital records system.

FamilySearch has a genealogy resource page for Miller County at familysearch.org/en/wiki/Miller_County,_Arkansas_Genealogy. This page covers historical record types available for the county, links to digitized collections, and explains where to look for pre-1914 birth information. Census records, church registers, and deed records can all help establish birth years and family connections in the absence of formal birth certificates.

The Miller County Clerk holds marriage records going back to 1820. These records can support genealogy research by helping confirm family relationships and approximate birth years. The Miller County Clerk also maintains probate and estate records, which sometimes include birth information. Their website at millercountyclerkar.com has current contact details for the office.

Note: The Clerk's office also handles passports by appointment only. Call (870) 774-1501 if you need passport services alongside your birth certificate request.

Miller County Clerk Records

The Miller County Clerk's office handles a range of county-level records and services. These include marriage licenses and records from 1820, probate and estate case files, circuit court documents, DBA filings, voter registration, and passport acceptance services. The Clerk does not hold birth or death records. Those go through the Arkansas Department of Health and have since 1914.

Marriage license applications require both parties to be present with certified proof of age. The cost is $60. Certified copies of marriage licenses are available for $5 each. These can be useful if you need to prove a family relationship when requesting birth records for another person.

The Clerk also maintains adoption and guardianship records within the county. If your birth record request relates to an adoption matter, the Clerk's records may be relevant. Contact the Miller County Clerk at millercountyclerkar.com for more details on what records they hold and how to access them.

Nearby Counties

Miller County borders both Texas and several other southwest Arkansas counties with their own health units.

Cities in Miller County

Texarkana is the largest city in Miller County and has its own birth records page with city-specific information.