NEWS / Paper shortage results in birth and death certificate delays in Texas

Individuals applying for birth death certificates in Rockwall County, Texas, located about 30 miles east of Dallas in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metro Area, may experience significant delays when applying for vital records due to a shortage of secure paper.

The shortage is partially a result of the fact that VeriTrace, a company that used to provide counties across the State of Texas with secure paper, was replaced with the Banknote Corporation of America in March 2026.

The Rockwall County Clerk, Jennifer Fogg, posted on Facebook, complaining that local registrars were not made aware of this change until April 30, 2026. Moreover, the new vendor did not have sufficient paper available to meet demand at first, and the proof it provided to the Rockwall County Clerk’s office in July required changes.

The Banknote Corporation provided corrected proof to the County Clerk in August, and Fogg approved an order for the production of secure vital records paper. However, the County only expects to receive that order on October 1. Until then, Rockwall County is “out of the secure paper required to issue birth certificates”.

“I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this temporary shortage may cause,” County Clerk Jennifer Fogg was quoted by WFAA ABC News 8 as stating. “I know that birth certificates are often needed for important and time-sensitive reasons, and I share your frustration that we are temporarily unable to provide the level of service you expect from my office.”

Fogg went on to illustrate an example of one of the delays, noting that one of the County’s paper orders placed on August 9 is currently not expected to arrive until October 29.

If you need assistance getting certified copies of birth or death certificates apostilled or authenticated for use abroad, do not hesitate to contact us via e-mail at info@apostille.us or by phone at (212) 233-7061. You can also place an order on our website.