What if You Are No Longer in Foster Care or Don’t Have a DFPS Form 2042 Foster Care Residency Verification?

You must be in foster care or extended foster care, including Supervised Independent Living (SIL), to be covered by the law that allows you to get your birth certificate and ID or license for free. If you are not in foster care, you might be covered by special laws for homeless youth.

If you are not considered a youth in foster care or experiencing homelessness, or you don’t have DFPS Form 2042 Foster Care Residency Verification, you can’t waive the fees for a birth certificate and ID or license. You will not be able to get your birth certificate on your own if you are under 18 unless you have other proof you are in foster care or are homeless. For an ID or a license, you will need to provide either two documents that establish your Texas residential address or present a Texas Residency Affidavit.

See the DPS website for more information about documents you can use to meet DPS residency requirements.