Verified resources for Texas: getting an ID, getting vital records, finding legal help, and finding a job. We are starting with a small number of states so we can check each resource carefully; more states are coming.
Getting an ID or driver’s license
- Texas Department of Public Safety, Driver License Division (dps.texas.gov): apply for a driver license or ID card, find a driver license office near you, and see what documents you need to bring.
Getting a birth certificate or other vital records
- Texas Department of State Health Services, Vital Statistics Section (dshs.texas.gov, 888-963-7111): order a Texas birth certificate, and find information on death, marriage, and divorce records.
Legal help and expunging or sealing a record
- TexasLawHelp.org (texaslawhelp.org): free legal information for Texans, including guidance on expunction and nondisclosure (Texas’s terms for clearing or sealing a criminal record) and a calendar of free legal clinics.
Finding a job
- TDCJ Website For Work (reentry.tdcj.texas.gov): a Texas Department of Criminal Justice program that matches people with a criminal record to employers who are ready to hire them. Build a free profile and apply directly.
- Texas Workforce Commission (twc.texas.gov): find your nearest Workforce Solutions office for free job search help and training programs, and search WorkInTexas.com, the state’s job listing site.
Offices, phone numbers, and requirements change. Call ahead to confirm what is currently needed before you go. If something here is wrong or out of date, please let us know.