If you were born in Tennessee and age one or over, and believe that you never had a birth certificate, you should still follow the instructions to request a certified copy from the Tennessee Office of Vital Records. If no record of your birth is located, the Tennessee Office of Vital Records will send you a letter certifying that no record is on file and instructions to file a delayed certificate of birth. Many agencies that ask for a birth certificate will accept this certified letter from the State of Tennessee in place of a birth certificate.