Texas - Obtain copy of Death Certificate

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Procedure

In-Person

1. Submit your request to:
   1100 W. 49th St.
   Austin, TX 78756
   The office is open MondayFriday 8 am5 pm
2. Obtain and fill out an application for a certified copy of a death certificate.
3. Send in the completed application along with your payment and your valid identification.

Expedited Services

1. Print the application.
2. Fill in the required information.
3. You must include a photocopy of your valid photo ID issued by a governmental entity.
4. Orders must be sent to the Texas Department of State Health ServicesVital Statistics Unit via an overnight mail service, such as: Fedex, Lonestar, UPS. Note: Do not send via USPS Priority Mail.

U.S. Postal Service

1. Print the application.
2. Fill in the required information.
3. You must include a photocopy of your valid photo ID issued by a governmental entity.

Online

You can apply online either with www.texas.gov or with external sources like www.vitalchek.com.

Texas.gov

Texas residents can order records of immediate family members. See Section 181.(13) of the Texas Family Code for what qualifies as an immediate family member.

Non-Texas residents must be:

• the surviving spouse of the deceased;
• the parent of the deceased; or
• the funeral director of the funeral home on record.

Texas.gov Vital Records Application - LINK

VitalChek

Go online and simply follow the steps to place an order. An additional fee is charged by VitalChek for using this service and all major credit cards are accepted. You will receive an e-mail notification once your certificate is shipped. If your shipment is via UPS, you will also receive the UPS tracking number.

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Required Documents

One of the following ID's can be used

• State-issued driver's license
• State/city/county ID card
• Student ID
• Government employment badge or card
• Prison ID
• Military ID

See Section 181.28 of the the Texas Administrative Code for a complete list of acceptable forms of identification

Office Locations & Contacts

Texas Department of State Health Services

Mailing Address:
PO Box 149347, Austin, Texas 78714-9347

Overnight Mailings (Federal Express, UPS, DHL):
1100 West 49th Street, Austin, Texas 78756-3199

Physical Addresses:
Central Campus 1100 West 49th Street, Austin, TX 78756
Map and Other Locations

Vital Statistics - Phone/Fax: (512) 776-7111
Vital Statistics - Request Processing: Toll Free (888) 963-7111

Website

Certificates may also be obtained from your local county. Use the contact information below to inquire.

Anderson County : 500 N. Church Street, #10, Palestine, TX 75801
Website

Andrews County : 215 NW 1st Street Andrews, TX 79714
Phone: 915.524.1426 Website

Angelina County : PO Box 908 Lufkin, TX 75902-0908
Phone: 936.634.8339 Website

Aransas County : 301 N Liveoak Street Rockport, TX 78382-2744
Phone: 361.790.0122 Website

Archer County : 112 E Walnut PO Box 458 Archer City, TX 76351
Phone: 940.574.4615 Website

Armstrong County : Courthouse PO Box 309 Claude, TX 79019
Phone: 806.226.2081 Website

Atascosa County : 5 Courthouse Circle Drive; Jourdanton, TX 78026
Phone: 830.769.2511 Website

Austin County : 1 E Main Street Bellville, TX 77418
Phone: 979.865.5911 Website

Bailey County : 300 S 1st Street Muleshoe, TX 79347-3621
Phone: 806.272.3044 Website

Bandera County : Bandera, TX 78003
Phone: 830.796.3332 Website

Bastrop County : 804 Pecan Street PO Box 577 Bastrop, TX 78602
Phone: 512.332.7234 Website

Baylor County : 101 S Washington PO Box 689 Seymour, TX 76380-0689
Phone: 940.888.3322 Website

Bee County : 105 W Corpus Christi Street Beeville, TX 78102-5684
Phone: 361.362.3245 Website

Bell County : 550 E 2nd Street PO Box 480 Belton, TX 76513
Phone: 254.933.5174 Website

Eligibility

For births within the past 75 years and deaths within the past 25 years, only the immediate family members to the person whose name is on the birth certificate or death certificate are eligible to request a copy. All those with any other relationship to this person must provide legal documentation, such as a court order establishing guardianship. If you are the legal representative of a qualified applicant, you must be able to present a release which documents a direct and tangible interest in the record you are requesting.

Immediate family member : Any of the following relationships by blood or marriage are considered to be immediate family members: self, child, parent, brother, sister, grandparent, and spouse.

If you are not an immediate family member you must present a written, notarized statement signed by an immediate family member. The statement must give permission to Texas Vital Statistics to release a certified copy of the certificate to you. The statement must also identify you by your full name, and you must present a photocopy of your picture ID with the notarized statement.

Fees

In Person:

• Certified copy: $20 1st certified copy
• Additional Copy: $3 each copy

You may pay in: Cash, Check, Credit/Debit Card+, Money order

Expedited Service:

• Certified copy: $20 1st certified copy
• Additional Copy: $3 each copy
• Plus $5 expedited processing fee
• Plus $8 return delivery for Lonestar (within Texas) or Fedex (outside of Texas) or $19.95 for P.O. Box and express mail (optional) *

You may pay in: Check, Money order

U.S. Postal Service:

• Certified copy: $20 1st certified copy
• Additional Copy: $3 each copy
• Plus: $8 return delivery for Lonestar (within Texas) or Fedex (outside of Texas) or $19.95 for P.O. Box and express mail (optional) *

You may pay in: Check, Money order

Notes:

* Additional carrier rates for Saturday and international shipping will apply. + Credit cards will require a $2.25 processing fee.

Make checks or money orders payable to DSHS.

Validity

A death certificate is valid forever.

Documents to Use

Texas Department of State Health Services:

Birth or Death Record Forms

Sample Documents

Please attach sample completed documents which would help other people who would like to follow this procedure.    

Processing Time

• In Person:Your certificate may be ready in 530 minutes. Note: Some applications may require 24 hours or more to process.
• Expedited Service: 1015 business days. Note: Incomplete or unacceptable applications will require additional processing time.
• U.S. Postal Service: 68 weeks
• Online:
  • Texas.gov: The current estimated processing time is 1015 business days.

Instructions

• Birth certificates and death certificates are not open records. Access to birth certificates is restricted to qualified applicants for 75 years from the date of birth, and access to death certificates is restricted for 25 years from the date of death. An ID is required to prove your identity and to prove that you are a qualified applicant.
• Birth and Death Certificates can be obtained from 1903 to present.
  
• Death Certificates with a date of death within the last 25 years are considered protected records. Online ordering of these records is restricted for security reasons. See below for details on who can order a protected record online.

Requests for certified copies of Death Records may be directed to the Local Registration Office of the county in which the event occurred. Since all death records are sent to the Local Registrar first and then sent to State Vital Statistics, you are encouraged to go to the Local Registrar for records of recent events (less than 6 months), especially if you need the death certificate immediately. Each Local Registrar sets its own hours of operation, fees, and procedures for requests. Please call the Local Registrar's Office directly for this information. Use the following link to obtain information about your local registrar http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/vs/field/localremotedistrict.shtm#district

Required Information

• Full name of the deceased on the Death Certificate
• Year of the death
• City or county where the death took place
• Full maiden name of the mother listed on the Death Certificate OR the full name of the father listed on the Death Certificate
• Date of birth of the deceased (required when the exact date of death is not known)
• Month and day of the death (optional)
• Social Security number of the deceased (optional)
• Place of birth of the deceased (optional)
• Your current Driver License or state-issued Identification Card*
• Your Social Security number*

Need for the Document

A Death Certificate is a document issued by a registrar of vital statistics that declares the date, location and cause of a person's death.

A copy of the death certificate is often necessary when you execute the will or make funeral arrangements.

Following are procedures on how you can obtain a death certificate in Texas.