Arlington Death Index Lookup

Arlington death index records from 1971 to present are city-held records and must be requested directly from Arlington City Hall, not the Tarrant County Clerk. For deaths that occurred in Arlington before 1971, contact the Tarrant County Clerk. Arlington is in Tarrant County and is one of the largest cities in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The Vital Records Bureau at Arlington City Hall handles certified death certificate requests. Statewide records are also available through the Texas DSHS portal. Qualified requesters include immediate family members and those with a documented legal need.

Arlington Vital Records Bureau

Arlington has a unique setup for death index records. Since 1971, the City of Arlington has maintained its own vital records. The Vital Records Bureau is at 101 W. Abram, 1st Floor, Arlington, TX 76010. This office handles certified death certificates for deaths that occurred within Arlington city limits from 1971 forward. For deaths before 1971, contact the Tarrant County Clerk at 200 Taylor Street in Fort Worth.

The Tarrant County Clerk's office cannot provide Arlington death records from 1971 to the present. The county has no access to those records. This is a firm rule. If you try to get a post-1971 Arlington death certificate from the county clerk, you will be redirected to city hall. For deaths outside Arlington city limits but within Tarrant County, the county clerk at 817-884-1550 handles the request. All death certificates follow state fee guidelines: $21 for the first copy and $4 for each additional copy ordered at the same time.

The City of Arlington website provides directions to the Vital Records Bureau and links to current service information for death certificate requests.

Arlington death records from 1971 onward are city records. The Tarrant County Clerk does not have access to these death certificates.

How to Get Arlington Death Records

For records from 1971 forward, contact the Arlington Vital Records Bureau at City Hall. Bring a valid photo ID and be ready to show your relationship to the deceased. For historical records from before 1971, the Tarrant County Clerk at 817-884-1550 may have copies. The statewide DSHS system at dshs.texas.gov covers all Texas deaths from 1903 to present and is a good starting point if you are not sure which office holds the record.

For genealogical research on Arlington-area deaths, the free Texas Death Index at FamilySearch covers 1903 to 2000. It shows name, county, death date, and certificate number. Use that information to confirm which office to contact. Death records from the last 25 years are restricted to immediate family. Records older than 25 years are public under Texas Government Code § 552.115.

Note: All death certificates issued in Texas are certified copies. No uncertified copies are issued by any county clerk in the state.

Fees and ID Requirements

Death certificates in Arlington cost $21 for the first copy and $4 for each additional copy ordered at the same time. A non-refundable search fee equal to the certificate fee applies if a search is conducted and no record is found. Bring a current government-issued photo ID to any in-person request. A driver's license, state ID, U.S. passport, or military ID are all acceptable as primary identification.

Online ordering through the state Texas.gov portal processes requests in 20 to 25 business days. Statewide mail orders take 25 to 30 business days. The DSHS mailing address is P.O. Box 12040, Austin, TX 78711-2040. For the fastest service, go in person to the Arlington Vital Records Bureau or the Tarrant County Clerk depending on the year of death.

Tarrant County Death Records

Arlington is in Tarrant County. Deaths before 1971 and deaths outside city limits are handled by the Tarrant County Clerk in Fort Worth. For full county resources and additional information, see the Tarrant County death index page.

View Tarrant County Death Index

Nearby Cities

Other qualifying cities near Arlington with death index pages:

• Fort Worth - Tarrant County
• Grand Prairie - Dallas County
• Mansfield - Tarrant County
• Dallas - Dallas County
• Irving - Dallas County