Fort Worth Death Index
Fort Worth death index records are handled by the Tarrant County Clerk's Office in downtown Fort Worth. The county clerk issues certified death certificates for deaths that occurred in Fort Worth and throughout Tarrant County. Death records in Texas go back to 1903, and the Tarrant County office has maintained local vital records since that time. You can request death records in person at 200 Taylor Street, by mail, or online through VitalChek. All copies issued are certified. Death records from the past 25 years are restricted to immediate family members and qualified requesters under Texas law.
Fort Worth Overview
Tarrant County Clerk Vital Records
The Tarrant County Clerk handles all death index records for Fort Worth and the surrounding county. The main office is at 200 Taylor Street, Fort Worth, TX 76196. Phone is 817-884-1550. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The county has multiple subcourthouse locations throughout Tarrant County for added convenience. All copies issued are certified copies. The county does not issue uncertified copies.
Certified copies can be ordered in person, by mail, or online through VitalChek, the only approved online partner for Tarrant County. Death certificates cost $21 for the first copy and $4 for each additional copy when ordered at the same time. Death records are confidential for 25 years from the date of the event. Birth records are confidential for 75 years.
| Office | Tarrant County Clerk - Vital Records |
|---|---|
| Address | 200 Taylor Street, Fort Worth, TX 76196 |
| Phone | (817) 884-1550 |
| Hours | Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
| Online Orders | tarrantcountytx.gov via VitalChek |
Acceptable IDs for requests: driver's license, state ID, U.S. passport, military ID, or visa. Current government-issued photo ID is required for all in-person requests.
The City of Fort Worth website links to county vital records and provides direction to the Tarrant County Clerk for death certificate requests.
Fort Worth death records are processed through the Tarrant County Clerk. All certificates issued are certified copies on official security paper.
Searching Fort Worth Death Index Records
For historical research, the Texas Death Index from 1903 to 2000 is available free at FamilySearch. Ancestry has the same index plus images for selected years. Both show the name, death county, date, and certificate number. With the certificate number and a qualifying relationship to the deceased, you can request a certified copy through the Tarrant County Clerk or the state DSHS portal.
The statewide DSHS system at dshs.texas.gov/vital-statistics accepts online orders and processes them in 20 to 25 business days. Mail orders to DSHS take 25 to 30 business days. In-person requests at the Tarrant County Clerk's office can often be filled the same day. Call 817-884-1550 first if you are unsure whether the specific record is held locally or at the state level.
Note: Tarrant County has no access to death records for Arlington from 1971 to the present or Grapevine from 1973 to the present. Those records must be requested directly from the respective city halls.
Who May Request Fort Worth Death Records
Certificates for deaths within the past 25 years are limited to immediate family members. That includes the spouse, parent, sibling, grandparent, or child of the deceased. Legal guardians, legal representatives of the family, and governmental agencies with a direct tangible need may also request restricted records. A grandparent may obtain a grandchild's record, but a grandchild cannot obtain a grandparent's record without showing direct tangible need.
For deaths older than 25 years, records are public. Any person may request a copy without showing family relationship. You still need to show valid ID and pay the fee. Verification letters are available for any Fort Worth death since 1903. A verification letter states the name, death date, and county but is not a legal substitute for a certified copy.
Tarrant County Death Records
Fort Worth is the county seat of Tarrant County. All death index records for the city pass through the Tarrant County Clerk. For full details on county resources, subcourthouse locations, and related vital records, see the Tarrant County death index page.
Nearby Cities
Other qualifying cities near Fort Worth with death index pages:
- Arlington - Tarrant County
- Grand Prairie - Dallas County
- Mansfield - Tarrant County
- Dallas - Dallas County
- Denton - Denton County