Find Death Records in Borden County

Borden County death records are held at the County Clerk's office in Gail, Texas. The Borden County death index covers records from 1903, and certified death certificates are available through the county clerk in person or by mail, or through the Texas state vital records system in Austin.

Borden County Clerk and Death Index

The Borden County Clerk in Gail is the local registrar for vital records in the county. The office is at the Borden County Courthouse in Gail, Texas. Phone: 806-756-4312. Hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The clerk handles death certificate requests, marriage licenses, land records, and probate filings.

Borden County is one of the least populated counties in Texas, with a small and stable ranching community. The county was created in 1876 but not organized until 1891. Death records from the statewide registration system, which began in 1903, are on file at the county. Records from 1891 to 1903 would not include formal death certificates under state law. No courthouse disasters are known to have affected Borden County records, so the collection from 1903 onward is intact.

Because of the county's small population, the number of death records here is limited compared to larger Texas counties. The clerk handles requests personally in most cases. The fee is $21.00 for the first certified copy and $4.00 for additional copies. If a search is done and no record is found, the search fee is still charged. The state office DSHS Vital Statistics also holds copies of all Borden County death records, as counties are required to forward records to Austin.

Note: Borden County's small size means the clerk's office may have limited staff. Call ahead before visiting to confirm office hours and current availability.

The Borden County government website provides contact information for the County Clerk and general information about the records available in Gail.

For this small county, calling the clerk's office ahead of time is the best way to confirm hours and avoid a wasted trip to Gail.

How to Get a Borden County Death Certificate

In-person requests at the Borden County Courthouse are the most direct method. Bring your photo ID and payment. Staff will search the death index and issue a certified copy if the record is on file. Given the county's small size, in-person service is typically fast.

Mail requests are accepted. Complete the VS-142 Death Certificate Application from DSHS, attach a copy of your government-issued photo ID, and send a check or money order payable to Borden County Clerk to the courthouse in Gail, TX 79738. Processing time depends on office availability.

Online ordering through the Texas state vital records portal is an alternative for people who cannot travel to Gail. State orders go through DSHS in Austin at a fee of $20.00 for the first copy and $3.00 for additional copies. Processing takes 20 to 25 business days on average. For Borden County deaths, the state office should have copies of the same records held locally.

Access Rules for Borden County Death Records

Texas law restricts death records for 25 years under Texas Government Code Section 552.115. Only immediate family members or legal representatives can get a certified copy during that period. After 25 years, records are public. All requesters need a valid government-issued photo ID. The DSHS acceptable ID list shows what forms the clerk will accept.

Submitting false information to get a vital record is a felony under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 195. The penalty is 2 to 10 years in prison and fines up to $10,000. The clerk logs the requester's information for every transaction.

Borden County Death Index for Genealogy Research

Borden County has a small but complete death record set from 1903. Because the county has always had a very low population, researchers can often trace family lines here in detail. The county's ranching heritage means families tended to stay in the area for generations, which makes Borden County records useful for tracing west Texas lineage.

The FamilySearch Borden County genealogy page notes that the county clerk holds birth and death records from 1903, marriage records from 1891, and land and probate records also from 1891. Free online indexes include the FamilySearch Texas Death Index 1903-2000 and the Ancestry Texas Death Index. Both cover 1903 to 2000 and allow name searches that return the county, date, and certificate number for each entry.

The Texas State Library and Archives in Austin holds statewide microfilmed death indexes from 1903 to 1973 and is open for public research. For researchers who cannot travel to Gail, the state library is a practical way to access Borden County death index entries from the early and mid-20th century.

The DSHS Order Records Locally page lists Borden County and all Texas county offices where you can get death certificates without ordering from Austin.

For Borden County, the local office in Gail is listed with contact details for anyone who wants to request a record directly from the county rather than through the state system.

Cities in Borden County

Gail is the county seat and the main community in Borden County. With one of the lowest populations of any county in Texas, Borden County has no incorporated cities above the qualifying threshold for a separate city page. All death records for the county go through the clerk's office in Gail.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Borden County in west Texas. If you are unsure which county a death was registered in, contact both county clerks before submitting a request.

Garza County • Kent County • Scurry County • Howard County • Dawson County • Lynn County