Cameron County Death Index
Cameron County death index records are kept at the County Clerk's Vital Statistics office in Brownsville, and the county has an online ordering system that lets you request certified copies without visiting the courthouse in person. The county covers a large border region along the Gulf Coast, and death records from 1903 are available through the clerk. Some records for deaths in Brownsville, Harlingen, and San Benito are held by those city offices rather than the county clerk, so it helps to know where the death occurred before you start your search.
Cameron County Overview
Cameron County Clerk Vital Statistics
The Cameron County Clerk handles death record requests through its Vital Statistics Department. Mail requests go to: Cameron County Clerk, Attn: Vital Statistics Dept., P.O. Box 2178, Brownsville, TX 78520. You can call the office at 956-544-0817 for questions about specific records. The clerk's office follows state business hours and processes requests during normal weekday hours.
One important thing to know about Cameron County is that the county clerk does not hold all death records. Deaths that happened within the city limits of Brownsville, Harlingen, and San Benito are registered with those city offices, not with the county clerk. If the death occurred in any of those three cities, you will need to contact the right city office. The City of Brownsville Vital Statistics is at 956-548-6042. Harlingen is at 956-216-5140. San Benito is at 956-361-3804 ext. 210. For deaths outside those city limits, the county clerk is the right place to go.
Deaths occurring in smaller communities like Port Isabel, Rio Hondo, La Feria, Los Fresnos, South Padre Island, and many other unincorporated areas are held by the Cameron County Clerk. The clerk has served as the local registrar for those areas since January 1, 2009. Before that date, records may be split between the county and local offices depending on where the death happened.
Note: Always confirm which office holds the record before you pay any fees. Cameron County's three major cities each have their own vital statistics offices, and the county clerk cannot provide copies of records they do not hold.
The Cameron County Clerk Vital Statistics page lists the services, office details, and ordering options for death certificates in Cameron County.
The vital statistics office handles certified copies of death records for all events in the county outside Brownsville, Harlingen, and San Benito city limits.
How to Get Cameron County Death Records
You have three ways to get a certified death certificate from Cameron County. In person is the fastest. Go to the county clerk's office in Brownsville with a valid ID and the fee. Mail is also accepted. Fill out the application, have it notarized, attach a copy of your government-issued photo ID, and send a check or money order for the fee to the P.O. Box address above.
To request a record by mail, the application must be notarized. Include a photocopy of a valid government-issued photo ID. Make the check or money order payable to the Cameron County Clerk. The DSHS acceptable ID list shows the forms of ID the clerk will accept. If the record is not found after a search, the search fee is not refunded under Texas law.
The online system processes requests during business hours and offers delivery by mail once the request is complete.
Who Can Request Cameron County Death Records
Cameron County follows state law on who can get a certified copy of a death certificate. Only a qualified applicant may receive one. A qualified applicant is the person named on the record, or an immediate family member by blood, marriage, or adoption. That includes a spouse, parent, grandparent, sibling, or adult child. A guardian or legal agent with documents showing their authority can also request the record.
State and local law enforcement, government agencies, and other authorized parties with a direct and tangible interest may also be designated as qualified applicants. Anyone else who has a legitimate need for the record must show that the information is necessary to protect a personal legal property right or to carry out a requirement under Texas law.
Death records for deaths within the last 25 years are not available to the general public. This restriction comes from Texas Government Code Section 552.115. After 25 years from the date of death, the record becomes public information and can be requested by anyone with valid ID.
Note: Making a false statement to get a death certificate is a felony under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 195, carrying penalties of 2-10 years in prison and fines up to $10,000.
Cameron County Death Index for Research
Cameron County death records go back to 1903, which covers much of the county's modern history. For genealogy researchers, the county has a long record history that reflects its border location and the mix of communities that settled in the lower Rio Grande Valley. Records held by the county clerk cover all areas outside the three major cities, which means a wide range of rural and small-town deaths are in that collection.
Free online search tools can help you narrow a search before requesting a certified copy. The FamilySearch Texas Death Index covers 1903 to 2000 and includes Cameron County records. Ancestry's Texas Death Index covers a similar range and shows the name, death date, county, and certificate number for many records. The Texas State Library also has index resources that go back to 1903. These tools are index-only, meaning they show you the record exists but you still need to contact the clerk for a certified copy.
The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics office in Austin holds state-level death records from 1903 and can issue certified copies as well. The state fee is $20 for the first copy and $3 for each additional copy. State orders take longer because they are mailed from Austin, so going through the Cameron County Clerk is usually faster for records in this county.
Cities in Cameron County
Cameron County includes Brownsville and several other communities. Death records for events in Brownsville are held by the city, not the county clerk. For records from smaller communities throughout the county, the Cameron County Clerk in Brownsville is the right office to contact.
Other communities in Cameron County include Port Isabel, Rio Hondo, La Feria, Los Fresnos, Harlingen, and South Padre Island. Deaths in Harlingen and San Benito are held by those city offices. Deaths in other unincorporated areas and smaller towns go through the Cameron County Clerk.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Cameron County. If you are not sure which county a death was registered in, the county or city where the death occurred is usually listed on the death certificate itself.