Coke County Death Index

Coke County death index records are kept at the County Clerk's office in Robert Lee, Texas, with certified copies of death certificates available from 1903 to the present. The county clerk has published fees for death certificates directly on county records, and the office handles both in-person and mail requests. Coke County is a west-central Texas county with a ranching and oil history, and its records reflect the families who settled this part of the state.

Coke County Clerk and Vital Records

The Coke County Clerk is in Robert Lee, Texas. Phone: 325-453-2631. Office hours run Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The clerk maintains death records from 1903 to the present along with birth records, marriage records, land records, and probate files. The death certificate fee is $21 for the first copy and $4 for each additional copy ordered at the same time, which matches the standard Texas county fee.

Coke County was created in 1889 from Tom Green County and named for Richard Coke, who served as governor of Texas. The county has no known courthouse disasters, so the death index is intact from the 1903 start of statewide registration. Lake Colorado City sits near Coke County, and the area's ranching and oil production history made it home to a steady rural population throughout the twentieth century.

All requesters must show valid government-issued photo ID. Records from the last 25 years are restricted to qualified applicants. Records older than 25 years are public. The clerk accepts checks and money orders for mail requests, and cash for in-person visits. No cash through the mail.

The Coke County government website provides contact information for the county clerk in Robert Lee and links to county services including vital records.

The Coke County Clerk's office in Robert Lee handles all death record requests for events registered in the county from 1903 to the present.

Requesting a Coke County Death Certificate

In person is the fastest way to get a death certificate. Go to the Coke County Courthouse in Robert Lee with your valid ID and $21. The clerk can search the death index and issue a certified copy the same day if the record is on file. Office hours run until 4:30 PM on weekdays.

For mail requests, include the full name of the deceased, the approximate date and place of death in Coke County, your relationship to the deceased, your mailing address, and the purpose of the request. Attach a photocopy of a valid government-issued photo ID. Send a check or money order for $21 payable to the Coke County Clerk. Add $4 for each additional copy. The clerk does not accept cash through the mail.

The state-level option is the Texas vital records online portal or a mailed VS-142 form to DSHS in Austin. State fees are $20 for the first copy and $3 for each additional. State mail orders typically take 25-30 business days. Going through the Coke County Clerk is the faster option for records in this county.

Access Rules for Coke County Death Records

Death records from the last 25 years are restricted under Texas Government Code Section 552.115. Only a qualified applicant can get certified copies during that window. Qualified applicants are 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. Legal guardians and authorized representatives with proper documents also qualify.

After 25 years, the record is public information. Anyone can request it with valid ID and the applicable fee. Government agencies and law enforcement with a direct and tangible interest may also access restricted records. All requesters must show valid government-issued photo ID. The DSHS acceptable ID page lists accepted forms of identification statewide.

Note: Search fees are non-refundable even if no record is found. This applies at both the Coke County Clerk and at the state DSHS office in Austin.

Coke County Death Records Research

Coke County has a complete death index from 1903 with no record gaps. For family history research, online index databases are a good first step. The FamilySearch Texas Death Index covers 1903 to 2000 and includes Coke County records. The Ancestry Texas Death Index covers the same period with certificate numbers that help speed up a request to the county clerk.

The Texas State Library and Archives in Austin holds statewide death index microfilm from 1903 to 1973. Those are available for public research at the archives. Once you find a record in an index, note the certificate number. That helps the clerk locate the right record faster and reduces the chance of a no-record response.

For anyone researching west Texas families, Coke County records complement those of neighboring Tom Green County to the south, which includes San Angelo. The two counties share a border and families often moved between them. If a record is not found in Coke County, it may be worth checking Tom Green County or other adjacent counties in this part of the state.

Cities in Coke County

Robert Lee is the county seat and main community in Coke County. All death records for events in Coke County go through the county clerk's office in Robert Lee. No cities in Coke County exceed the qualifying population threshold for a separate city page.

Other communities in Coke County include Bronte and Silver. All county death records are maintained at the Coke County Clerk's office in Robert Lee.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Coke County in west-central Texas. Check with adjacent county clerks if you are uncertain where a death was registered.

Tom Green County • Sterling County • Runnels County • Nolan County • Mitchell County