Coryell County Death Index Search

The Coryell County Death Index covers death records maintained by the County Clerk in Gatesville, Texas. Coryell County has records going back to 1903 and offers both in-person and online ordering options for certified death certificates. The county clerk in Gatesville is the primary local source, and the county has an online vital records portal that makes it easier to request records without visiting the office in person.

Coryell County Clerk Death Records

The Coryell County Clerk in Gatesville serves as the local registrar for all vital records in the county. The office phone is 254-865-5911. The Coryell County website at coryellcounty.org has current contact information, hours, and information about vital records services. Death records here go back to 1903, in line with the statewide Texas system that began that year.

The fee for a certified death certificate is $21.00 for the first copy and $4.00 for each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time. These fees apply whether you order in person, by mail, or through the online portal. A non-refundable search fee applies if the clerk searches and does not find the record. Valid government-issued photo ID is required for restricted records. Coryell County also maintains military discharge records, which can be a useful secondary resource for researchers.

The Coryell County website provides services information including how to contact the County Clerk in Gatesville and how to access vital records in the county.

The Coryell County Clerk office in Gatesville handles death certificate requests and vital records services for the county.

How to Get Coryell County Death Records

For in-person requests, visit the County Clerk's office in Gatesville. Bring photo ID and the $21.00 fee for the first copy. The clerk can search by name and date and issue certified copies on the spot when records are available. Call the office at 254-865-5911 to confirm current hours before you visit.

Mail requests are also accepted. Use the VS-142 Death Certificate Application from DSHS. Send it with a copy of your photo ID and a check or money order payable to the Coryell County Clerk in Gatesville. Most mail requests are handled within a few business days of receipt. The state online system at txapps.texas.gov is another option, but state processing takes 20 to 25 days.

Who Can Access Coryell County Death Records

Death records that are less than 25 years old are confidential in Texas. Under Texas Government Code Section 552.115, only immediate family can get certified copies during that restricted period. Immediate family includes a spouse, parent, child, sibling, or grandparent. Legal representatives with documentation showing their authority may also request records.

Once 25 years have passed, the record is public. Anyone can then request a copy. Valid government-issued photo ID is required at all times, even for public records. The DSHS acceptable ID list shows what forms of ID the Coryell County Clerk and the online portal will accept. Providing false information to obtain a death certificate is a felony under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 195.

Coryell County Death Index for Historical Research

Coryell County death records are included in the statewide Texas death index. The FamilySearch Texas Death Index covers 1903 to 2000 and is free. Ancestry's Texas Death Index covers the same range. Both give you the name, county, death date, and certificate number you need to order a certified copy. The county is also known for its state prison units, which may be relevant for researchers looking at death records involving incarcerated individuals in the county's history.

Marriage, land, and probate records for Coryell County date back to the county's organization. The Texas State Library and Archives holds statewide death indexes through 1973, a useful backup if you cannot find a record through the county. The Library of Congress Texas vital records guide helps new researchers understand how the Texas records system is structured at both the state and county level.

Note: Coryell County's online portal makes it one of the easier counties to order from remotely. Use it if you cannot make the trip to Gatesville.

Cities in Coryell County

Coryell County includes Killeen, one of the qualifying cities in the Texas death index. All death records for events in the county are handled through the Coryell County Clerk in Gatesville.

Other communities in Coryell County include Copperas Cove and Gatesville. Death records for all of these areas go through the county clerk's office in Gatesville.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Coryell County in central Texas. If you need to check whether a death was registered in a nearby county, these are your options.

Bell County • Hamilton County • Comanche County • Bosque County • McLennan County • Mills County