Dallas County Death Index

Dallas County death index records are maintained by the Dallas County Clerk in Dallas, Texas. You can search the death index and get certified death certificates in person, by mail, or online for deaths that occurred in Dallas County from 1903 to the present. Dallas County is one of the most populous counties in Texas, and the clerk's office handles a high volume of death record requests each year.

Dallas County Clerk Death Records

The Dallas County Clerk handles vital records for the county, including certified death certificates. The main office is at 500 Elm Street, Suite 2100, Dallas, TX 75202. You can reach the office by phone at (214) 653-7099. Staff are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except court holidays. The Dallas County Clerk website has forms and details for requesting death records in person or by mail.

The fee is $21.00 for the first certified copy. Each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time costs $4.00. These fees apply whether you order in person, by mail, or through the online portal. The fee structure is set by the Dallas County fee schedule, which follows state law.

Note: Dallas County death records from before 1903 do not exist at the county level. Statewide registration did not begin until 1903, so that year marks the earliest available records here.

The Dallas County Clerk's office maintains all vital records for the county, including the death index and certified death certificates dating back to 1903.

The clerk's office at 500 Elm Street is the primary source for certified death certificates in Dallas County, serving both in-person and mail requests.

How to Get Dallas County Death Records

In-person requests are the fastest way to get a death certificate in Dallas County. Go to the County Clerk at 500 Elm Street, Suite 2100. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID and the fee. The clerk can search the death index and issue a certified copy while you wait if the record is on file. Plan ahead: the office closes at 4:30 p.m. and is not open on court holidays.

Mail requests are also accepted. Fill out the VS-142 Death Certificate Application from DSHS. Include a copy of your government-issued photo ID and a check or money order for $21.00 made payable to the Dallas County Clerk. Mail the packet to Dallas County Clerk, 500 Elm Street, Suite 2100, Dallas, TX 75202. Processing time depends on office volume, but most mail requests are completed within a few business days of receipt.

Online orders are processed during normal business hours and require identity verification before the county will issue any certified copy.

Who Can Request Dallas County Death Index Records

Texas law limits access to death records less than 25 years old. Only qualified applicants can get certified copies during that window. A qualified applicant is an immediate family member of the person on the record. That includes a spouse, parent, child, sibling, or grandparent. A legal representative with proper documentation can also request records. For older deaths, 25 years or more, any person may request a copy. This rule comes from Texas Government Code Section 552.115.

All requesters must show valid government-issued photo ID. The clerk checks ID for every transaction, whether in person, by mail, or online. Acceptable forms include a driver's license, state ID card, U.S. passport, or military ID. Check the DSHS acceptable ID list if you are not sure what to bring.

Making a false statement to get a death certificate is a felony under Texas law. The penalty is 2 to 10 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000 under Health and Safety Code Chapter 195. The clerk keeps a record of who requested every certificate.

Death Index Research in Dallas County

Dallas County has death records going back to 1903. For genealogy research, the statewide death index is a good place to start. The free FamilySearch Texas Death Index covers records from 1903 to 2000 and lets you search by name. The Ancestry Texas Death Index covers a similar range and links to images for some years. Both are index-only tools that help you confirm a record exists before you request a certified copy.

The Texas State Library and Archives in Austin holds death index microfilm for 1903 to 1973 and is open to the public for research. For Dallas-area research, the Dallas Public Library Genealogy Section also holds local resources that go beyond the statewide index. Researchers who need older records or have trouble finding a match in the index can contact the library or the County Clerk directly for guidance.

Death records less than 25 years old are not in the public index. You must be an immediate family member to get certified copies of those records. The Library of Congress Texas vital records guide has a full explanation of how the state system works for researchers who are new to Texas death record research.

Note: Fees for the death index search are not refundable even if no record is found. The clerk charges the full fee for any search conducted.

The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics unit oversees all county-level death record systems in Texas, including the Dallas County death index, and sets the rules for access and fees.

State rules about the 25-year confidentiality window and qualified applicant requirements apply to every death certificate request in Dallas County.

Cities in Dallas County

Dallas County covers the city of Dallas and many surrounding communities. Death records for events in any part of the county go through the Dallas County Clerk at 500 Elm Street.

Other communities in Dallas County include Duncanville, DeSoto, Lancaster, Cedar Hill, and Rowlett. Death records for all these areas are filed with the Dallas County Clerk.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Dallas County. If you are not sure which county a death was registered in, the County Clerk can help you confirm the correct location.

Collin County • Denton County • Tarrant County • Ellis County • Kaufman County • Rockwall County