Find Death Records in Erath County

The Erath County Death Index contains records of deaths registered in Stephenville and throughout Erath County going back to 1903. The Erath County Clerk in Stephenville maintains these records and can issue certified death certificates to qualified requesters. Whether you need a recent record for a legal matter or an older record for genealogy research, this page covers how to search the Erath County death index, what it costs, who is allowed to access records, and where to find historical indexes online.

Erath County Clerk Death Records Office

The Erath County Clerk handles vital records for the county. The office is located at 100 W. Washington Street, Stephenville, TX 76401. The main phone number is (254) 965-1482. Office hours are generally Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM, but it is a good idea to call ahead and confirm before you make the trip. Staff at the clerk's office can search the Erath County death index and issue certified copies on the same day for records that are in the system.

For in-person requests, bring a valid government-issued photo ID. The clerk needs to verify your identity before releasing any record. If the death occurred within the last 25 years, you must also show that you are an immediate family member. That means a spouse, parent, child, sibling, or grandparent of the person named on the certificate. A legal representative or guardian can also request records with proper documentation. The DSHS acceptable ID list describes what forms of ID are accepted at Texas vital records offices.

Mail requests go to the Erath County Clerk at 100 W. Washington Street, Stephenville, TX 76401. Use the VS-142 application form from DSHS. Include a copy of your photo ID and a check or money order made out to the Erath County Clerk. Mail-in orders take longer than in-person requests, so plan accordingly if the record is needed quickly.

The DSHS Order Records Locally page lists the Erath County Clerk and all other local offices across Texas where you can request a certified death certificate in person or by mail.

This directory is updated by DSHS and confirms which local offices are authorized to issue Texas death certificates, including the Erath County Clerk in Stephenville.

How to Search the Erath County Death Index

You have three main ways to get a death record tied to Erath County. In person at the clerk's office in Stephenville is the quickest. By mail to the clerk in Stephenville is slower but works if you are not local. Through the state DSHS system online is available for anyone with a computer and takes 20 to 25 business days to process.

The Texas Vital Records online system connects to DSHS in Austin. Orders placed there are mailed to you from the state office. The Texas.gov vital records portal also links to this system. State records are certified copies just like the ones the county issues. The main difference is time. Local offices can issue records the same day for in-person requests. The state office takes weeks.

Free genealogy indexes are worth using before you request a certified copy. The FamilySearch Texas Death Index covers 1903 to 2000 at no cost. Ancestry's Texas Death Index covers the same period and lists over 7 million individuals statewide. Both indexes include the death county, date, and certificate number, which helps you confirm that the record is in Erath County before you pay for a copy.

Note: If the death occurred in Stephenville city limits before the county assumed local registration, check with the county clerk to confirm which office holds the earliest records.

Erath County Death Certificate Fees

The Erath County Clerk charges $21.00 for the first certified copy of a death certificate. Each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time costs $4.00. These fees are set by state law and apply uniformly across all Texas county clerks. Pay by check or money order when submitting a mail request. Call the clerk's office to confirm accepted payment methods for in-person visits.

Ordering through the DSHS state office in Austin costs $20.00 for the first copy and $3.00 for each additional copy. The state fee is slightly lower, but state orders take much longer to arrive. If you need the record for a legal matter or estate filing with a deadline, the county office in Stephenville is the faster route. Texas law also requires that when a search is done and no record is found, a search fee equal to the copy fee is charged and is not refundable.

Access Rules for Erath County Death Records

Texas law limits who can get a certified copy of a death record that is less than 25 years old. Under Texas Government Code Section 552.115, these records are restricted to immediate family members and authorized legal representatives. After 25 years from the date of death, the record becomes public information. Anyone who shows valid ID can then request a copy from the Erath County Clerk.

Immediate family for purposes of this rule includes the spouse, parent, child, sibling, or grandparent of the deceased. A grandchild generally cannot request a grandparent's record unless they can show a direct tangible need and provide documentation. Organizations and government agencies with a direct need for the record may also qualify. Every requester must show a current government-issued photo ID at the time of the request.

False statements made on vital records applications are a felony in Texas. The penalty under Health and Safety Code Chapter 195 is 2 to 10 years in prison and fines up to $10,000. The Erath County Clerk documents every request and every requester's identity, the same as any other Texas vital records office.

Historical Erath County Death Index Research

Erath County death records start in 1903 along with the rest of Texas. Before statewide registration, many local deaths went unrecorded at the state level. If you are looking for records from before 1903, local church records, cemetery registers, and probate court files may help fill gaps. The Texas State Library and Archives in Austin holds microfilm indexes to Texas death records from 1903 to 1973, and these are open for public research at no charge for in-person visits.

For online access, the FamilySearch Texas Death Index is free. The Ancestry Texas Death Index covers deaths from 1903 to 2000 and is one of the most complete online indexes for Texas. The Library of Congress Texas vital records guide gives researchers an overview of how the statewide system is organized and what time periods are covered in different collections. The Texas State Library is also worth checking for Erath County specific materials.

The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics unit is the state authority that sets the rules, fees, and forms that the Erath County Clerk follows when issuing certified death certificates.

All requests for Erath County death records, whether handled locally or through the state, follow the rules set by this agency.

Cities in Erath County

Erath County includes Stephenville and several smaller communities. All death records for events that occurred anywhere in the county are filed with and maintained by the Erath County Clerk in Stephenville.

Stephenville is the county seat and the location where the clerk's office is based. Dublin and other smaller towns in Erath County do not have dedicated pages on this site, but residents from any part of the county can request death records from the clerk's office in Stephenville.

Nearby Counties

These counties are adjacent to Erath County. If you are not sure whether a death was registered here or in a neighboring county, contact the appropriate clerk's office to confirm.

Palo Pinto County • Hood County • Bosque County • Hill County • Johnson County