Glasscock County Death Index

Glasscock County death records are kept at the County Clerk's office in Garden City, Texas. The Glasscock County Death Index covers deaths registered in the county from 1903 forward. This page explains how to find and request death records, who can access restricted records, and what fees to expect.

Glasscock County Clerk and the Death Index

The Glasscock County Clerk in Garden City is the local registrar for all death records in the county. The office is small but maintains the full Glasscock County death index going back to 1903. Glasscock is one of Texas's less-populated counties, located in the Permian Basin region of west Texas. The death index here spans the full range of state records from the year Texas began mandatory registration.

The fee for a certified death certificate in Glasscock County is $21 for the first copy. Extra copies of the same record ordered at the same time cost $4 each. These fees match the statewide standard set by Texas law. In-person requests at the Garden City courthouse are the fastest option. Bring a valid photo ID and the fee. The clerk can search by name and year of death and issue a certified copy the same day in most cases.

Mail requests are also accepted. Use the VS-142 Death Certificate Application, attach a copy of your ID, and include a money order payable to the Glasscock County Clerk. Mail to the County Clerk at the Glasscock County Courthouse in Garden City. For online ordering, txapps.texas.gov routes your request through DSHS in Austin. Online orders take 20 to 25 business days to arrive.

Note: Glasscock County is one of the least-populated counties in Texas. If you do not reach the clerk by phone, try the courthouse main line or submit your request by mail. The DSHS Vital Statistics office in Austin is always an alternative if the county office is temporarily unavailable.

The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics office sets the access rules and fees that govern all Texas county clerk offices, including Glasscock County.

The same state rules and fee schedule that apply in Glasscock County apply in every other Texas county for death certificate requests.

Access Rules for Glasscock County Death Records

Texas restricts death records for 25 years after the date of death. During that window, only qualified applicants can get a certified copy of a Glasscock County death certificate. A qualified applicant is an immediate family member: a spouse, parent, child, sibling, or grandparent. A legal representative or guardian with documented authority may also request records. Texas Government Code Section 552.115 governs this restriction for both county and state records.

Records that are 25 or more years old are public. Anyone can request them. All requesters must show a valid government-issued photo ID. The DSHS acceptable ID list covers all accepted forms. A non-refundable search fee applies if a search is done and no record is found. Texas law requires this charge regardless of outcome. Providing false information to obtain a death certificate is a felony under Texas law, with penalties of two to ten years in prison and fines up to $10,000.

Researching Glasscock County Death Records

Glasscock County was organized in 1893 and covers a small area in the Permian Basin. Its death records from 1903 forward reflect the county's sparse population and ranching character. For genealogy and historical research, free online indexes are a useful first step. FamilySearch's Texas Death Index covers all Texas deaths from 1903 to 2000 and is searchable at no cost. Ancestry's Texas Death Index covers the same range. Both show the death county, date, and certificate number for each entry, which is what you need to place a formal request with the clerk.

The Texas State Library and Archives in Austin also holds microfilm indexes of Texas death records from 1903 to 1973. These can help fill gaps when a specific record is hard to find through the county. For any death in Glasscock County that is not found in the state index, contact the clerk's office directly, as some early local records may not have been fully captured in the statewide system.

The DSHS Order Records Locally page lists all Texas county offices where you can get certified death certificates, including Glasscock County.

For Glasscock County residents, going to the county clerk in Garden City is the fastest way to get a certified death certificate compared to the state ordering system.

Cities in Glasscock County

Garden City is the county seat and only incorporated community in Glasscock County. All death records for events in the county are filed with the Glasscock County Clerk in Garden City.

No cities in Glasscock County meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page. The county clerk in Garden City handles all death index records for the county.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Glasscock County in west Texas. Check the county of last residence on the death certificate if you are unsure where a record was filed.

Martin County • Howard County • Midland County • Sterling County • Reagan County