Gonzales County Death Index

Gonzales County death records are maintained by the County Clerk in Gonzales, Texas. The Gonzales County Death Index covers registered deaths from 1903 to the present. This page walks through how to request certified copies of death records, explains the county's fee schedule, covers access rules for recent records, and points to free index databases useful for genealogy research.

Gonzales County Clerk and Death Certificates

The Gonzales County Clerk is located at 427 Saint George St., Suite 200, Gonzales, Texas 78629. The phone number is (830) 672-2801. The clerk's office is open Monday through Friday during regular business hours and handles certified copies of death certificates for events that occurred in Gonzales County. Death registration records go back to 1903. Clerk Lona Ackman's office follows the state fee schedule set by DSHS Vital Statistics.

The Gonzales County death certificate fee is $21 for the first certified copy. That breaks down as a $20 county death certificate fee under Texas Administrative Code Section 181.22(b) plus a $1 Vital Records Preservation Fee under Health and Safety Code Section 191.0045. Each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time is $4. These fees are set by state law and are not negotiable. Payment by cash, check, or money order is accepted in person. Mail requests require a money order.

To request by mail, use the VS-142 Death Certificate Application from DSHS. Include a clear copy of your government-issued photo ID and a money order made payable to the Gonzales County Clerk. Mail to 427 Saint George St., Suite 200, Gonzales, TX 78629. Processing typically takes several business days after receipt.

Note: Online orders through the state portal take 20 to 25 business days. For faster service, go directly to the Gonzales County Clerk's office or mail your request there rather than ordering through Austin.

The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics office in Austin oversees the statewide death records system and sets the rules the Gonzales County Clerk must follow.

The fee structure at Gonzales County aligns with state law, so the same rules and costs apply here as in every other Texas county.

Access Rules for Gonzales County Death Records

Texas law restricts access to death records for 25 years after the date of death. Only qualified applicants can get certified copies of Gonzales County death records filed within that window. A qualified applicant is an immediate family member of the person on the record: a spouse, parent, child, sibling, or grandparent. Legal guardians and authorized legal representatives may also request records with proper documentation. This requirement comes from Texas Government Code Section 552.115.

After 25 years, the record is public. Any person can then get a copy from the Gonzales County Clerk or from the DSHS state office. All requesters must present a valid photo ID at the time of the request. The DSHS acceptable ID list covers every form of ID the clerk will take. A driver's license, state ID card, U.S. passport, or military ID all qualify as primary ID.

If the clerk searches for a record and does not find it, a non-refundable search fee equal to the certificate cost still applies. Texas law requires this fee any time a search is conducted. If you are not sure the death occurred in Gonzales County, it is worth confirming through a free online index before submitting a formal request and paying the fee.

Making a false statement to get a death certificate is a felony in Texas. Penalties include two to ten years in prison and fines up to $10,000 under Health and Safety Code Chapter 195. The clerk records the identity of every requester.

Gonzales County Death Index for Research

Gonzales County was created in 1836 and is one of the original Texas counties. The county seat of Gonzales is known in Texas history, and the death records from 1903 onward reflect over a century of the county's communities and families. For genealogy research, start with the free online indexes before contacting the county clerk.

FamilySearch's Texas Death Index is free and covers 1903 to 2000. It lists the decedent's name, death county, date, and certificate number. Ancestry's Texas Death Index covers the same period and links to original record images for some years. After finding a match, contact the Gonzales County Clerk for a certified copy. The Texas State Library and Archives holds microfilm copies of statewide death indexes from 1903 to 1973 for in-person research.

The Library of Congress Texas vital records guide provides a clear overview of how Texas death records are organized between state and county offices, which is helpful for researchers who are new to Texas genealogy. Gonzales County's records are well-suited for research into south-central Texas family histories going back more than 120 years.

The DSHS Order Records Locally page lists the Gonzales County Clerk at 427 Saint George St. among the local Texas offices where certified death certificates are available.

Using the local Gonzales County Clerk is faster than the state DSHS ordering system for most requests.

Cities in Gonzales County

Gonzales is the county seat and main city in the county. Nixon and Yoakum are also located in Gonzales County or nearby. Death records for all events in the county go through the Gonzales County Clerk at 427 Saint George St. in Gonzales.

No cities in Gonzales County meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page. All Gonzales County death index records are maintained at the clerk's office in Gonzales.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Gonzales County in south-central Texas. If a death occurred near a county line, check the county of last residence on the death certificate to confirm which office holds the record.

Guadalupe County • Caldwell County • DeWitt County • Lavaca County • Karnes County • Wilson County