Death Index in Hall County

The Hall County Death Index covers death records filed in Memphis and throughout Hall County since statewide registration began in 1903. Hall County is a small, rural county in the Texas Panhandle. The Hall County Clerk in Memphis is the local office that maintains these death records and can issue certified copies to qualified applicants. This page explains how to search the Hall County death index, how to request certified copies in person or by mail, what fees apply, who is allowed access, and where to find free historical indexes.

Hall County Clerk and Death Records

The Hall County Clerk's office is at 512 West Main Street, Memphis, TX 79245. The phone number is (806) 259-2627. Standard hours are Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM. Hall County is a small county, and the clerk's office has a small staff. It is especially important to call ahead before visiting to confirm that someone is available to assist with death index searches and certified copy requests.

For in-person requests, bring a valid government-issued photo ID. For any death that occurred within the past 25 years, you must also show that you are an immediate family member of the person on the certificate. Texas defines immediate family as the spouse, parent, child, sibling, or grandparent of the deceased. A legal guardian or attorney with documentation can also make the request. After 25 years, the record is public and any person with valid ID can request a copy. The DSHS acceptable ID list covers what identification is accepted.

Mail requests go to the Hall County Clerk at 512 West Main Street, Memphis, TX 79245. Download and complete the VS-142 Death Certificate Application from DSHS. Include a copy of your photo ID and a check or money order payable to the Hall County Clerk. Processing times vary. Mail requests typically take a week or more from submission to when you receive the record back.

Note: Hall County is remote. If the record you are looking for may be in an adjoining county, call and confirm with the most likely clerk's office before submitting a formal request to avoid paying a non-refundable search fee.

The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics unit in Austin sets the rules, fees, and forms that the Hall County Clerk follows when issuing certified death certificates to qualified applicants.

Certified copies issued by the Hall County Clerk carry the same legal authority as those issued by the state DSHS office in Austin.

Searching Hall County Death Records

In person at the Hall County Clerk in Memphis is the most direct route. The state portal is also available. The Texas Vital Records online system lets you order a certified copy that DSHS mails from Austin. Online state orders take 20 to 25 business days. Mail-in state orders take 25 to 30 business days. The Texas.gov vital records portal links to the same ordering system. For residents far from Memphis, the state portal is a practical alternative.

Before ordering a certified copy, check free genealogy databases. The FamilySearch Texas Death Index is free and covers 1903 to 2000. The Ancestry Texas Death Index covers the same period and includes death county, date, and certificate number. If a record for Hall County appears in either database, you can proceed with confidence to request a certified copy. The CDC guide at Where to Write for Vital Records - Texas also outlines the state ordering process.

Hall County Death Certificate Fees

The Hall County Clerk charges $21.00 for the first certified copy of a death certificate. Each additional copy of the same record, requested at the same time, costs $4.00. These fees are set by Texas law and apply to all county clerks in the state. For mail-in requests, pay by check or money order made out to the Hall County Clerk.

If you order through the DSHS state office in Austin, the fee is $20.00 for the first copy and $3.00 for each additional copy. The state fee is slightly lower. The trade-off is a much longer wait time. For those who need a Hall County record quickly, going to the clerk in Memphis is the better choice. When a search is performed and no record is found, Texas law charges a non-refundable search fee equal to the copy fee.

Who Can Access Hall County Death Records

Texas law restricts access to death records that are less than 25 years old. Under Texas Government Code Section 552.115, only immediate family members and authorized representatives can get certified copies during that restricted period. After 25 years from the date of death, the record becomes public. Anyone with valid photo ID can request it from the Hall County Clerk without proving a family relationship.

The Texas Attorney General's Open Records Decision No. 307 confirmed that county clerk records are subject to the same confidentiality rules as state records. The Hall County Clerk cannot issue restricted records to unauthorized requesters. All transactions are documented. Every requester must show valid ID. The DSHS acceptable ID page lists what is accepted. Making a false statement on a vital records application is a felony under Health and Safety Code Chapter 195, with penalties of 2 to 10 years in prison and fines up to $10,000.

Historical Hall County Death Index Records

Hall County death records begin in 1903, the year Texas started requiring statewide death registration. Because Hall County is sparsely populated, early records may be less complete than those in larger counties. The statewide index is organized alphabetically within broad time periods for the early years and annually from 1956 forward. For older Hall County deaths, checking both the local records in Memphis and the statewide indexes is worthwhile since local records can contain details not found in the state index.

The Texas State Library and Archives in Austin holds microfilm of Texas death indexes from 1903 to 1973 and is open for public research at no charge. The FamilySearch Texas Death Index is free and covers 1903 to 2000. The Ancestry Texas Death Index covers the same period. The Library of Congress Texas vital records guide explains how the statewide system is organized. For West Texas Panhandle research, the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum in Canyon is also a resource for regional records.

The Library of Congress Texas Local History and Genealogy guide explains how death records are organized in Texas, including the time periods covered by different indexes and how the state and county systems relate to each other.

This guide is useful for Hall County genealogy researchers who want to understand how to navigate the statewide death index and what to expect when requesting records from a small rural county clerk.

Cities in Hall County

Hall County includes Memphis and a few small surrounding communities. All deaths occurring anywhere in Hall County are registered with and maintained by the Hall County Clerk in Memphis.

None of the cities in Hall County meet the population threshold for a dedicated page on this site. Residents from any part of the county can request death records from the clerk's office in Memphis.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Hall County. If you are unsure which county a death record was filed in, contact the clerk in the most likely county before submitting a request.

Briscoe County • Childress County • Collingsworth County • Donley County