Death Records in Irion County

Irion County death records are maintained by the County Clerk in Mertzon, Texas. The Irion County Death Index covers deaths registered in the county from 1903 to present. You can search the index and request certified death certificates through the clerk's office, by mail, or through the state system online. This page explains what you need to access Irion County death records.

Irion County Clerk Vital Records

The Irion County Clerk's office in Mertzon handles all vital records for the county, including certified death certificates. The clerk's office is at 209 North Parkview, Mertzon, TX 76941. Phone: 325-835-2421. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The clerk is the local registrar for all deaths that occurred within Irion County. Records go back to 1903.

Irion County is one of the smaller counties in Texas. It is a rural ranching county in west Texas, just west of San Angelo. The population has remained small throughout the county's history, which means the death record set is manageable in size but still complete. All standard state procedures apply. The clerk processes in-person and mail requests. Valid government-issued photo ID is required for every request.

The fee for a certified death certificate is $21.00 for the first copy. Each extra copy of the same record ordered at the same time is $4.00. This matches the statewide fee schedule. Payment by money order or cashier's check is standard for mail requests. The search fee is charged even if no record is found, and it is not refundable. To avoid a failed search, have the full name, approximate year, and county confirmed before you submit.

How to Request Irion County Death Certificates

In-person is the fastest option. Go to the clerk's office in Mertzon during business hours, show your ID, and fill out the request form. The clerk can often pull the record while you wait. For urgent needs, this beats mail or state online ordering every time.

Mail requests use the VS-142 Death Certificate Application from Texas DSHS. Fill it out, attach a copy of your photo ID, and include a money order or check payable to the Irion County Clerk. Mail to 209 North Parkview, Mertzon, TX 76941. Allow several business days after the office receives your packet for processing. Incomplete packets are returned without processing.

Online orders go through the state. Use txapps.texas.gov or the Texas.gov vital records portal. State fees are $20.00 for the first copy and $3.00 for each additional copy. Processing takes 20 to 25 business days from receipt. The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics office handles all online orders from Austin. Results are mailed to you.

Note: Because Irion County is small, the clerk's office may be able to handle requests quickly. Calling ahead before a mail or in-person request is a good idea.

The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics unit sets the statewide rules and fee schedules that every Texas county follows, including Irion County, for death certificate requests.

Whether you request through Irion County or the state office in Austin, the same fee structure and access rules apply to all certified death certificate requests.

Who Can Access Irion County Death Records

Texas restricts death records that are less than 25 years old. Only qualified applicants can get certified copies during that period. Qualified applicants are immediate family members: spouse, parent, child, sibling, or grandparent. Legal representatives with documentation can also qualify. This restriction applies under Texas Government Code Section 552.115 at both the state and county level.

After 25 years from the date of death, records are public. Anyone can request a certified copy with valid photo ID. The DSHS acceptable ID list shows what forms of identification work. The death index itself is generally publicly accessible. Index entries include name, date, county, and certificate number. Index access is not a substitute for a certified copy for legal or official purposes.

The falsification penalty under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 195 is 2 to 10 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000. The clerk keeps a record of every request made, regardless of method.

Genealogy and Historical Death Records

Irion County's death records date back to 1903. Because the county is small and rural, the records here are concentrated and relatively well-preserved. Genealogy researchers looking into west Texas ranching families will find the Irion County records useful for tracing lineage in this part of the state.

Before requesting certified copies, free indexes can help you confirm a record exists and get the certificate number. The Ancestry Texas Death Index 1903-2000 includes Irion County entries and covers more than 7 million statewide records. The FamilySearch Texas Vital Records guide links to several free searchable Texas collections. The Texas State Library and Archives holds statewide microfilmed death indexes from 1903 to 1973, accessible to the public in Austin.

If the state index does not have a record you need, contact the Irion County Clerk in Mertzon directly. The Library of Congress Texas research guide makes clear that state records are copies of county records, so the county is the original source.

The Texas Government Code Section 552.115 is the statute that governs access to death records in every Texas county, including Irion County, setting the 25-year confidentiality period.

Understanding this statute helps clarify who qualifies to request a death certificate and when records become open to the general public.

Cities in Irion County

Irion County is a small west Texas county with Mertzon as its only incorporated municipality. All death records for the county are processed through the Irion County Clerk in Mertzon. No cities in Irion County meet the qualifying population threshold for a separate city page.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Irion County. For records from any of these areas, contact the appropriate county clerk directly.

Tom Green County • Sterling County • Coke County • Glasscock County • Reagan County