Search Jim Wells County Death Index

Jim Wells County death records are filed with the County Clerk in Alice and cover all deaths registered in the county since 1903. The death index here tracks everyone who died within Jim Wells County and was registered with the local office. To find a record or get a certified death certificate, start with the clerk's office in Alice. It is the main access point for Jim Wells County death index records, whether you go in person, send a mail request, or start an online search.

Jim Wells County Clerk Death Records Office

The Jim Wells County Clerk handles vital records in Alice, including the county death index and certified death certificate issuance. The courthouse is the location for in-person requests. Staff are available Monday through Friday during regular business hours. Bring valid government-issued photo ID and the $21 fee for the first certified copy. Additional copies of the same record, ordered at the same time, cost $4 each.

Mail requests are accepted. Download and complete the VS-142 Death Certificate Application from the DSHS website. Include a clear photocopy of your ID and a check or money order made payable to the Jim Wells County Clerk. Mail the complete packet to the courthouse in Alice. Most mail requests are processed within a few business days of receipt. If you cannot visit Alice or mail in, the state online system at txapps.texas.gov is a third option, though state orders take 20 to 25 business days.

Jim Wells County sits in South Texas between Corpus Christi and Laredo. Alice is a regional hub for this part of the state and has a steady flow of vital records requests each year. The clerk handles death index searches and certificate issuance for both recent events and older historical records. Families throughout South Texas come here to get records for estate, legal, and genealogy purposes.

Note: The first certified copy is $21 at the county. Each additional copy at the same time is $4. State orders through DSHS in Austin cost $20 for the first copy and $3 for each additional.

The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics unit oversees vital records statewide and sets the rules and fees that apply at the Jim Wells County Clerk and every other county office in Texas.

State rules mean the access and fee structure in Jim Wells County is the same as what applies across all of Texas.

Jim Wells County Death Record Search Options

There are three main ways to get a death record for Jim Wells County. In person at the clerk's office in Alice is the fastest. You show up, ask for a search, show your ID, pay the fee, and get a certified copy the same day if the record is on file. This is the best option for people who can make the drive to Alice.

Mail is a solid second option. Fill out the VS-142 form, attach an ID copy, and send the fee with your request. The clerk processes mail requests in order of receipt. Most take a few days after the office gets your packet. This works well for people who are out of the area or unable to visit in person.

For genealogy work, start with the free FamilySearch Texas Death Index, which covers records from 1903 to 2000. The Ancestry Texas Death Index covers the same time frame. Both let you search by county, so you can filter for Jim Wells County entries before making a formal request. They provide the name, year, and certificate number. Once you have the certificate number, requesting the certified copy from the clerk is straightforward. The Texas State Library is another resource for early death records and holds indexes through 1973.

Access Rules for Jim Wells County Death Records

Death records under 25 years old are restricted in Texas. Texas Government Code Section 552.115 limits certified copies of recent records to immediate family members. The law covers spouses, parents, children, siblings, and grandparents. A legal representative with proper court documentation can also make a request for estate or legal purposes.

Once a record is 25 or more years old, it becomes public. Any person can then request it from the Jim Wells County Clerk without stating a family relationship. All requesters, no matter when the death occurred, must present valid photo ID. See the DSHS acceptable ID page for the full list of acceptable forms. A driver's license or state-issued ID works in most cases. Falsifying information on a vital records request is a felony under Texas Health and Safety Code Section 195.003. Penalties include prison time and fines of up to $10,000.

Verification letters are available for deaths on file since 1903. They confirm a death is on record and include the name, date, and county. Cost is $20 through DSHS. Call (888) 963-7111 to request one.

Historical Records in Jim Wells County

Jim Wells County was created in 1911 from Nueces County and named for James B. Wells Jr., a prominent South Texas attorney and politician. Alice became the county seat and developed as a regional center for South Texas. Death records here go back to 1903 and document the area's ranching families, oil field workers, and the broader South Texas community. Early records reflect the region's close ties to Corpus Christi and the agricultural economy of the brush country.

The statewide death index, available through FamilySearch and Ancestry, covers Jim Wells County entries from 1903 forward. For records not found in those databases, contact the clerk directly or check with the Texas State Library and Archives Commission for older microfilmed records. The Library of Congress Texas vital records guide is useful for understanding how statewide indexes are structured for this period.

The DSHS Order Records Locally page includes Jim Wells County among the local clerk offices where you can obtain a certified death certificate directly.

Getting the record locally from the Jim Wells County Clerk in Alice means same-day service and no wait for mail from Austin.

Cities in Jim Wells County

Jim Wells County includes Alice as its county seat along with smaller communities like Orange Grove and Premont. None of the cities in Jim Wells County currently meet the qualifying population threshold for a dedicated city page. All death records for events in the county are processed through the County Clerk in Alice.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Jim Wells County. Check neighboring offices if you are not sure which county a death was registered in.

Nueces County • Kleberg County • Brooks County • Duval County • San Patricio County