Search Lee County Death Records

Lee County death records are maintained by the County Clerk in Giddings and extend back to 1903. The death index documents all deaths registered in Lee County and is the primary resource for anyone who needs to find a death record or get a certified certificate for a death that occurred here. Giddings is the county seat and the location of the clerk's office, which serves residents and researchers looking for Lee County death index records.

Lee County Clerk and Death Records

The Lee County Clerk in Giddings issues certified death certificates and keeps the county's death index. The courthouse is open Monday through Friday during regular business hours. For in-person service, bring a valid government-issued photo ID and $21 for the first certified copy. Additional copies of the same record, ordered at the same time, are $4 each.

Mail requests are accepted at the clerk's office. Complete the VS-142 Death Certificate Application from DSHS, include a clear photocopy of your photo ID, and add a check or money order payable to the Lee County Clerk. Mail the complete packet to the courthouse in Giddings. Most requests are handled within a few business days of receipt. The state online system at txapps.texas.gov is also available, but state orders take 20 to 25 business days to process from Austin.

Lee County is located in Central Texas between Austin and Houston, along the U.S. 290 corridor. Giddings serves as the county seat and regional center. The county sits within the Eagle Ford Shale formation, which has influenced the local population in recent decades. The clerk's office handles both recent requests and older record searches for estate and genealogy purposes. Families with roots in this part of Central Texas regularly contact the office for vital records going back generations.

Note: The county fee is $21 for the first certified copy and $4 for each additional. State orders through DSHS are $20 for the first copy and $3 for additional copies.

The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics unit governs vital record procedures and fees for all county clerks in Texas, including the Lee County Clerk in Giddings.

State oversight means the same access rules apply at the Lee County Clerk as at any other county office in Texas.

How to Find Lee County Death Records

The fastest method is to go to the clerk's office in Giddings. Give the name and approximate date of death, show your ID, and pay the fee. The clerk searches the death index and issues a certified copy the same day if the record is on file.

Mail requests are a good option if you cannot make the trip to Giddings. Use the VS-142 form, attach a copy of your ID, and include the fee. Send the packet to the clerk. Processing takes a few business days after receipt. Online orders through the state take the most time. DSHS in Austin handles these and mails out the records after processing, which averages 20 to 25 business days.

For genealogy research, start with the free FamilySearch Texas Death Index, which covers Lee County deaths from 1903 to 2000. The Ancestry Texas Death Index covers the same period. Both allow county filtering so you can find Lee County entries. The results include the name, death year, and certificate number needed to make a formal request to the clerk. The Texas State Library holds microfilmed death indexes through 1973 as a supplement for hard-to-find records. Check the Library of Congress Texas vital records guide if you need background on how records are organized in the statewide system.

Access Rules for Lee County Death Records

Texas law restricts death records less than 25 years old. Under Texas Government Code Section 552.115, only immediate family members can get certified copies of recent records. Immediate family includes a spouse, parent, child, sibling, or grandparent. A legal representative with proper documentation may also request records for estate or legal purposes.

After the 25-year window, death records become public. Anyone can request a certified copy from the Lee County Clerk without a family connection. All requesters must present valid photo ID. See the DSHS acceptable ID page for the full list of acceptable forms. Submitting false information to get a death certificate is a felony under Texas Health and Safety Code Section 195.003, with penalties of 2 to 10 years in prison and fines up to $10,000.

Historical Death Records in Lee County

Lee County was organized in 1874 and named for Robert E. Lee. The county's death records from 1903 cover over a century of Central Texas families, including Czech and German immigrant communities that settled heavily in this region. The area between Austin and Houston had a distinct ethnic character in the late 1800s and early 1900s, and the death records reflect that history. For genealogists tracing these communities, Lee County records are important. The statewide index through FamilySearch and Ancestry covers 1903 to 2000. The Texas State Library and Archives Commission holds microfilmed records through 1973. DSHS verification letters cost $20 and can confirm a record is on file before you order a certified copy. Call (888) 963-7111 to request one.

The DSHS Order Records Locally page lists Lee County among the local offices where you can get a certified death certificate without going through the state in Austin.

Local service from the Lee County Clerk in Giddings is faster than waiting for a mail order from the state office in Austin.

Cities in Lee County

Lee County includes Giddings as its county seat along with Lexington and other small communities. None of the cities in Lee 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 Giddings.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Lee County. If a record is not in the Lee County death index, check neighboring offices.

Bastrop County • Fayette County • Washington County • Burleson County • Milam County