Medina County Death Index

Medina County death records are filed and maintained by the County Clerk in Hondo, Texas. This page explains how to search the Medina County Death Index, request certified death certificates, and find older records going back to 1903.

Medina County Clerk Death Index Records

The Medina County Clerk's office in Hondo handles all death certificates for the county. As the local vital records registrar, the clerk holds and issues certified copies of death records filed in Medina County since 1903. The office is at the Medina County Courthouse in Hondo. You can go there in person to have a staff member search the death index and issue a copy while you wait.

Mail-in requests are also accepted. Use the VS-142 Death Certificate Application from DSHS. Complete the form, include a photocopy of a government-issued photo ID, and include a check or money order payable to the Medina County Clerk. Mail everything to the courthouse in Hondo. Call the office first to get the exact mailing address and confirm current operating hours. Most mail requests are completed within a few business days of arrival.

The state DSHS office in Austin is another option. You can order through the Texas Vital Records portal online or by mail. State orders take 20 to 30 business days. In-person county service is faster for those who can get to Hondo. Medina County is close enough to San Antonio that some residents may find it convenient to use either the county or state route depending on their location.

The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics office is the state authority for all Texas vital records. The Medina County Clerk follows the same rules, fees, and procedures set by DSHS as every other Texas county.

All death certificates from the Medina County Clerk in Hondo are issued under the same state standards that govern all 254 Texas counties.

Medina County Death Record Fees

The Medina County Clerk charges $21.00 for the first certified copy of a death certificate. Each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time costs $4.00. Texas law sets these fees, so they are consistent across all county clerks in the state.

Through the state DSHS office in Austin, the fee is $20.00 for the first copy and $3.00 per additional copy. Both produce certified legal copies. The county is usually faster for in-person requests. State orders are mailed from Austin and can take a month or more. Going to the Hondo office is the right call if you need the record quickly.

Texas law does not allow refunds for search fees even if no record is found. Provide the full name of the deceased and the approximate year of death when filing a request. This information helps the clerk narrow the search and reduces the risk of returning empty-handed.

Who Can Access Medina County Death Records

Texas restricts access to death records that are less than 25 years old. Only immediate family members of the deceased may receive a certified copy of a recent death certificate. Texas law defines immediate family as a spouse, parent, child, sibling, or grandparent. Legal representatives with supporting documents can also make requests.

After 25 years from the date of death, the record becomes public under Texas Government Code Section 552.115. Any member of the public can request a copy of a record that old without showing a family connection. All requesters still need a valid government-issued photo ID. The DSHS acceptable ID list shows what forms are accepted at county offices. Falsifying information to get a death certificate is a felony under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 195.

Note: If you are not an immediate family member and the death occurred within the past 25 years, neither the county clerk nor the state office will issue a certified copy. A verification letter may be available, but it is not a substitute for a certified certificate in legal proceedings.

Historical Medina County Death Records

Medina County has kept death records since 1903. All records more than 25 years old are public and searchable using free online databases. The FamilySearch Texas Death Index covers 1903 to 2000. The Ancestry Texas Death Index covers the same period. Both show the name, death county, year, and certificate number. They are index databases only. You need to request the certified copy separately from the county or state office.

Medina County has deep roots as a farming and ranching area in the Texas Hill Country and South Texas plains region. Records from the early 20th century reflect a mix of Anglo-American and Hispanic heritage, and older records may include non-standardized name spellings. The Texas State Library and Archives in Austin holds microfilmed death indexes from 1903 to 1973. These are available for public in-person research. The Texas State Library is a good resource if your online search comes up short for Medina County records from that era. The Library of Congress Texas vital records guide is helpful for anyone new to researching Texas death records.

The Ancestry Texas Death Index 1903-2000 includes Medina County records as part of its statewide collection, with over 7 million Texas deaths indexed by name, year, and county.

Searching the Ancestry index first can help confirm a record exists in Medina County before you visit or mail a request to the county clerk in Hondo.

Cities in Medina County

Hondo is the county seat and largest city in Medina County. The county clerk's office is located in Hondo. No cities in Medina County meet the population threshold for individual city pages on this site. All death records for communities in the county are processed through the Medina County Clerk in Hondo.

Nearby Counties

Medina County is in South Texas, west of San Antonio. These counties border Medina County. If you are unsure which county a death was registered in, check with the clerks in neighboring counties.

Bexar County • Bandera County • Uvalde County • Zavala County • Frio County • Atascosa County