Montgomery County Death Index

The Montgomery County Death Index is maintained by the County Clerk in Conroe, Texas. All death records for events in Montgomery County go back to 1903. You can search the death index and get certified copies through the County Clerk in Conroe, by mail, or through the state online system. This page covers how to find and request Montgomery County death records.

Montgomery County Clerk Death Records

The Montgomery County Clerk's office in Conroe handles vital records for the county, including certified death certificates. The office serves as the local registrar for all deaths registered in Montgomery County from 1903 to the present. If you need a certified copy of a death certificate for someone who died in Montgomery County, the clerk in Conroe is your primary source. The office is at the county courthouse in Conroe and is open Monday through Friday during regular business hours.

The clerk handles thousands of vital records requests each year. Montgomery County is one of the fastest-growing counties in Texas, which means the volume of records here is substantial. Death certificates for all events in the county, whether in Conroe, The Woodlands, Conroe city limits, or unincorporated areas, are all filed with the Montgomery County Clerk. The office processes in-person requests the same day when the record is on file. You need a valid government-issued photo ID and the correct fee.

For those requesting records of someone who died within the past 25 years, you must be a qualified applicant under Texas law. That means you are an immediate family member: spouse, parent, child, sibling, or grandparent of the deceased. A legal representative with documentation can also qualify. After 25 years, records are public and open to all requesters.

Note: If a birth in Kingwood after 1996 is associated with a death record, you may need to contact the City of Houston for the birth certificate. Death certificates for those events are still handled through Montgomery County if the death occurred there.

The Montgomery County Clerk vital records page explains how to request death certificates for events in the county, including required information and qualified applicant rules.

The county's vital records page confirms that death certificates for all registered events in Montgomery County from 1903 to present are available through the clerk's office in Conroe.

How to Request Montgomery County Death Records

In-person requests at the Montgomery County Clerk in Conroe are the most direct option. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID, the fee, and basic details about the person on the record. The clerk will search the Montgomery County death index and issue a certified copy while you wait, as long as the record is found. Walk-ins are accepted during regular business hours at the courthouse in Conroe.

Mail requests are accepted. Fill out the VS-142 Death Certificate Application from DSHS. Include a copy of your photo ID, the correct fee as a money order or check payable to the Montgomery County Clerk, and mail the packet to the clerk in Conroe. Allow extra days for delivery and processing. The office generally processes mail requests within a few business days of receiving them.

Online ordering is available through the Texas vital records online portal at DSHS in Austin. Online orders go through the state and are mailed to you. The state fee is $20 for the first copy and $3 for each additional. The Texas.gov vital records page explains the online process. State orders take longer since records are processed in Austin rather than at the county level.

Death Certificate Fees in Montgomery County

Montgomery County charges $21 for the first certified copy of a death certificate and $4 for each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time. This is the standard Texas county fee. The cost covers the county search, the certification, and the vital records archive fee. If a search is done and no record is found, the search fee still applies and is not refunded. The state fee through DSHS is $20 for the first copy and $3 for each additional, slightly less than the county rate.

The fee structure is set by Texas law and applies uniformly across the state at the county level. Payment methods at the county clerk typically include cash, check, or money order. For mail requests, use a check or money order. Do not send cash in the mail. Call the Montgomery County Clerk's office directly to confirm current accepted payment options before submitting a request.

The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics office sets the statewide rules for death certificate fees, access, and procedures that Montgomery County must follow.

DSHS rules apply to every death record request in Texas, regardless of which county or state office processes the request.

Who Can Get Montgomery County Death Records

Texas law restricts access to death records less than 25 years old. Under Texas Government Code Section 552.115, death records are confidential for 25 years after the date of death. During that period, only qualified applicants can get certified copies. A qualified applicant is an immediate family member of the person named on the record. That includes a spouse, parent, child, sibling, or grandparent. Legal guardians and legal representatives with proper court documents can also request records during the restricted period.

After 25 years, the record is public. Anyone can request a copy. All requesters still need valid photo ID regardless of whether the record is restricted or open. The DSHS acceptable ID list shows what is accepted. A driver's license, state ID card, military ID, or US passport all qualify. Making a false statement to get a death certificate is a felony under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 195. The penalty is 2 to 10 years in prison and fines up to $10,000.

Verification letters are also available. A verification letter shows that a death record is on file for a specific person, including the name, date of death, and county. Verifications are not substitutes for certified copies but can be useful when you only need to confirm that a death is on record.

Historical Research in Montgomery County

Montgomery County death records date back to 1903. The county has seen significant growth over the decades, and the death index reflects a wide range of the population. For genealogy research, the older records are worth searching. Free online resources can help you narrow down the certificate number before requesting a copy from the county.

The FamilySearch Texas Death Index covers deaths statewide from 1903 to 2000, including Montgomery County. Ancestry's Texas Death Index covers the same range and lists the name, death county, date, and certificate number. These index-only databases are free or subscription-based and are a good first step before contacting the clerk's office. The Texas State Library and Archives holds microfilmed death indexes from 1903 to 1973 for all Texas counties.

For older records that may not appear in online indexes, the Montgomery County Clerk's office in Conroe is the best source. The Library of Congress Texas vital records guide explains how the statewide record system is organized and where gaps may occur. If a death is not found at the county level, the state office in Austin holds copies of all county-registered records from 1903 forward.

Cities in Montgomery County

Conroe is the county seat of Montgomery County. All death records for events in the county, including in Conroe and surrounding communities, are filed with the Montgomery County Clerk in Conroe.

Other communities in Montgomery County include The Woodlands, Spring, Humble, Kingwood area, and Magnolia. Death records for all of these areas go through the Montgomery County Clerk's office in Conroe.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Montgomery County. If you are not sure which county a death was registered in, contact the clerk's office for guidance.

Harris County • Liberty County • San Jacinto County • Walker County • Grimes County • Waller County