Find Death Records in Real County

Real County death records are kept by the County Clerk in Leakey, Texas. The Real County death index includes all deaths registered in the county from 1903 to the present. This page covers how to search Real County death records, get certified copies, understand who can request them, and use historical indexes for genealogy.

Real County Clerk and Death Records

The Real County Clerk in Leakey is the local registrar for all deaths that occur within Real County. The clerk's office holds and maintains the Real County death index. You can request certified copies of death certificates in person at the courthouse in Leakey, by mail, or through the state online system. Real County is a small, rural Hill Country county in Southwest Texas, and the clerk's office in Leakey handles all death record requests for the county.

In-person requests are the fastest option. Go to the Real County Courthouse in Leakey with your valid government-issued photo ID, fill out an application, and pay the fee. The clerk can often issue the record the same day if it is on file. Mail requests are also accepted. You will need to complete the VS-142 Death Certificate Application from DSHS, include a copy of your government-issued photo ID, and send a money order or check payable to the Real County Clerk. Mail the full packet to the courthouse in Leakey. Call the office before mailing if you have questions about current wait times.

The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics unit in Austin also holds copies of all Real County death records from 1903 forward. Ordering through the state is an option if you cannot reach the county clerk, but state orders take longer to process since they are handled in Austin and mailed from there. The Texas online vital records system is the state's online ordering portal.

Note: Real County is one of the smallest counties in Texas by population. Wait times at the clerk's office are typically short, and the records staff can usually assist you promptly in person.

The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics unit establishes the fee schedule and access rules that Real County and all other Texas county clerks follow when issuing certified death certificates.

State rules cover every death certificate request in Real County, from fees to ID requirements to the 25-year confidentiality window.

Fees and Who Can Request Real County Death Records

Real County uses the Texas standard fee schedule for certified death certificates. The first copy costs $21.00. Each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time is $4.00. If you order through the DSHS state office in Austin, the fee is $20.00 for the first copy and $3.00 per additional copy. County and state copies are both certified and legally the same. You can pay by money order or check at the clerk's office.

Texas law limits access to death records under 25 years old. Only a qualified applicant can request a certified copy during that time. A qualified applicant is an immediate family member of the deceased. That includes a spouse, parent, child, sibling, or grandparent. A legal representative with documentation showing proper authority can also make the request. After 25 years from the date of death, the record becomes public under Texas Government Code Section 552.115. At that point, anyone can request a certified copy with valid photo ID.

Every requester must show government-issued photo ID, regardless of the record's age. The DSHS acceptable ID list shows what forms the clerk will accept. A Texas driver's license or state ID is the most common. A U.S. passport or military ID also qualifies. If you only have secondary ID documents, you may be able to combine two from Group B or one from Group B and two from Group C on the DSHS list. Check before you visit.

Making a false statement to get a death record is a felony under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 195. The penalty includes two to ten years in prison and a fine up to $10,000. The clerk documents every requester's identity for every transaction.

How to Get a Real County Death Certificate

The three ways to get a certified death certificate from Real County are in person, by mail, or online through the state system. In person at the Real County Courthouse in Leakey is the fastest. Bring your photo ID and the fee. Same-day service is typical when the record is on file.

For a mail request, download the VS-142 form from DSHS, complete every field, include a copy of your photo ID, and send a money order or check made payable to the Real County Clerk. Mail the complete packet to the courthouse in Leakey. Incomplete applications are returned, which adds delays. DSHS recommends sending everything by certified mail so you have a delivery confirmation.

Online ordering through Texas.gov is also available. This routes your order through the DSHS system in Austin. Processing times average 20 to 25 business days for online orders and 25 to 30 days for mail orders sent to DSHS. These times do not include shipping. If you need the record sooner, the county clerk in Leakey is the better option.

The Texas.gov Vital Records portal provides an online option for ordering certified Real County death certificates through the statewide DSHS system.

Online orders are processed in Austin and mailed to you. County orders go through the Real County Clerk in Leakey and are typically faster.

Historical Records and Genealogy in Real County

Real County death records start in 1903. If you are doing genealogy research, online indexes are a good way to find a record before you request a certified copy. The FamilySearch Texas Death Index covers 1903 to 2000 and is free. It gives name, death county, date, and certificate number. The Ancestry Texas Death Index also covers that range and lists over 7 million statewide deaths. Both are index only. Use them to get a name and date, then request the full record from the Real County Clerk.

The Library of Congress Texas vital records guide explains how the statewide index is organized and how to search when a record is not found online. The Texas State Library and Archives in Austin holds microfilm of Texas death records from 1903 to 1973. Real County is a small county with a modest number of records. If the county clerk does not have the record you need, the DSHS state office in Austin is the next place to check.

Nearby Counties

Real County sits in the Texas Hill Country. These counties border or are near Real County. If a death record is not found in Real County, check the neighboring county clerk.

Kerr County • Bandera County • Edwards County • Kinney County • Medina County