Terry County Death Index

Terry County death records are kept by the County Clerk in Brownfield and include deaths registered in the county going back to 1903. This page covers how to search the Terry County death index, get certified death certificates, understand the Texas access rules that apply, and find free historical records online for genealogy work tied to Terry County deaths.

Terry County Clerk and Death Records

The Terry County Clerk in Brownfield is the local custodian of vital records, including death certificates, for all of Terry County. This is a smaller South Plains county in West Texas. The clerk's office handles in-person and mail requests for certified copies of death certificates. Call the Terry County Clerk in Brownfield directly to confirm current hours, address, and available services before you make the trip or send a mail request.

Terry County does not have the online ordering options available at larger metropolitan counties. Mail requests are a practical alternative for people who cannot visit Brownfield in person. Include a copy of your government-issued photo ID, the appropriate fee by check or money order payable to the Terry County Clerk, and a note with the decedent's name, approximate date of death, and your relationship to the deceased. State-level ordering is also available through DSHS if the county route is not workable.

Fees follow the standard Texas county structure. A certified death certificate costs $21.00 for the first copy and $4.00 for each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time. If you order through the state DSHS office instead, the fee is $20.00 for the first copy and $3.00 for each additional copy. State orders take longer to arrive since they are processed and mailed from Austin.

The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics unit in Austin holds copies of all death certificates registered in Texas, including those from Terry County, and can issue certified copies by mail or online order.

DSHS provides a statewide alternative for obtaining Terry County death certificates when an in-person visit to Brownfield is not feasible.

How to Get Terry County Death Certificates

In-person requests at the Terry County Clerk's office in Brownfield are the most direct approach. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID and the fee. Staff can search the death index and issue certified copies while you wait. Have the decedent's full name and an approximate date of death ready to help staff locate the record quickly.

Mail requests work well if you are not near Brownfield. Use the VS-142 Death Certificate Application from DSHS as your request form, or write a letter with the required information. Include a photocopy of your ID and a money order or check payable to the Terry County Clerk. Mail everything to the clerk's office in Brownfield. Allow time for the office to receive and process your request before following up.

Online ordering through the state is available at txapps.texas.gov. This connects to the DSHS system in Austin. State-ordered copies cost slightly less but take 20 to 30 business days to process and are mailed to you. This option is good if speed is not a priority and you cannot visit the county or mail a request easily.

Note: If the record is not found during a search, Texas law requires the office to charge a search fee equal to the certificate fee. This fee is not refundable.

Access Rules for Terry County Death Records

Texas restricts death records that are less than 25 years old. Only qualified applicants can get certified copies during that window. The law defines a qualified applicant as an immediate family member of the person on the record. That includes a spouse, parent, child, sibling, or grandparent. Legal representatives with documentation showing their authority can also request restricted records. Government agencies and organizations with a direct tangible need may also qualify.

After 25 years from the date of death, the record becomes public. Anyone can request a certified copy at that point. Valid photo ID is still required for every transaction. This rule comes from Texas Government Code Section 552.115 and applies equally to county and state offices. Making a false statement on a vital records request is a felony with penalties of 2 to 10 years in prison and fines up to $10,000.

Historical Death Index Research in Terry County

Terry County deaths from 1903 onward are part of the statewide Texas death index. Genealogists can search these records online before requesting physical copies. The FamilySearch Texas Death Index is free and covers 1903 to 2000. Ancestry's Texas Death Index covers the same range. Both show the decedent's name, county of death, death date, and certificate number.

Once you find an entry in the index, you can use the certificate number and death details to request a full certified copy from the Terry County Clerk or from the state. The Texas State Library in Austin holds microfilmed death indexes from 1903 to 1973 for in-person research. The Texas State Library is one of the best resources for early Texas vital records research and is open to the public. The Library of Congress Texas vital records guide offers additional background on how to work through the state's records system.

Communities in Terry County

Terry County's main town is Brownfield, the county seat. No cities in Terry County meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site. Death records for all parts of the county go through the Terry County Clerk in Brownfield.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Terry County. Check the location of the death event to determine which county holds the record you need.

Yoakum County • Hockley County • Lubbock County • Lynn County • Dawson County