Travis County Death Index

Travis County death records involve a split system between the County Clerk and the City of Austin, and this page explains how it works. Whether you need a death certificate from Austin or another part of Travis County, this guide covers the right office to contact, how to search the Travis County death index, fees, access rules, and free genealogy resources for deaths registered in Travis County going back to 1903.

Travis County Clerk Death Records

Travis County has an important limitation that does not exist in most Texas counties. The County Clerk's Recording Division is NOT the local registrar for all birth and death certificates in Travis County. The Travis County Clerk only has direct access to records for births and deaths that occurred within Travis County from 1903 to 1956. For records after 1956, you need to contact a different office depending on where the death took place.

For deaths that occurred within the Austin city limits after 1956, contact the City of Austin's Vital Records Office. For deaths outside the Austin city limits but within Travis County after 1956, contact the Justice of the Peace Court for the precinct where the death occurred. For deaths in other Texas counties, contact the relevant county clerk or the state DSHS office. The Travis County Clerk's vital statistics page explains this jurisdiction breakdown in detail.

Copies of death certificates from the Travis County Clerk can be requested by mail. Send a completed form, a cashier's check, money order, or personal check, and a copy of your photo ID to: Recording Division, Travis County Clerk, P.O. Box 149325, Austin, TX 78714. The mailing address is important for Travis County because there is no in-person request option at the county clerk's office for vital records. The county clerk's fee for a certified death certificate is $20.00 per copy.

Note: Travis County Clerk at 7201 Levander Loop, Building C, Austin, TX 78702 handles many county services. Reach the vital statistics line at 512-854-9188 for death record questions.

The Travis County Clerk vital statistics page explains which deaths the county handles directly and which require contacting the Austin city vital records office or a Justice of the Peace court.

This page is essential reading before submitting any death record request for Travis County, given the jurisdictional split between the county, city, and precinct offices.

How to Get Travis County Death Certificates

The right office depends on when and where the death occurred. For deaths from 1903 to 1956 in any part of Travis County, the Travis County Clerk handles the request. Mail your request to the Recording Division at P.O. Box 149325, Austin, TX 78714. Include a completed death certificate request form, a copy of your photo ID, and a check or money order payable to the Travis County Clerk.

For deaths from 1957 onward within Austin city limits, contact the City of Austin Vital Records Office. For deaths in Travis County outside Austin city limits but after 1956, contact the relevant Justice of the Peace Court for the area where the death occurred. For any death that might also be on file at the state, the Texas DSHS system at txapps.texas.gov is a simpler one-stop alternative. DSHS maintains copies of all Texas deaths from 1903 onward regardless of county or city jurisdiction. State fees are $20.00 for the first copy and $3.00 for each additional copy, and orders are mailed from Austin.

For quick confirmation that a record exists without ordering a full certified copy, you can request a verification letter from DSHS. Verification letters are available for all Texas deaths since 1903 and include the name, death date, and county. They are not legal substitutes for certified copies but are useful for preliminary research.

Death Certificate Fees in Travis County

Travis County charges $20.00 per certified copy, which is slightly different from the standard $21.00 fee most Texas counties charge. This applies to deaths in the 1903 to 1956 range handled directly by the county clerk. If you order through DSHS instead of the county, the state fee is also $20.00 for the first copy and $3.00 for each additional copy. For deaths handled by the City of Austin or a Justice of the Peace court, contact those offices directly for their fee schedules.

All requesters must pay by cashier's check, money order, or personal check payable to the Travis County Clerk for county requests. The county does not accept cash through the mail. No fee is refunded if a search is done and the record is not found. Search fees are required by state law regardless of outcome.

Who Can Access Travis County Death Records

Travis County death records less than 25 years old are restricted under Texas law. Only qualified applicants can get certified copies during that window. A qualified applicant is an immediate family member: spouse, parent, child, sibling, or grandparent. Legal representatives with proper documentation can also request restricted records. After 25 years from the date of death, the record becomes public and anyone may request a copy.

The rule comes from Texas Government Code Section 552.115. It applies equally to state and county-held records. All requesters must show valid government-issued photo ID. Acceptable forms include a driver's license, state ID, U.S. passport, or military ID. Refer to the DSHS acceptable ID page for the complete list. Making a false statement on a vital records application is a felony in Texas, punishable by 2 to 10 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines.

Historical Travis County Death Records

Travis County death records go back to 1903 and include Austin, the state capital. The volume of records in Travis County is significant given the county's large and growing population. For genealogy research, free online tools are the best starting point. The FamilySearch Texas Death Index covers 1903 to 2000 at no charge. Ancestry's Texas Death Index covers the same range with detailed filters by year, county, and name.

Both databases give you the decedent's name, county of death, date, and certificate number. You can use these to determine which office holds the actual certificate and what information to include in your request. The Texas State Library in Austin holds microfilmed death indexes from 1903 to 1973 for in-person research. Since the Texas State Library is in Austin, it is particularly accessible for Travis County research. The Library of Congress Texas vital records guide walks through the state's record structure in depth.

Cities in Travis County

Travis County includes Austin and several rapidly growing surrounding cities. Death records for events in these cities may be handled by the Travis County Clerk, the City of Austin, a Justice of the Peace, or the state DSHS office depending on the date and location.

Other communities in and around Travis County include Cedar Park, Pflugerville, Manor, and Bee Cave. Note that Round Rock and Georgetown are primarily in Williamson County. Death records for those cities may involve the Williamson County Clerk depending on the specific location of the event.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Travis County. For deaths near county lines, check the address on the death certificate to confirm which county holds the record.

Williamson County • Bastrop County • Caldwell County • Hays County • Blanco County • Burnet County