Tyler County Death Index Search

Tyler County death records are kept by the County Clerk in Woodville and include all deaths registered in the county going back to 1903. This page explains how to search the Tyler County death index, request certified death certificates from the county or state, understand the Texas access rules, and find free historical resources for genealogy research in Tyler County.

Tyler County Clerk and Death Records

The Tyler County Clerk in Woodville handles vital records for the county, including certified death certificates. Tyler County is a forested East Texas county. The county seat, Woodville, is where the clerk's office is located. Death records for events throughout the county are filed here and go back to 1903. Contact the Tyler County Clerk in Woodville for current office hours, phone number, and mailing address before submitting any request.

In-person visits to the clerk's office in Woodville allow same-day service in most cases. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID and the applicable fee. Staff will search the death index and issue certified copies while you are there. For mail requests, include a copy of your ID, a check or money order payable to the Tyler County Clerk, and the decedent's name, approximate date of death, and your relationship to the deceased.

The standard fee is $21.00 for the first certified copy and $4.00 for each additional copy of the same record when ordered at the same time. If you prefer to order through the state, the DSHS fee is $20.00 for the first copy and $3.00 for each additional copy. State orders take 20 to 30 business days and are mailed from Austin. Online state ordering is available at txapps.texas.gov.

The DSHS Order Records Locally page lists county clerk offices in Texas that issue death certificates locally, including the Tyler County Clerk in Woodville.

You can use the DSHS directory to find current contact information for the Tyler County Clerk when planning your request.

How to Get Tyler County Death Certificates

In-person requests go to the Tyler County Clerk in Woodville. Bring your photo ID and the fee. Staff will search and issue a certified copy the same day in most cases. This is the fastest method.

Mail requests work if you cannot make it to Woodville. Use the VS-142 Death Certificate Application form from DSHS. Include a photocopy of your photo ID and a money order or check payable to the Tyler County Clerk. Write the decedent's full name, the approximate date of death, and your relationship to the deceased. Mail to the clerk's office in Woodville and allow several business days for processing after delivery.

For online ordering, use the state system at txapps.texas.gov. DSHS processes these orders in Austin and mails certified copies to you. Processing takes 20 to 30 business days on average. This is a good option if you are out of state or cannot submit a request locally.

Note: If a search is conducted and no record is found, a search fee equal to the certificate fee is still charged and is not refundable under Texas law.

Who Can Access Tyler County Death Records

Death records less than 25 years old are restricted in Texas. Only qualified applicants can get certified copies. A qualified applicant is an immediate family member of the deceased: a spouse, parent, child, sibling, or grandparent. Legal representatives with proper documentation can also request restricted records on behalf of the family.

After 25 years from the date of death, the record is public and anyone can request a copy. All requesters must show valid government-issued photo ID regardless of whether the record is restricted or public. This rule is established by Texas Government Code Section 552.115. Making a false statement on a vital records request is a felony in Texas, punishable by 2 to 10 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines.

Historical Research in Tyler County

Tyler County death records from 1903 are included in the statewide Texas death index. For genealogy research, start with the free online indexes. The FamilySearch Texas Death Index covers 1903 to 2000 and is free to use. Ancestry's Texas Death Index covers the same range with over 7 million entries statewide. Both show the decedent's name, county of death, date, and certificate number.

The Texas death index is organized alphabetically within broad time periods for older records: 1903 to 1940, 1940 to 1945, and 1946 to 1955, then annually for 1956 to 1973. The Texas State Library holds microfilmed death indexes from 1903 to 1973 available for in-person research in Austin. Once you identify a record in the index, you can use the certificate number to request the full certified copy from the Tyler County Clerk or from DSHS. The Library of Congress Texas vital records guide is a good starting point for understanding how to navigate these resources.

Communities in Tyler County

Tyler County is a rural East Texas county. Woodville is the county seat and the main community. No cities in the county meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site. Death records for all parts of Tyler County are filed with the Tyler County Clerk in Woodville.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Tyler County in East Texas. Use the location of the death event to determine which county holds the record.

Hardin County • Jasper County • Polk County • San Jacinto County • Liberty County