Wilson County Death Index Search

Wilson County death records are filed at the County Clerk's office in Floresville, with the death index covering all registered deaths in the county from 1903 to the present. You can search the Wilson County death index and request certified copies in person, by mail, or through the Texas Vital Records online system. This page explains access rules, fees, and how to get a certified death certificate from Wilson County.

Wilson County Clerk Vital Records

The Wilson County Clerk in Floresville is the local office for death certificates and death index records. The clerk maintains records of all deaths registered in Wilson County from 1903 to the present. Wilson County sits in the San Antonio metro area and has seen growth as the region expands outward. The clerk's office processes vital records requests for county residents and those with family ties to the area. Staff search the death index by the decedent's name and approximate date of death. A valid photo ID is required for any record within the 25-year restricted window under Texas Government Code Section 552.115. The DSHS Order Records Locally listing confirms Wilson County as an authorized local vital records office.

The county courthouse in Floresville is where you go for in-person requests. Hours are generally Monday through Friday during business hours. It is worth calling ahead to check current hours before you visit. For in-person requests, the clerk typically issues certified copies the same day if the record is found in the system. Older records from the early decades of the 20th century may require more search time.

Fees at Wilson County follow state guidelines: $21.00 for the first certified death certificate copy and $4.00 for each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time. If you order through the DSHS state office in Austin instead, fees are $20.00 and $3.00 respectively. The state processes mail-in requests in about 20-25 business days. County in-person service is same-day when records are available.

Note: A search fee equal to the certificate fee applies whenever the clerk runs a search but does not find a record. This fee is not refunded.

The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics section sets the fee schedule and procedures that the Wilson County Clerk follows when handling death record requests.

State DSHS rules govern all aspects of death certificate access in Wilson County, from who qualifies to request a record to what identification forms are accepted at the counter.

How to Get Wilson County Death Records

In-person requests at the Wilson County Clerk in Floresville are the fastest option. Bring your photo ID and the $21.00 fee. The clerk will search the death index and issue a certified copy the same day the record is available in the system. This is the best route when time matters.

Mail requests are accepted. Complete the VS-142 Death Certificate Application from DSHS. Include a legible copy of your photo ID and a check or money order payable to the Wilson County Clerk. Mail the full packet to the courthouse in Floresville. All fields on the application must be completed. The clerk returns incomplete packets, which adds delays. After the office receives a complete submission, processing typically takes a few business days depending on current volume.

Online ordering through the Texas.gov vital records portal routes your request to the state DSHS system. The state charges $20.00 for the first copy. Processing averages about 20-25 business days at the state level, not counting shipping time. This option works well for requesters not located near Floresville or who want to handle the whole process online.

Who Can Access Wilson County Death Records

Texas restricts death records for 25 years from the date of death. Only qualified applicants can get certified copies during this window. Qualified applicants are immediate family members of the decedent: spouse, parent, child, sibling, or grandparent. Legal representatives with proper documentation also qualify. After the 25-year period ends, the record is public and anyone with a valid ID may request it.

Every request requires acceptable identification. The DSHS acceptable ID list details what forms the clerk accepts. Making a false statement on a vital records application is a felony under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 195, punishable by 2-10 years in prison and fines up to $10,000. The clerk records the requester's identity on every transaction. Verification letters are available if you only need to confirm that a death record is on file, but these are not certified copies and cannot be used as substitutes in legal proceedings.

Wilson County Historical Death Index

Wilson County death records go back to 1903. Free online research tools include the FamilySearch Texas Death Index, which covers 1903 to 2000 statewide, and Ancestry's Texas Death Index, which spans the same range and lists over 7 million individuals statewide. Both are index-only resources, useful for finding the certificate number and date of death before you request the full certified record from the county. The Library of Congress Texas vital records guide provides an overview of how Texas vital records are organized, which is helpful for researchers new to the state's system.

The Texas State Library and Archives in Austin holds microfilmed death indexes from 1903 to 1973 for all Texas counties, including Wilson County. These are available for public research visits. For older records not yet in online databases, the Wilson County Clerk is the definitive source and can search original ledgers and early paper records.

The DSHS Order Records Locally page includes Wilson County in its directory of local offices authorized to issue certified death certificates to qualified requesters.

Going directly to the Wilson County Clerk is usually faster than ordering through the state, especially for in-person requests where same-day service is available.

Cities in Wilson County

Wilson County includes Floresville and several smaller communities. No cities in Wilson County currently meet the population threshold for a dedicated page on this site. All death records for events in the county are processed at the Wilson County Clerk's office in Floresville.

Communities in Wilson County include Floresville, La Vernia, Stockdale, and Poth. Nearby San Antonio in Bexar County is the closest major city with a dedicated death records page on this site.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Wilson County. If a death may have been registered in an adjacent county, contact the clerk there for assistance.

Bexar County • Guadalupe County • Gonzales County • Karnes County • Atascosa County