Texas death records are obtained for various purposes. Many people use the records in helping recreate their genealogy tree. For legal purposes, it can be used by heirs to help strengthen their inheritance claims. For others, they can prove their widow/widower status by providing a record of their deceased spouse.
The document contains information on a specific person who died. If you’re looking for the record of an infant, you’ll find that the notation “Inf of” will appear as the first name in the document. “Inf of” means infant of. Some of the records may list women under the husband’s first name.
Currently, the Texas department of state health services keeps the certificates of deaths in Texas. However, if you’re looking for information prior to 1956, you will find that the index are grouped in certain years. For deaths from 1904 to 1940 there is only one index. The same goes for 1941 to 1945 and 1946 to 1955. Documents after 1956 now had one index per year. For deaths before 1903, you will have more luck finding the record in the county clerk’s office. Just be sure to look for the record on the county where the death occurred. Not the birthplace of the dead person.
Certificates for deaths that occurred in the past 25 years or those who were born the past 75 years are considered as protected documents. Only those who are immediate relatives of the deceased can make the request. If a request is made outside of the state of Texas, the person requesting said document must be the living spouse or parent of the deceased. Certain people can request the documents even if they are not related. The funeral director of the funeral home that housed or took care of the corpse can request the document for record keeping purposes.
To make a request, proper identification is needed. Identification such as a government issued ID or state-issued driver’s license will suffice. Just log on the website of the vital records department of Texas and fill out the application form. You will need to input the names of the parents of the deceased person. The maiden name of the mother may also be needed. You will also have to state the reason why you need the document and how you are related to the deceased person. One request will cost about $20 and you can pay via check or money order along with the application form to the bureau of vital statistics. The mail order service will take some time, approximately three weeks at most.
If you can’t wait then you can opt to request the death notices online. The website of the Texas government has an online service that allows you to request forms online and pay via credit card which can be more convenient than checks and money orders. You’ll get a reply within 10 to 15 days. If you want to get the records as soon as possible, some online websites offer rush service for a small fee. You will be assured that the record is certified and delivered within four to seven days upon request.
Find out all about Death Record Texas. Our website has full info. You’ll be glad you visited us at Death Records Free Online.