Find Bryan Death Records
Bryan obituary and death records are maintained by the Brazos County Clerk in Bryan, Texas. Whether you need a certified death certificate for legal purposes or want to trace a family member who died in the Bryan area, this page covers where to go, what to bring, how to request records by mail or online, and how to find historical obituaries going back to 1903.
Bryan Overview
Where to Find Bryan Obituary Records
Bryan is the Brazos County seat, so the county clerk's office is located in the city. All death records for events in Bryan are filed with Brazos County. There is no separate Bryan vital records office. College Station, adjacent to Bryan, is also in Brazos County and uses the same clerk's office, as do other smaller communities in the county. The clerk accepts in-person and mail requests for certified death certificates, and staff can help you identify the correct form and verify your eligibility before you mail in a request.
Under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 193, death records less than 25 years old are restricted to qualified applicants. Records 25 years or older are open to the public. Qualified applicants include the spouse, child, parent, or sibling of the deceased, legal representatives acting on behalf of the estate, and individuals with a direct and tangible interest in the record. If you don't qualify for a restricted record, genealogical databases like FamilySearch offer free access to older records.
| Office | Brazos County Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | 300 E. 26th St., Suite 120, Bryan, TX 77803 |
| Phone | (979) 361-4128 |
| County Page | Brazos County Death Records |
Note: Bryan and College Station share the Brazos County Clerk. One office serves both cities for certified death records.
Searching Bryan Death Records Online
The Texas DSHS online portal at ovra.txapps.texas.gov handles certified death certificate orders for Bryan and all of Texas. You need the full name of the deceased and an approximate year of death. Payment is by credit card, and orders are mailed within a few business days. This is a convenient option if you can't visit the courthouse in person.
FamilySearch at familysearch.org has free indexed Texas death records. The Texas death index covers Brazos County records and includes Bryan deaths from the statewide registration period starting in 1903. Many entries include images of the original certificates, which can show cause of death, birthplace, and other details not visible in a basic index. FamilySearch is useful for genealogy research on older records.
Legacy.com at legacy.com carries obituary notices from the Bryan-College Station Eagle. Search by name to find recent obituary postings with service dates, surviving family, and funeral home contact information.
How to Request Bryan Death Certificates
Mail requests to: Brazos County Clerk, 300 E. 26th St., Suite 120, Bryan, TX 77803. Include a completed application form, a copy of your government-issued photo ID, and a check or money order for $21 (first copy). Additional copies of the same record are $4 each. You can also order online through the Texas DSHS portal or visit the Bryan courthouse in person.
State-level requests go through the Texas DSHS Vital Statistics Section at dshs.texas.gov/vs. Requirements are posted at dshs.texas.gov/vs/requirements.aspx. State processing takes longer than a direct county request but covers all Texas counties. For estate purposes, order multiple certified copies at once since additional copies cost only $4 each at time of order.
Historical Bryan Obituaries
Bryan was founded in 1866 along the Houston and Texas Central Railway and served as the county seat when Brazos County was organized that same year. Death records from the statewide registration period (1903 onward) are held at the Brazos County Clerk's office. Earlier records are in county archives and state library microfilm. FamilySearch has digitized portions of the Texas death index for Brazos County covering the Bryan area.
The Texas State Library at tsl.texas.gov holds historical records and can assist with genealogy research for Bryan and the surrounding Brazos Valley area. For deaths before 1903, cemetery records and church registers in the Bryan-College Station area are the main sources. The Brazos County Historical Commission and the Carnegie Center of Brazos Valley History in Bryan also maintain local archives and genealogy collections that support research on families in the region.
The Brazos County Clerk's office in Bryan handles death certificate requests and vital records for the entire county, including College Station.
The Brazos County Clerk in Bryan maintains death certificates and vital records for the Brazos Valley area from 1903 forward.
Bryan Obituary Resources
Contact the Brazos County Clerk at (979) 361-4128 for death certificate requests and records questions. Order online at ovra.txapps.texas.gov, or search at FamilySearch and the Texas State Library at tsl.texas.gov. Recent obituaries from the Bryan area appear on Legacy.com, where you can search by name and date range. For full county contact details, hours, and additional guidance, see the Brazos County death records page.
Nearby Cities
These nearby cities also have death records available through their county clerk offices.