Carrollton Death Records Lookup
Carrollton obituary and death records are filed primarily with the Dallas County Clerk in Dallas, Texas. Whether you need a certified death certificate for legal purposes or want to trace a family member who died in the Carrollton 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.
Carrollton Overview
Where to Find Carrollton Obituary Records
Most of Carrollton is in Dallas County, so the Dallas County Clerk handles the majority of death certificate requests for the city. There is no separate Carrollton vital records office. The northern portion of Carrollton extends into Denton County, and cities like Farmers Branch and Addison that border Carrollton to the south also use the Dallas County Clerk. If you're unsure which county the death occurred in, the address of the deceased at time of death is the key factor. Clerk staff can help you complete the application and confirm whether you're filing in the right office.
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 | Dallas County Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | 509 Main St., Dallas, TX 75202 |
| Phone | (214) 653-7099 |
| County Page | Dallas County Death Records |
Note: If a death occurred in the northern part of Carrollton, contact the Denton County Clerk in Denton instead.
Searching Carrollton Death Records Online
The Texas DSHS online portal at ovra.txapps.texas.gov handles certified death certificate orders for Carrollton and all of Texas. You need the full name of the deceased and the 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 Dallas and Denton County records and includes Carrollton-area 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 Dallas Morning News and area papers. Search by name to find recent obituary postings with service dates, surviving family, and funeral home contact information.
How to Request Carrollton Death Certificates
Mail requests to: Dallas County Clerk, 509 Main St., Dallas, TX 75202. 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 at the Texas DSHS portal or visit the Dallas County 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 Carrollton Obituaries
Carrollton was established in 1842 and is one of the older communities in North Texas. Dallas County death records from the early 1900s onward are held at the Dallas County Clerk's office and indexed in state library collections. FamilySearch has digitized portions of the Texas death index for Dallas County that cover the Carrollton area.
The Texas State Library at tsl.texas.gov holds historical records for Carrollton and the Dallas-Denton county area. For deaths before 1903, cemetery records and church registers are the main sources. The Dallas County Historical Commission and the Carrollton Public Library also maintain local genealogical collections, including historical newspapers and directories that can help place a death in context.
The Dallas County Clerk handles death certificate requests for the majority of Carrollton, which primarily falls within Dallas County.
The Dallas County Clerk handles certified death certificate requests for Carrollton and other cities in the Dallas County portion of the DFW metroplex.
Carrollton Obituary Resources
Contact the Dallas County Clerk at (214) 653-7099 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 Carrollton 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 Dallas County death records page.
Nearby Cities
These nearby cities also have death records available through their county clerk offices.