Dallas Obituary Records

Dallas death records and obituary information come from two main sources depending on the date and location of the death. The City of Dallas Bureau of Vital Statistics handles records for deaths that occurred within Dallas city limits from April 1, 1983 to the present. The Dallas County Clerk holds records for earlier deaths and for deaths in unincorporated parts of Dallas County. Both offices issue certified copies, and the county has an online ordering system available. This page explains how to find and request Dallas obituary and death records from each source.

Where to Find Dallas Obituary Records

Dallas death records are split between two offices by date. For deaths that occurred in Dallas city limits from April 1, 1983 onward, the City of Dallas Bureau of Vital Statistics at 1515 Young Street is the right office. Their phone number is (800) 380-1138. For deaths before April 1983, or for deaths that happened in unincorporated parts of Dallas County, the Dallas County Clerk at 509 Main Street in downtown Dallas holds the records.

The Dallas County Clerk maintains death records for Dallas County from 1903 to the present. Their phone number is (214) 653-7099. The county also has an online ordering system at dallascountytxvitals.permitium.com that lets you request certified death certificates without visiting the office. The non-refundable search fee for each record searched through the online system is $21. If the record is not found, the search fee is still charged, so having the correct name and date increases your chance of a successful search.

Searching Dallas Death Records Online

Dallas County's online vital records system at dallascountytxvitals.permitium.com is the most direct online route for certified Dallas death certificates. The system handles credit card payments and processes requests electronically. A $21 non-refundable search fee applies per record searched. You need the deceased's full name and the approximate date or year of death to get started. The system covers Dallas County deaths and returns results from the county's records database.

The Texas DSHS ordering portal at ovra.txapps.texas.gov is another option for ordering certified copies through the state's statewide index. State orders are processed through Austin and take longer than county or city requests, but they can be useful when you're not sure which county's records apply or when you want a state-issued certified copy rather than a county-issued one. Both are legally valid.

For free searches, FamilySearch holds Texas death indexes covering early Dallas County deaths from 1903 onward. Their database is indexed by name and is free to search. Results often link to scanned images of original certificates. Legacy.com Texas obituaries is a good source for recent death notices from the Dallas Morning News and other area publications.

How to Request Dallas Death Certificates

In-person requests for recent Dallas deaths (April 1983 to present) go to the Bureau of Vital Statistics at 1515 Young Street. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID and documentation showing your relationship to the deceased. For county records covering older deaths or unincorporated areas, visit the Dallas County Clerk at the Records Building on Main Street. Same-day service is usually available for in-person requests at both offices during regular business hours.

Mail requests to either office should include a completed application form, a notarized statement or sworn affidavit, a photocopy of your photo ID, and payment. The standard fee is $21 for the first certified copy and $4 for each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time. Make checks payable to the applicable office. Under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 193, death records less than 25 years old require proof of a qualified relationship. Records older than 25 years are open to the public for genealogy research without restriction.

You can also order Dallas County records through the county's online system or through Texas DSHS Vital Statistics by mail or online. The state office can issue records from the statewide system, which holds death certificates from all Texas counties including Dallas from 1903 onward.

Historical Dallas Obituaries

Dallas County death records go back to 1903, giving researchers more than a century of documented deaths. The Texas State Library in Austin holds microfilm collections covering Dallas County vital records from the early 1900s. Researchers can visit the library in person or request materials through the Texas State Library interlibrary loan program. Early certificates often include cause of death, occupation, birthplace, and the name of the informant who filed the report.

FamilySearch has indexed early Dallas County deaths and linked many records to digital scans. Searching the Texas Death Index on FamilySearch by name and county often returns results for Dallas-area deaths from the early decades of the 20th century. This is useful for researchers who can't visit the county clerk in person. The Genealogy Collection at the Dallas Public Library is another local resource with back issues of the Dallas Morning News and other newspapers that carried obituary notices.

The Dallas Morning News has published continuously since 1885 and is the main historical paper of record for the area. Archives are available through ProQuest at many public libraries. For deaths in the mid-to-late 20th century, the newspaper archive is often the best source for full obituary text that goes beyond what a death certificate contains.

The Dallas County Clerk maintains death certificates and vital records for Dallas County from 1903 to the present.

The Dallas County Clerk at 509 Main Street processes in-person and mail requests for certified death certificates.

Dallas Obituary Resources

Primary resources for Dallas death records include the county's online ordering system at dallascountytxvitals.permitium.com, the Texas DSHS portal at ovra.txapps.texas.gov, and the DSHS main office at dshs.texas.gov/vs. For free research, FamilySearch and the Texas State Library both hold Dallas County death indexes and historical records.

Recent obituary notices are available on Legacy.com by searching name. For more on county-wide records and courthouse contacts, see the Dallas County obituary records page.

Nearby Cities

Death records for Dallas-area cities are held by their respective county and city vital records offices.