Find Garland Death Records
Garland obituary and death records are filed 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 Garland 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.
Garland Overview
Where to Find Garland Obituary Records
Garland is in Dallas County, so the Dallas County Clerk's office in downtown Dallas handles death certificate requests for the city. There is no separate Garland vital records office. Other large Dallas County cities like Irving, Mesquite, and Richardson all use this same clerk. The Dallas County Clerk accepts in-person and mail requests for certified death certificates, and staff can help you complete the application if you're unsure which form to use.
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: Garland death records are filed with Dallas County. Contact the Dallas office for all certified certificate requests.
Searching Garland Death Records Online
The Texas DSHS online portal at ovra.txapps.texas.gov handles certified death certificate orders for Garland 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 County records and includes Garland 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 Garland 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 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 Garland Obituaries
Garland was established in 1887 and incorporated in 1891. The city grew steadily as part of the Dallas metropolitan area throughout the 20th century. 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 covering the Garland area.
The Texas State Library at tsl.texas.gov holds historical records for Garland and the Dallas metro area. For deaths before 1903, cemetery records and church registers in the area are the main sources. The Dallas County Historical Commission and the Garland Public Library also maintain local archives and can point you toward city directories, newspaper microfilm, and other genealogical materials specific to the Garland area.
The Dallas County Clerk's office handles death certificate requests for Garland and all other Dallas County cities.
The Dallas County Clerk handles certified death certificate requests for Garland, Mesquite, Richardson, and other Dallas County cities.
Garland 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 Garland 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.