Search Laredo Death Records
Laredo obituary and death records are maintained by the Webb County Clerk in Laredo, Texas. Whether you need a certified death certificate for legal purposes or want to trace a family member who died in the Laredo 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.
Laredo Overview
Where to Find Laredo Obituary Records
Laredo is the Webb County seat, so the county clerk's office is located in the city. All death records for events in Laredo are filed with Webb County. There is no separate Laredo vital records office. Webb County is the only major county in the area, so all surrounding communities also use this same clerk's office. The clerk accepts in-person and mail requests for certified death certificates, and staff can help you with the application process. Webb County has death records going back to 1897, predating statewide registration.
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 | Webb County Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | P.O. Box 29, Laredo, TX 78042 |
| Phone | (956) 523-4300 |
| County Page | Webb County Death Records |
Note: Laredo is the Webb County seat. The county clerk handles death records for the entire county from the Laredo office.
Searching Laredo Death Records Online
The Texas DSHS online portal at ovra.txapps.texas.gov handles certified death certificate orders for Laredo 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. Webb County records go back to 1897 at the county level, and the statewide index covers the county from 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, and Laredo has a particularly deep genealogical record given its long history as a border settlement.
Legacy.com at legacy.com carries obituary notices from the Laredo Morning Times. Search by name to find recent obituary postings with service dates, surviving family, and funeral home contact information.
How to Request Laredo Death Certificates
Mail requests to: Webb County Clerk, P.O. Box 29, Laredo, TX 78042. 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 Laredo 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 Laredo Obituaries
Laredo was founded in 1755 as a Spanish colonial settlement on the Rio Grande, making it one of the oldest communities in Texas. Webb County was organized in 1848. County death records go back to 1897, predating the statewide registration system. For much earlier deaths, Catholic parish records from the 18th and early 19th centuries are held at the San Agustin Cathedral and are an irreplaceable genealogical resource.
The Texas State Library at tsl.texas.gov holds historical records for Laredo and the Webb County area. FamilySearch has digitized portions of the Texas death index for Webb County. Catholic diocesan archives are also a major resource for pre-1900 research in this community. The Webb County Heritage Foundation and the Laredo Public Library's Bruni Room hold local history collections including early Spanish and Mexican colonial records, city directories, and Laredo Morning Times newspaper archives that can fill gaps in the formal vital records system.
The Webb County Clerk's office in Laredo handles death certificate requests and vital records for this South Texas border county.
The Webb County Clerk in Laredo maintains death certificates and vital records for this border county from 1897 forward.
Laredo Obituary Resources
Contact the Webb County Clerk at (956) 523-4300 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 Laredo 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 Webb County death records page.
Nearby Cities
These nearby cities also have death records available through their county clerk offices.