Bee County Obituary Records
Bee County obituary and death records are held by the County Clerk in Beeville, Texas, with records available from 1903 to the present. You can search Bee County death records by visiting the courthouse in person, mailing a request, or using online tools provided by the state of Texas and genealogy databases. This guide explains how to find Bee County death certificates, who can access them, what the process costs, and what other sources exist for tracing deceased individuals in this South Texas county.
Bee County Overview
Bee County Clerk Death Records
The Bee County Clerk's office in Beeville serves as the local registrar for vital records. The office holds death certificates for deaths that took place in the unincorporated parts of Bee County from 1903 to the present. Deaths inside the city limits of Beeville or other incorporated communities may be held separately by that city's registrar.
Access to death records under 25 years old is restricted under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 193. To get a certified copy of a recent death certificate, you must be a qualified applicant. That means you are an immediate family member, a legal representative, or a person with a direct and tangible interest in the record. Death records 25 years old or older are public and available to anyone.
Bee County is in South Texas, between San Antonio and Corpus Christi. Beeville is the county seat and largest city. The county also includes Pettus, Normanna, and other smaller communities. Most vital records for unincorporated Bee County are held by the county clerk in Beeville.
| Office | Bee County Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | P.O. Box 666, Beeville, TX 78104 |
| Phone | (361) 362-3245 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Website | Texas DSHS Vital Statistics |
Note: The Bee County Clerk's P.O. Box is for mail. Call ahead to get the physical courthouse address for in-person visits.
How to Search Bee County Obituaries
The Texas Vital Statistics online ordering system is a direct way to request a Bee County death certificate without visiting Beeville. The system handles requests for any Texas county. You need the full name of the deceased, an approximate date of death, and the county of death. Payment is made online, and orders are processed through the state system.
For older records and genealogy research, FamilySearch is one of the most useful free tools available. The site holds indexed Texas death records going back to 1903. Many Bee County death records from the early decades have been indexed and linked to digitized images. Searching is free. The FamilySearch genealogy wiki for Bee County describes available collections, microfilm, and other research resources for this area.
For recent obituary notices, Legacy.com Texas obituaries pulls death notices from South Texas newspapers. The Beeville Bee-Picayune is the local paper. Some archives may be available at the Beeville public library. The Texas State Library also maintains information on Texas newspaper archives that can help you locate back issues.
Requesting Bee County Death Certificates
Certified death certificates from Bee County can be requested in person at the courthouse in Beeville or by mail. In-person requests are generally processed the same day. Mail requests at the county level take one to two weeks. You need to provide photo ID and, for records less than 25 years old, proof of your relationship to the deceased.
The fee is $21 for the first certified copy. Each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time is $4. You can also order through the Texas DSHS Vital Statistics unit in Austin. Both offices use the same fee schedule. State orders typically take three to four weeks by mail. The DSHS death records page explains the difference between what the state holds and what the county holds.
Mail requests to Bee County must include a completed application form, a notarized signature, a copy of your photo ID, and payment by check or money order payable to the Bee County Clerk. Mail to: Bee County Clerk, P.O. Box 666, Beeville, TX 78104. Review the DSHS vital records requirements page before sending your request. For state-level requests, the address is at dshs.texas.gov/vs/addresses.
Note: Make your check or money order out to the Bee County Clerk, not to Texas DSHS, when submitting a county-level request.
Historical Bee County Obituary Records
Bee County death records from 1903 onward are part of the county's vital records archive. Early certificates captured the name, age, cause of death, burial location, and name of the informant who filed the report. The informant was often a spouse or close family member, making these documents valuable for tracing family connections. The Texas State Library in Austin holds microfilm collections for early Texas vital records that researchers can view on-site or access through interlibrary loan.
The FamilySearch database includes indexed Bee County deaths from 1903 onward. Many records link to digitized images of original certificates. The FamilySearch county wiki for Bee County lists available collections, microfilm holdings, and links to external databases. For deaths before 1903, church records, cemetery records, and probate filings may fill some of the gap.
The Beeville Bee-Picayune has published community obituary notices for many decades. These notices often carry more personal detail than official death certificates. Library archives in Beeville may hold microfilm or bound copies of older issues. Some older issues may also be accessible through the Texas State Library's newspaper archive program.
The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics unit provides statewide death record search and ordering services for all Texas counties including Bee County.
The Bee County Clerk in Beeville maintains death certificates for Bee County from 1903 forward.
Texas Law and Bee County Death Records
Texas requires death certificates to be filed within 10 days of the death under Texas Health and Safety Code Section 193.003. The attending physician, medical examiner, or funeral director handles the filing. The death certificate captures personal information about the deceased along with cause-of-death details certified by the physician or examiner.
Chapter 193 governs public access. Death records become open to the public 25 years after the date of death. Before that point, only qualified applicants can obtain certified copies. Qualified applicants include immediate family members, legal representatives, and others who can show a direct and tangible interest. Once the 25-year mark is reached, any person can request the record. This rule applies at both the state and county level.
Section 193.007 addresses delayed registrations. These are death certificates filed after the required deadline. Delayed filings were more common in earlier decades when rural record-keeping was less formal. If you cannot find an older Bee County death in the standard index, a delayed certificate filed at a later date may be the explanation.
Bee County Obituary Resources
These resources can help you find Bee County death records and obituaries. The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics unit maintains a statewide index and handles record requests. The online ordering portal lets you request certified copies online. The DSHS death records page explains what records are available and where to look.
For historical research, FamilySearch provides free access to indexed Texas death records going back more than a century. The Texas State Library holds microfilm for early Bee County records. Both are useful before paying for a certified copy.
Recent obituary notices from Beeville and Bee County can be found at Legacy.com. For written requests to the state, use the address at dshs.texas.gov/vs/addresses.
Nearby Counties
Bee County is surrounded by several South Texas counties. Death records for those areas are held by each county's clerk office.