Culberson County Obituary Records
Culberson County death records and obituaries are maintained by the County Clerk in Van Horn, Texas. This vast, remote Trans-Pecos county sits in far West Texas between El Paso and Midland, and has vital records dating from 1903. If you need a certified death certificate, want to search for obituary notices from Van Horn, or are researching family history for someone who died in this isolated region of Texas, this page explains the county clerk process and the state-level resources available.
Culberson County Overview
Culberson County Clerk Death Records
The Culberson County Clerk's office in Van Horn is the local registrar for vital records. Death certificates for events occurring in Culberson County from 1903 to the present are held here. The clerk processes in-person and mail requests. Under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 193, records less than 25 years old are restricted to qualified applicants. Records 25 years or older are open to the public.
Culberson County is one of the most remote counties in Texas. Van Horn sits on Interstate 10 roughly halfway between El Paso and Midland. For residents outside the immediate area, the Texas DSHS online system is the most practical way to obtain death certificates. The clerk also handles land records, marriage records, and other official documents.
| Office | Culberson County Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | P.O. Box 158, Van Horn, TX 79855 |
| Phone | (432) 283-2058 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
Note: Culberson County is in the Mountain Time Zone, not Central Time. Keep this in mind when calling the clerk's office during business hours.
Searching Culberson County Obituaries
Order Culberson County death certificates online at ovra.txapps.texas.gov. The Texas DSHS statewide system covers Culberson County from 1903. For genealogy, FamilySearch at familysearch.org and the Texas State Library at tsl.texas.gov are the best free resources. Legacy.com at legacy.com may carry obituary notices from West Texas papers that cover the Van Horn area.
Requesting Culberson County Death Certificates
Mail a completed application, notarized signature, copy of your photo ID, and a check or money order for $21 to: Culberson County Clerk, P.O. Box 158, Van Horn, TX 79855. Additional copies are $4 each. State requests go through dshs.texas.gov/vs. Requirements are at dshs.texas.gov/vs/requirements.aspx.
Historical Culberson County Obituary Records
Culberson County death records from the early 1900s reflect the sparse ranching communities of the Trans-Pecos region. The county sits in the Chihuahuan Desert at the foot of the Guadalupe and Delaware Mountains. Early certificates may be limited given the small and widely scattered population. The Texas State Library holds microfilm of early Texas death indexes with Culberson County entries. FamilySearch includes digitized Texas death collections covering West Texas. The Hudspeth County-adjacent area shares some genealogical roots through the old Southern Pacific Railroad communities along I-10.
The Culberson County Clerk's website provides information on vital records requests and county services in Van Horn.
The Culberson County Clerk in Van Horn maintains death certificates and vital records for this remote Trans-Pecos county from 1903 forward.
Texas Law and Culberson County Death Records
Under Texas Health and Safety Code Section 193.003, death certificates must be filed within 10 days of death. Culberson County records under 25 years are restricted under Chapter 193. Records 25 years or older are public. Section 193.007 governs delayed registration. The DSHS at dshs.texas.gov/vs/death maintains the statewide index including Culberson County.
Culberson County Obituary Resources
Contact the Culberson County Clerk at (432) 283-2058, order online at ovra.txapps.texas.gov, search at FamilySearch and the Texas State Library at tsl.texas.gov. Obituaries appear on Legacy.com.
Nearby Counties
Culberson County is located in far West Texas on the New Mexico border in the Trans-Pecos region.