Access Polk County Obituary Records
Polk County death records and obituaries are maintained by the County Clerk in Livingston, Texas. Located in the East Texas Piney Woods north of Houston, Polk County has vital records dating from 1903.
Polk County Overview
Polk County Clerk Death Records
The Polk County Clerk's office in Livingston is the local registrar for vital records. Death certificates for events occurring in Polk County from 1903 to the present are held here. The clerk accepts in-person and mail requests. Under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 193, records less than 25 years old require qualified applicant status. Records 25 years or older are open to the public.
Polk County sits in the Piney Woods of East Texas along US Highway 59 between Lufkin and Houston. Livingston is the county seat and the largest city. The county is home to the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas, one of the few federally recognized tribes in the state, whose reservation is located near Livingston. Timber, chicken farming, and Houston-area commuter traffic drive the local economy. Lake Livingston provides recreation and serves as a water supply for the Houston area. The DSHS online system is available for certified death certificate requests.
| Office | Polk County Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | P.O. Box 2369, Livingston, TX 77351 |
| Phone | (936) 327-6804 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Website | co.polk.tx.us |
Searching Polk County Obituaries
Order Polk County death certificates online at ovra.txapps.texas.gov. The DSHS statewide index covers Polk County from 1903. For genealogy, FamilySearch at familysearch.org and the Texas State Library at tsl.texas.gov are the main free resources. Legacy.com at legacy.com carries obituary notices from the Polk County Enterprise and area papers.
Note: The DSHS statewide index covers Polk County death records from 1903. Online ordering avoids a trip to the Livingston courthouse.
Requesting Polk County Death Certificates
Mail a completed application, notarized signature, copy of your photo ID, and a check or money order for $21 to: Polk County Clerk, P.O. Box 2369, Livingston, TX 77351. Additional copies are $4 each. State requests go through dshs.texas.gov/vs. Requirements are at dshs.texas.gov/vs/requirements.aspx.
Historical Polk County Obituary Records
Polk County death records from the early 1900s reflect the timber and farming communities of East Texas. The county was created in 1846, and its early population included both Anglo settlers and Black Texan communities. The Alabama-Coushatta people were granted a reservation in the county in the 1850s, making Polk County home to one of Texas's oldest Native American communities. The Big Thicket, a biodiversity hotspot that covers parts of Polk County, shaped the lives of many early residents who hunted, logged, and farmed its edges. The Texas State Library holds microfilm of early county vital records. FamilySearch has indexed Texas death collections with Polk County entries. The Polk County Historical Commission holds local research materials.
The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics Section maintains the statewide death record index that includes Polk County entries from 1903 to the present.
The Polk County Clerk in Livingston maintains death certificates and vital records for this East Texas county from 1903 forward.
Texas Law and Polk County Death Records
Under Texas Health and Safety Code Section 193.003, death certificates must be filed within 10 days. Records under 25 years are restricted per Chapter 193. Older records are public. Section 193.007 covers delayed registration. The DSHS at dshs.texas.gov/vs/death maintains the statewide index including Polk County.
Polk County Obituary Resources
Contact the clerk at (936) 327-6804, order online at ovra.txapps.texas.gov, search at FamilySearch and the Texas State Library at tsl.texas.gov. Recent obituaries appear on Legacy.com.
Nearby Counties
Polk County is located in East Texas north of Houston in the Piney Woods region.