Reagan County Obituary Records
Reagan County death records and obituaries are maintained by the County Clerk in Big Lake, Texas. Located in the Permian Basin of West Texas, Reagan County has vital records dating from 1903.
Reagan County Overview
Reagan County Clerk Death Records
The Reagan County Clerk's office in Big Lake is the local registrar for vital records. Death certificates for events occurring in Reagan 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.
Reagan County sits in the southeastern Permian Basin of West Texas. Big Lake is the county seat and the town gave its name to a famous oil discovery nearby in 1923 -- the Santa Rita No. 1, the first successful Permian Basin oil well, which helped fund the University of Texas endowment. Oil and gas production remains the county's primary economic activity. The county is sparsely populated, with a majority Hispanic workforce in the energy sector. The DSHS online system is the most practical choice for death certificate requests.
| Office | Reagan County Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | P.O. Box 100, Big Lake, TX 76932 |
| Phone | (325) 884-2443 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Website | co.reagan.tx.us |
Searching Reagan County Obituaries
Order Reagan County death certificates online at ovra.txapps.texas.gov. The DSHS statewide index covers Reagan 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 may carry obituary notices from the Big Lake Wildcat and area papers.
Note: The DSHS statewide index covers Reagan County death records from 1903. Online ordering avoids a trip to the Big Lake courthouse.
Requesting Reagan County Death Certificates
Mail a completed application, notarized signature, copy of your photo ID, and a check or money order for $21 to: Reagan County Clerk, P.O. Box 100, Big Lake, TX 76932. Additional copies are $4 each. State requests go through dshs.texas.gov/vs. Requirements are at dshs.texas.gov/vs/requirements.aspx.
Historical Reagan County Obituary Records
Reagan County death records from the early 1900s document the ranching families who first settled this remote stretch of West Texas. The county was organized in 1903, the same year state death registration began, so early records may be sparse. The Santa Rita No. 1 oil discovery in 1923 transformed the county overnight, drawing workers from across the country to a landscape that had previously held only ranches. Pre-oil records document sheepherders, ranchers, and the occasional traveler moving through on the Chihuahua Road. The Texas State Library holds microfilm of early county vital records. FamilySearch has indexed Texas death collections with Reagan County entries. Cemetery records in Big Lake hold burial information useful for genealogy research.
The Reagan County Clerk's website provides information on vital records requests and county services in Big Lake.
The Reagan County Clerk in Big Lake maintains death certificates and vital records for this Permian Basin county from 1903 forward.
Texas Law and Reagan 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 Reagan County.
Reagan County Obituary Resources
Contact the clerk at (325) 884-2443, 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
Reagan County is located in the Permian Basin of West Texas.