Yoakum County Obituary Records
Yoakum County death records and obituaries are maintained by the County Clerk in Plains, Texas. Located on the High Plains of West Texas on the New Mexico border, Yoakum County has vital records dating from 1907.
Yoakum County Overview
Yoakum County Clerk Death Records
The Yoakum County Clerk's office in Plains is the local registrar for vital records. Death certificates for events occurring in Yoakum County from 1907 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.
Yoakum County sits on the Southern High Plains on the Texas-New Mexico border. Plains is the county seat and only incorporated town. The county has significant oil and gas production and relies on cotton and grain agriculture irrigated by the Ogallala Aquifer. It is sparsely populated and very flat. Denver City is the county's main commercial town. The DSHS online system is the practical option for most death certificate requests given the county's remote location.
| Office | Yoakum County Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | P.O. Box 309, Plains, TX 79355 |
| Phone | (806) 456-2721 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
Searching Yoakum County Obituaries
Order Yoakum County death certificates online at ovra.txapps.texas.gov. The DSHS statewide index covers Yoakum County from 1907. 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 area West Texas papers.
Note: The DSHS statewide index covers Yoakum County death records from 1907. Online ordering is recommended for this remote High Plains county.
Requesting Yoakum County Death Certificates
Mail a completed application, notarized signature, copy of your photo ID, and a check or money order for $21 to: Yoakum County Clerk, P.O. Box 309, Plains, TX 79355. Additional copies are $4 each. State requests go through dshs.texas.gov/vs. Requirements are at dshs.texas.gov/vs/requirements.aspx.
Historical Yoakum County Obituary Records
Yoakum County death records from the early years document the homesteaders who came to break sod on the Llano Estacado. The county was organized in 1907, reflecting the relatively late settlement of this remote High Plains area. Early settlers came to raise cotton and cattle on the flat, semi-arid plains. The Ogallala Aquifer made large-scale irrigation possible beginning in the mid-20th century, and the county became a major cotton producer. Oil and gas added significant wealth from the 1940s forward. The Texas State Library holds microfilm of early county vital records. FamilySearch has indexed Texas death collections with Yoakum County entries.
The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics Section maintains the statewide death record index that includes Yoakum County entries from 1907 to the present.
The Yoakum County Clerk in Plains maintains death certificates and vital records for this High Plains county from 1907 forward.
Texas Law and Yoakum 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 Yoakum County.
Yoakum County Obituary Resources
Contact the clerk at (806) 456-2721, 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
Yoakum County is located on the High Plains of West Texas on the New Mexico border.