Garland Death Records Lookup

Garland death records are maintained by the Dallas County Clerk, which handles vital records for all Dallas County cities including Garland. There is no separate city vital records office in Garland, so the county clerk at 500 Elm Street in Dallas is where you go for certified copies, searches, and all other official death record requests.

Where to Get Garland Death Records

Garland does not maintain its own vital records office. All death records for Garland are held by the Dallas County Clerk. This is the same office that handles Dallas, Irving, Grand Prairie, and other Dallas County cities. The county clerk is at 500 Elm Street in downtown Dallas.

Dallas County also has an online ordering portal at dallascountytxvitals.permitium.com where you can order certified copies without visiting the office in person.

The Texas.gov vital records portal lets you order certified death certificates online from anywhere in Texas.

Online orders are processed statewide and arrive within 7 to 14 business days.

Getting a Certified Death Certificate

Certified Garland death certificates are available in person at the Dallas County Clerk, by mail, or online through the county Permitium portal or state systems.

In person at 500 Elm Street, Suite 2100 in Dallas. Bring a valid photo ID, a completed application, and payment. In-person requests are typically processed the same day.

By mail, send a completed application, a photocopy of your ID, and a check or money order payable to Dallas County Clerk. Allow 3 to 4 weeks. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope to help speed up the return.

Online through the county Permitium portal at dallascountytxvitals.permitium.com or through VitalChek. Both add a service fee. Delivery runs 7 to 14 business days.

If the county cannot find the record, contact DSHS at (888) 963-7111 or see dshs.texas.gov/vs/death.

Who Can Request Death Records

Texas restricts access to death records under 25 years old. These records are not public. Only authorized requesters can get a certified copy.

Authorized requesters include the surviving spouse, parent, adult child, or sibling of the deceased. Legal representatives, estate attorneys, and people with a court order also qualify. If you fall outside those categories, you may request a restricted record by showing a direct and tangible interest in it.

Death records 25 years old or older are public under Texas law. Anyone can request them. You still pay the search fee, but no relationship to the deceased is required.

Bring a valid government-issued photo ID to the county clerk in person or include a photocopy with a mail request. If someone picks up on your behalf, they need written authorization plus their own ID. Acceptable ID types are at the DSHS acceptable ID page.

Fees and Payment

Dallas County charges $21 for the first certified copy and $4 per additional copy of the same record ordered together. Call (214) 653-7099 to confirm the current fee schedule.

State DSHS fees are $20 for the first copy and $3 per extra copy. Expedited DSHS processing adds $25 on top of that.

Online ordering adds a service fee and shipping cost. Credit and debit cards are accepted online. In person, the county clerk accepts cash, check, money order, and most cards. Mail requests require check or money order made out to Dallas County Clerk. Do not send cash by mail.

Fees are non-refundable. If a record is not found, the search fee still applies. Provide the correct full name, date of death, and county to avoid failed searches.

Texas Law and Death Record Requirements

Texas death registration is governed by the Texas Health and Safety Code, Chapter 191. That chapter sets the 10-day filing deadline, who must file, and what the certificate must include.

The attending physician certifies the cause of death. The funeral director files the certificate with the local registrar, which for Garland is the Dallas County Clerk.

Deaths investigated by a medical examiner or justice of the peace fall under Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, Chapter 49. The Dallas County Medical Examiner handles inquest cases for Garland and other county communities.

All Texas deaths are filed electronically through TxEVER. Funeral homes submit directly into TxEVER. Once confirmed, the Dallas County Clerk can issue certified copies. This electronic system replaced older paper filing and speeds up the process considerably.

Access rules for restricted records are in 25 Texas Administrative Code Section 181.31.

Historical Death Records and Genealogy

Garland and Dallas County death records go back to 1903 in the statewide index. For genealogy research, older records may exist in county deed books, probate filings, and church registers from the area.

The Texas State Library and Archives Commission holds statewide death indexes and historical certificates. Their genealogy research guide is a solid starting point for older searches.

FamilySearch offers free access to digitized Texas death records. Search by name and filter by Dallas County to find Garland-area results from the early and mid-20th century.

Ancestry.com holds Texas death indexes and county images. A paid subscription is required, though Dallas County public library locations offer free in-library Ancestry access.

Dallas County probate and estate records at the courthouse can help fill in gaps for older deaths where vital records are missing. Garland newspaper archives are also useful for tracking deaths through obituaries from the early 1900s onward.

State-Level Death Record Requests

If the Dallas County Clerk cannot find a record, the Texas Department of State Health Services handles statewide vital records and can issue certified copies for any death in TxEVER.

DSHS Vital Statistics Unit
1100 W. 49th St., Austin TX 78756
Mailing: P.O. Box 12040, Austin TX 78711-2040
Phone: (888) 963-7111

See dshs.texas.gov/vital-statistics and dshs.texas.gov/vs/death.

DSHS mail orders take 4 to 6 weeks. Online through the Texas.gov vital records portal delivers in about 7 to 14 business days.

Nearby Cities

Cities near Garland with death records pages include Dallas, Richardson, Plano, Mesquite, and McKinney.

County Resources

All Garland death records are held by the Dallas County Clerk.