Search Bee County Death Records

Bee County death records are on file with the County Clerk in Beeville and have been maintained since 1903, when Texas began requiring statewide vital registration. Certified death certificates can be requested at the courthouse in person, by mail, or through the state's online ordering system.

Bee County Clerk Office

The Bee County Clerk in Beeville handles all vital records for the county, including death certificates issued for deaths that occurred within Bee County. The office is located in the county courthouse on West Corpus Christi Street and is open on weekdays. Staff can search the death record index and issue certified copies in person.

Bee County is in South Texas, about halfway between San Antonio and Corpus Christi on Highway 181. The county seat, Beeville, is the county's largest city and the location of all vital records. The clerk's office maintains death records going back to 1903, along with birth records, marriage licenses, and probate filings. For deaths that occurred in Beeville, the clerk's office is your primary contact for certified copies.

Bee County does not have a dedicated county clerk website with an online portal, but the Texas DSHS system can serve as an alternative for online orders. Call the clerk's office directly at (361) 362-3242 before visiting to confirm current hours and record availability.

Bee County death certificates can also be ordered online through the Texas DSHS and Texas.gov vital records portal.

Getting a Certified Death Certificate

You can get a certified death certificate from Bee County three ways: in person at the Beeville courthouse, by mail, or through the state's online ordering system.

In-person requests are handled at 105 W. Corpus Christi Street, Room 103, Beeville. Bring a valid photo ID and the name and date of death. The clerk will search the records and, if the record is found, issue a certified copy while you wait. The fee is $21 for the first copy and $4 for each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time.

Mail requests can be sent to the Bee County Clerk at 105 W. Corpus Christi St., Rm. 103, Beeville, TX 78102. Include a written description of the record you need, your contact information, a copy of your photo ID, and a check or money order payable to the Bee County Clerk. Mail requests take longer than in-person requests, so allow extra time for legal or time-sensitive needs.

Online orders through Texas.gov or VitalChek are available for most Texas counties, including Bee County. Both platforms ship certified copies by mail. Standard turnaround is about 7 to 14 business days.

The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics Section in Austin offers walk-in service at 1100 W. 49th Street, Austin, TX 78756. You can also mail requests to P.O. Box 12040, Austin, TX 78711-2040 or call (888) 963-7111.

Who Can Request Death Records

Death certificates from the past 25 years are restricted under Texas law. Only certain people can get certified copies of recent records.

Eligible requesters include the surviving spouse, a parent, adult child, sibling, or grandparent of the deceased. Attorneys of record, estate representatives, and individuals with a documented direct and tangible interest in the record may also qualify. You must prove your relationship or legal standing when submitting the request.

Records that are 25 years old or older are available to the public without restriction. Anyone can request these older records, which makes them valuable for genealogy work and historical research. The 25-year access rule is established by 25 TAC Chapter 181.

Accepted forms of ID for all vital record requests are listed at the DSHS Acceptable IDs page. This includes a Texas driver's license, state ID, passport, or military ID.

Fees and Payment

The fee for a certified death certificate from the Bee County Clerk is $21 for the first copy. Additional copies of the same record ordered at the same time cost $4 each. These fees are set by the state and apply uniformly across all Texas county clerks.

Call the Bee County Clerk at (361) 362-3242 to confirm accepted payment methods before your visit or before mailing a request. Typical accepted payments are cash, check, and money order. For mail orders, make the check or money order payable to the Bee County Clerk. Do not mail cash.

Ordering through DSHS Vital Statistics costs $20 for the first certified copy and $3 for each additional copy. DSHS expedited service is available for $25 and moves your order ahead of standard requests. Online ordering platforms may add a service fee on top of the base certificate cost.

Fees are not refunded after a record search is performed. If no matching record is found, you receive a "no record found" certificate at the standard cost.

Texas Law and Death Record Requirements

The rules for Texas death records are found in the Health and Safety Code Chapter 191. This chapter establishes who must register a death, how the record is filed, and how it can be accessed. Chapter 193 covers the required content of death certificates and the roles of the physician, funeral director, and local registrar.

Texas requires deaths to be registered within 10 days. The attending physician or medical examiner completes the medical portion of the certificate. The funeral home or next of kin provides biographical information. The county clerk receives the completed certificate, files it, and sends a copy to the state.

All death certificates in Texas are processed through the TxEVER electronic vital records system. Medical providers and funeral homes file certificates through this system, which speeds up registration and reduces errors. The system allows the county clerk and the state to have access to the record quickly after it is filed.

For deaths requiring investigation, Code of Criminal Procedure Chapter 49 governs the inquest process. Records from investigated deaths may be held by the county medical examiner rather than the county clerk.

Historical Death Records and Genealogy

Bee County death records from 1903 onward are available through the county clerk and the DSHS state archive. Records from before 1903 are generally unavailable through official channels and may only exist in church registers, cemetery surveys, or local family papers.

The Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) in Austin holds microfilm copies of early Texas vital records, including death registrations from Bee County. Researchers can access these records at TSLAC in person or through their online catalog.

FamilySearch provides free access to Texas death record collections, including Bee County. Search by name, year, or county to find available records. Some years include scanned original certificates; others are index-only entries.

Ancestry.com holds Texas vital records collections, including death indices going back to the early 1900s. A subscription is required for full access. Some South Texas libraries may offer free Ancestry access for their card holders.

The Bee County Historical Commission and the Beeville Public Library may hold local obituary collections, cemetery survey records, and historical materials that supplement the official county death records.

State-Level Death Record Requests

The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics Section maintains all statewide death records, including those from Bee County. This is a convenient option if you cannot visit Beeville or if you prefer to order directly from the state.

Order online at Texas.gov, walk in to the DSHS office at 1100 W. 49th St., Austin, TX 78756, or mail requests to P.O. Box 12040, Austin, TX 78711-2040. Call (888) 963-7111 for assistance.

The DSHS death records page has detailed instructions on ordering procedures, fees, and ID requirements for Texas death certificates.

Cities in Bee County

Beeville is the county seat and largest city in Bee County. Other communities include Pawnee and Normanna. None of the cities in Bee County meet the 100,000-population threshold for a dedicated city page.

Nearby Counties

Bee County is surrounded by several South Texas counties. For death records from neighboring areas, visit: San Patricio County, Jim Wells County, Live Oak County, Goliad County, Refugio County, and Karnes County.