Bowie County Death Certificate Lookup
Bowie County death records are held by the County Clerk in New Boston and date back to 1903. The county includes the Texas side of Texarkana, a city split between Texas and Arkansas, so some residents may need to check both state systems. Certified death certificates can be requested at the courthouse, by mail, or online through the Texas DSHS or the state's ordering portal.
Bowie County Overview
Bowie County Clerk Office
| Office | Bowie County Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | 710 James Bowie Drive, New Boston, TX 75570 |
| Phone | (903) 628-6742 |
| Hours | Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Website | co.bowie.tx.us |
Note: Texas Senate Bill 16 requires valid photo ID for all official public record filings submitted at this office.
The Bowie County Clerk in New Boston is the primary local source for death records in the county. The office files and stores death certificates, issues certified copies, and handles requests by walk-in and by mail. For residents in the Texarkana area, the New Boston courthouse may be a longer drive, but it remains the official county repository for vital records.
Texarkana, Texas straddles the state line between Texas and Arkansas. The City of Texarkana, TX operates a vital statistics office at Texarkana City Hall that handles deaths occurring within Texarkana's city limits. For deaths in that specific area, you may want to contact the city office directly in addition to the county clerk. The city office can be reached through the Texarkana vital statistics page.
The Bowie County Clerk's website provides contact information and guidance on requesting vital records from the county office.
The county clerk page lists office hours, contact details, and instructions for submitting record requests by mail or in person.
Getting a Certified Death Certificate
Certified death certificates for Bowie County deaths can be obtained in person at the county clerk's office in New Boston, by mail to the county or state, or online through the state portal. Each method has different processing times and fees.
For in-person requests, go to 710 James Bowie Drive, New Boston, TX 75570. Bring valid photo ID and payment of $21 for the first certified copy. Additional copies cost $4 each when ordered together. Same-day service is often available for walk-in requests during regular office hours.
Mail requests to the Texas DSHS at P.O. Box 12040, Austin, TX 78711-2040. Enclose a completed request form, a legible copy of your photo ID, and a check or money order. State fees are $20 for the first copy and $3 for each additional copy. If you need expedited processing, add $25 to your payment.
Online orders go through Texas.gov or VitalChek. You will need to create an account, upload your ID, and pay by credit card. A service fee applies in addition to the state certificate cost. Standard online orders arrive within 7 to 14 business days. For faster service, visit the DSHS walk-in location at 1100 W. 49th St., Austin, TX 78756, or call (888) 963-7111.
The Texarkana vital statistics office may also have death certificates for deaths that occurred within city limits. If you are unsure which office has the record, calling both is the safest approach.
Who Can Request Death Records
Death certificates in Texas are restricted for 25 years after the date of death. Only certain people can get a certified copy during that period. Once 25 years have passed, the record is public and available to anyone.
During the restricted period, eligible requesters include the deceased's spouse, parent, child, sibling, and grandparent. Executors, legal guardians, and attorneys representing eligible family members may also request copies. You need to show your relationship through documents like a birth certificate, marriage certificate, or court order.
The access rules come from 25 TAC Chapter 181. Both the county clerk and the DSHS apply these same standards. If you're a genealogist looking at records more than 25 years old, no relationship proof is needed.
Fees and Payment
The Bowie County Clerk charges $21 for the first certified copy of a death certificate. Each additional copy of the same record, ordered at the same time, is $4. Cash, check, and money order are accepted at the county office. Contact the clerk to ask about card payments.
State fees through the Texas DSHS are $20 for the first copy and $3 for each additional copy. Expedited processing costs an extra $25. Online orders through Texas.gov and VitalChek include a service fee on top of these amounts. Always verify the current fee before mailing a check, since rates can change.
Make checks for county requests payable to the Bowie County Clerk. State requests should be made out to the Texas DSHS. Do not send cash by mail.
Texas Law and Death Record Requirements
Texas requires death certificates to be filed within 10 days of death. The medical certifier, usually the attending physician or medical examiner, completes the cause-of-death portion. The funeral home handles the filing through TxEVER, the state's electronic registration platform.
The legal framework for death records is set out in Health and Safety Code Chapter 191 and Chapter 193. Chapter 191 governs the vital statistics system as a whole. Chapter 193 sets out the specific requirements for death records, including who must file, what information must be on the certificate, and how records are stored.
For deaths in Texarkana under suspicious or unclear circumstances, the investigation process follows Code of Criminal Procedure Chapter 49. The justice of the peace or medical examiner must determine the cause before a certificate can be issued, which can delay access to the record.
The Texarkana vital statistics office handles birth and death records for deaths that occurred within Texarkana city limits in Bowie County.
Texarkana residents can use this city office as an alternative to the county clerk or state DSHS for deaths within city limits.
Historical Death Records and Genealogy
Historical death records for Bowie County dating back to 1903 are available through the county clerk or the Texas DSHS. For records predating statewide registration, or for genealogy research in general, the Texas State Library and Archives Commission holds early vital records, index cards, and county registers.
FamilySearch offers free online access to many Texas death records from the early and mid-1900s. You can search by name, county, and year without an account. The site includes death indexes and images from state registration records going back over a century.
For paid research, Ancestry.com has one of the largest collections of Texas vital records online. Even without a subscription, you can search the index for free. Ancestry also has newspaper archives that sometimes contain obituaries and death notices for Bowie County, which can supplement official records.
State-Level Death Record Requests
The Texas Department of State Health Services holds death records for all Texas counties. Whether you need a Bowie County record or are unsure which county to contact, the DSHS can process your request by mail, in person in Austin, or online.
Contact the DSHS vital statistics unit at (888) 963-7111. Mail your request to P.O. Box 12040, Austin, TX 78711-2040. Walk-in service is at 1100 W. 49th St., Austin, TX 78756. Processing times vary, but mail orders typically take 2 to 4 weeks for standard requests.
Review the DSHS acceptable IDs page before submitting your request to make sure your ID qualifies. Driver's licenses, passports, state-issued ID cards, and military IDs are all accepted.
Cities in Bowie County
Bowie County includes the Texas side of Texarkana, as well as New Boston and other smaller communities. No cities in Bowie County meet the 100,000 population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site.
Nearby Counties
For death records in neighboring areas, contact the county clerks listed below.