Search Kaufman County Death Records

Kaufman County death records are maintained by the County Clerk in Kaufman and date back to 1903, when Texas made statewide death registration mandatory. Certified copies of death certificates are available at the clerk's office for deaths that occurred in the county, and the state's online ordering system provides an alternative for those who can't visit in person. Kaufman County sits in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area, which means the clerk's office handles a higher volume of requests than many rural counties.

Kaufman County Clerk Office

The Kaufman County Clerk's office at 100 W. Mulberry Street is where you go to request death records for deaths that took place in Kaufman County. The office is open Monday through Friday during regular business hours. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID and the basic details of the record you need: the full name of the deceased and the year or approximate date of death.

Kaufman County is one of the faster-growing counties in the DFW region, and the clerk's office processes a steady number of vital record requests. In-person service is generally efficient. If you are coming from outside the county, calling ahead to confirm current procedures and any form requirements is a good idea before making the drive.

Mail requests are accepted at the same address. Include a completed request form, a legible copy of your photo ID, and payment in the form of a check or money order made payable to the Kaufman County Clerk. Do not mail cash. Allow one to three weeks for processing, though busy periods can extend that timeline.

Getting a Certified Death Certificate

A certified death certificate is a legal document bearing the state seal. Banks, courts, insurers, and government agencies all require certified copies rather than plain photocopies. The Kaufman County Clerk issues certified copies for deaths filed in the county. The standard fee is $21 for the first copy and $4 for each additional copy ordered at the same time.

You'll need to provide accurate identifying information: full legal name of the deceased, date of death, and county of death. You'll also need to show your relationship to the deceased or explain your legal reason for needing the record. Texas restricts access for deaths within the past 25 years, so eligibility matters for recent deaths.

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.

If the record you need is older and you're not sure which county it was filed in, the state-level DSHS office in Austin can search across all counties. That's often the best starting point when you don't have a firm location of death.

Who Can Request Death Records

Texas restricts certified death certificates for deaths that occurred within the last 25 years. During that period, only qualified individuals can get a certified copy. Eligible requesters include the spouse, parent, adult child, or sibling of the deceased. Legal representatives acting on behalf of the estate qualify as well. Others may be eligible if they can document a direct need tied to a legal or financial matter involving the deceased.

Once 25 years have passed, the record becomes public. At that point, anyone can request a copy without providing a reason. For older historical records, this means relatively open access, which is why death records from the early-to-mid twentieth century are widely used in genealogy research.

If you're unsure whether your request qualifies, call the Kaufman County Clerk at (972) 932-0291 before sending a mail request or making the drive. Staff can walk you through what documentation is needed. The DSHS acceptable ID list details what forms of photo identification are recognized statewide for vital record requests.

Fees and Payment

The county clerk charges $21 for the first certified death certificate and $4 for each additional copy when ordered together. These fees apply to all certified copies of death records filed in Kaufman County. The fee is not refunded if no matching record is found, so verify the basic details of the death before submitting your request.

At the state level, Texas DSHS charges $20 for the first copy and $3 for each additional copy. If you order online through VitalChek, an additional service fee applies on top of the state fee. Credit cards are accepted through VitalChek. The state fee structure is set by Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 191.

For in-person or mail requests at the county clerk, accepted payment forms include cash (in person only), check, and money order. Make checks payable to the Kaufman County Clerk. There are no payment plans or waivers for standard vital record requests.

Texas Law and Death Record Requirements

Every death in Texas must be registered under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 191. This law requires a death certificate to be filed within 10 days of death and before burial, cremation, or transport of the body out of state. The attending physician or medical examiner certifies the cause of death. The funeral director or person handling disposition files the certificate with the local registrar.

When the cause of death is uncertain or involves possible criminal conduct, Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Chapter 49 applies. It requires an inquest by a justice of the peace or medical examiner before a certificate can be completed.

Texas processes vital events through TxEVER, a statewide electronic registration system used by hospitals, hospice facilities, and funeral homes. TxEVER speeds up the filing process and reduces errors. The Texas Administrative Code Title 25, Chapter 181 contains the administrative rules governing vital statistics operations across the state.

Historical Death Records and Genealogy

Kaufman County was organized in 1848, and families with deep roots in the county will find that pre-1903 deaths weren't officially registered by the state. For deaths before state registration began, you'll need to look at church records, county probate files, cemetery transcriptions, and old newspaper archives to piece together the historical record.

The Texas State Library and Archives Commission holds early death registers, probate records, and family history materials covering Kaufman County and the surrounding region. Some of these records are available online through the archives digital collections.

FamilySearch Texas collections include digitized death indexes for the early twentieth century. Many entries link to scanned certificate images, allowing researchers to view the original document without visiting the courthouse. Ancestry.com holds death indexes, obituary collections, and family trees that can fill gaps in official records, particularly for the period before TxEVER modernized filing.

Kaufman County's location in the DFW metro means many residents may have worked or died in neighboring Dallas or Collin County. Always check the county of death, not just the county of residence, when searching for records.

State-Level Death Record Requests

Texas DSHS Vital Statistics handles death record requests for all counties in the state. If the county clerk cannot fulfill your request or you prefer to order directly from Austin, you can contact DSHS at (888) 963-7111. The Austin office is located at 1100 W. 49th St., Austin TX 78756, and mail requests go to P.O. Box 12040, Austin TX 78711-2040.

The DSHS death records page provides the current request forms, fee schedule, and full instructions for ordering by mail or in person. Online ordering is available through the Texas.gov portal, which routes orders through VitalChek.

State-level requests make sense when you don't know exactly which county a death was registered in, or when you want to order multiple records from different counties at once. DSHS can search across the full statewide database and issue certified copies from any county in Texas. Processing times run about 7 to 14 business days for standard orders.

Cities in Kaufman County

Kaufman is the county seat. Other cities and communities in the county include Terrell, Forney, Seagoville, Mesquite, Balch Springs, and Sunnyvale. Forney and Terrell are among the more populous communities in the county. For death records related to any location within Kaufman County, the county clerk in Kaufman is the primary local source.

Nearby Counties

Dallas County, Hunt County, Van Zandt County, Henderson County, Navarro County, Rockwall County, Collin County, Ellis County