Sunday, 8 December 2013

Find Updated Texas Death Records Online

By Ben Kingsley


Texas death records are obtained for various purposes. Many people use the records in helping recreate their genealogy tree. For legal purposes, it can be used by heirs to help strengthen their inheritance claims. For others, they can prove their widow/widower status by providing a record of their deceased spouse.

Death certificates contain various data. Usually they contain the name, place, cause of death of a person. However, some papers have special information. For infants that died before they could be named, you will find the statement "Inf of" instead of the first name which means "infant of". Some documents have the wife listed under the husband's name instead of their real names. Knowing this information beforehand will help you if you need additional documents to validate the death certificate.

The records are kept in the Texas department state of health services. They are kept in a special manner. For deaths prior to 1903, you will find them in the county clerk instead. For certificates 1904 to 1940, you will find one big index for those years. The same goes for the years 1941 to 1945 and 1946 to 1955. The vital records department of Texas started a yearly index after 1956. Death certificates are usually kept at the place of death and not at the place of birth.

Getting the death certificate of an individual can be difficult. If the person who died was born 75 years ago the record considered a protected document. The same is true for a record of a death that occurred in the past 25 years. To get the protected papers there are certain conditions that need to be met. You can only get obtain the record if it belongs to an immediate family members. Also, if you live outside Texas, you have to be the surviving spouse or parent of the deceased. There are exemptions though. The funeral director of the funeral home found on the document may request said document.

To make a request, proper identification is needed. Identification such as a government issued ID or state-issued driver's license will suffice. Just log on the website of the vital records department of Texas and fill out the application form. You will need to input the names of the parents of the deceased person. The maiden name of the mother may also be needed. You will also have to state the reason why you need the document and how you are related to the deceased person. One request will cost about $20 and you can pay via check or money order along with the application form to the bureau of vital statistics. The mail order service will take some time, approximately three weeks at most.

For faster service you can use the online request form of the Texas vital records department website. Just fill out the online form and pay via credit card and you will get your death notices within 10 to 15 days. There are other websites that offer rush service and certified records for a small fee. You'll get your documents in just days instead of weeks.




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