Dallas County Death Index
Dallas County death certificates are available at the county health department in Selma. The staff use the state ViSION system. This means you can get death records for anyone who died in Alabama, not just in Dallas County. State records go back to 1908. Records more than 25 years old are open to all in Dallas County. Recent death certificates stay closed to most in Alabama.
Dallas County Quick Facts
Dallas County Health Department
The Dallas County Health Department is on Samuel O. Moseley Drive in Selma. It serves as the local office for vital records in Dallas County. Staff can look up death records. They can print certified copies. They can also help you figure out what info you need in Alabama. The office handles both environmental health and vital records. There are two phone numbers based on what you need in Dallas County.
| Address | 100 Samuel O. Moseley Drive Selma, AL 36701 |
|---|---|
| Phone (Main) | (334) 874-2550 |
| Phone (Vital Records) | (334) 872-5887 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Website | alabamapublichealth.gov/dallas |
Bring a photo ID when you go. This is a must in Alabama. If the death took place less than 25 years ago, you must show proof that you can get the record. You may need to bring your own birth certificate. A marriage license works if you were the spouse. Court papers work if you are the estate rep in Dallas County.
How to Get a Death Certificate in Dallas County
You have a few options for getting Dallas County death certificates. The best pick depends on how fast you need the record. It also depends on if you can travel to Selma in Alabama.
Walk In to the Selma Office
Going to the Dallas County Health Department in person is the fastest way. Most people leave with their copy in about 30 minutes. The staff search the database while you wait. They print the certificate if the record is found. You can pay with cash, check, or money order. Call (334) 872-5887 first if you want to check if they take cards in Dallas County.
Send a Mail Request
You can mail a request to the state office in Montgomery. Download form HS-14 from the Alabama Department of Public Health site. Fill it out with the name, date of death, and your info. Send it with a check to P.O. Box 5625, Montgomery, AL 36103-5625. Make the check out to Center for Health Statistics. Allow about two weeks for the round trip from Dallas County.
Order Online
VitalChek handles online orders for Alabama. You can pay by card. You can track your order. However, VitalChek adds fees on top of the state fee. Expect to pay around $40 or more with shipping. Standard orders take 7 to 10 days to arrive in Dallas County.
Dallas County Death Certificate Fees
The State Board of Health sets fees under Alabama Code Section 22-9A-23. The fees are the same at all county health departments. They are the same at the state office in Montgomery. You pay the same in Dallas County as anywhere in Alabama.
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Search with one certified copy | $15.00 |
| Additional copies (same order) | $6.00 each |
| Expedited processing | $15.00 extra |
| Amendment or correction | $20.00 |
If staff cannot find a record, you still owe the fee in Alabama. The state sends a Certificate of Failure to Find. This shows they searched but found no match. Fees are not refundable in Dallas County. Make sure you have the right info before you pay.
Who Can Request Dallas County Death Records
Access rules depend on the age of the record in Alabama. Alabama Code Section 22-9A-21 says death certificates stay private for 25 years. After that, they are public. Anyone can request a copy of old Dallas County death records.
For deaths in the past 25 years, only certain people qualify for Dallas County death certificates:
- The spouse of the person who died
- Parents of the person who died
- Children of the person who died (if adults)
- Siblings of the person who died
- Grandchildren of the person who died
- Legal reps with court documents
- The informant listed on the certificate
People who can show a direct stake may also qualify in Dallas County. This includes insurance companies. It includes funeral homes with unpaid bills. It includes attorneys handling estate matters in Alabama. Government agencies can access records for official work.
Historical Death Records in Dallas County
Statewide death registration in Alabama started January 1, 1908. It took until about 1925 for most deaths to be recorded. For Dallas County deaths before 1908, you need other sources in Alabama.
Probate court records often help. Estate files mention death dates. Wills were filed shortly after someone died in Dallas County. Church burial records are another source. Cemetery records and headstone inscriptions can fill gaps when other records are missing in Alabama.
The Alabama Department of Archives and History in Montgomery has microfilm of early vital records. Staff can help you search census records, newspaper obituaries, and other sources in Alabama. They offer free access to Ancestry.com in the research room for Dallas County research.
FamilySearch has digitized Alabama death certificates from 1908 to 1974. You can search by name and view the original documents at no cost. This covers about 1.8 million records in Alabama. It is a good starting point for Dallas County family research.
How Deaths Are Investigated in Dallas County
Most deaths in Dallas County follow a simple process. The doctor certifies the cause of death. The funeral home files the paperwork in Alabama. The death certificate gets recorded within five days per Alabama Code Section 22-9A-14.
Some deaths require investigation by the Dallas County Coroner. This includes deaths from violence. It includes accidents. It includes suicide. It includes cases where someone dies suddenly without a doctor present in Alabama. The coroner looks into the facts. They may order an autopsy through the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences.
Dallas County is part of the central region. It is served by the Montgomery forensic lab. When the coroner needs an autopsy, the body goes to Montgomery in Alabama. The coroner then uses the findings to complete the death certificate for Dallas County.
Nearby Counties
Dallas County sits in the Black Belt region of central Alabama. These nearby counties also have health departments. You can request death certificates from anywhere in Alabama at any of them.
Cities in Dallas County
Dallas County includes Selma and Orrville. It has several smaller towns too. Selma is the county seat. It is also the largest city with around 17,000 people. No cities in Dallas County meet the 50,000 threshold for a city page.
For Dallas County death records of anyone who died in Selma or nearby, visit the health department at the address shown above. The nearest major city with its own page is Montgomery. It is about 50 miles east of Selma in Alabama.