Someone died in Texas. Start here.
The first 24 hours, in order, then the first week and the first month, with Texas's actual rules for death certificates, cremation, and probate. This page is free. No account required.
Sources: official Texas statutes and agencies, linked below. Last updated: October 2026.
Start with safety, the required local response, and the people who can help. The exact process depends on where and how the death occurred.
These figures come from the same data as our full Texas guide, built from state statutes and official agencies.
Death certificate
Filed within 10 days
The window runs from the death. The funeral provider or another authorized filer usually handles it. Ask each institution whether it needs a certified copy, then order an initial quantity based on those actual needs. Confirm the current fee with the issuing office; the guide's last-reviewed first-copy or search fee starts at $20. Additional-copy, vendor, and expedited fees may differ.
Source: Texas Health & Safety Code §§ 193.002 to 193.003 (opens in a new tab)Cremation
48-hour standard wait
Texas's standard statutory wait is 48 hours. Check the linked official source for any state-authorized exception or written-waiver process. A permit is also required. The person legally authorized under state law completes any required authorization; the provider handles its filing process.
Source: Texas Health & Safety Code § 711.002 and Chapter 716, including §§ 716.00… (opens in a new tab)Probate
$75,000 listed amount
The amount alone doesn’t establish eligibility. Confirm which property counts, how it’s valued, the waiting period, ownership, any pending court case, and every other state condition.
Source: Texas Estates Code § 205.001 (Small Estate); Title 2 (Probate) (opens in a new tab)Estate tax
None in this state
Texas has no state estate or inheritance tax. The federal basic exclusion amount is $15 million for deaths in 2026; other Form 706 filing reasons can still apply.
Source 1: Texas Tax Code (No State Estate Tax); IRS Publication 559 (Federal) (opens in a new tab)Source 2: IRS: 2026 estate tax basic exclusion amount (opens in a new tab)Days 2 to 7 · 1 to 7 days
These tasks often begin during the first week, but local requirements and the family's circumstances may change the order.
Weeks 2 to 4 · 1 to 4 weeks
The immediate calls may slow down. Estate, account, benefit, property, and tax work often continues for months.
The Long Game · 1 month+
Estate administration may take months or longer. The timing depends on the assets, claims, disputes, tax work, court schedule, and state procedure.
Have the death officially pronounced. For an expected hospice death, call the hospice nurse and follow the hospice instructions. For an unexpected death, call 911 and don’t move the body until you’re told you can. Then notify the closest people and, after the body is released, contact the funeral, cremation, burial, or donation provider the person chose.
In Texas, the death certificate must be filed within 10 days of the death. The funeral provider or another authorized filer usually handles it. Ask each institution whether it needs a certified copy, then order an initial quantity based on those actual needs.
The immediate family (a child, parent or guardian, sibling, grandparent or spouse), the guardian, or a legal agent or representative can order a certified copy. Anyone else has to document a direct, tangible interest, such as a court order or an insurance policy naming them. Online orders from out of state are limited to the surviving spouse, a surviving parent or the funeral director of record. Anyone can order a death verification. Certified copies come from Texas's Vital Statistics Section, Texas Department of State Health Services; local registrars and county clerks issue copies too.
$20 for a certified copy from the state office, per the fee page linked on this page. Additional copies ordered at the same time are $3 each, so order every copy you need in one request. Texas counties and cities issue certificates too and set their own fees.
From Texas's Vital Statistics Section, Texas Department of State Health Services; local registrars and county clerks issue copies too, online at Texas.gov, by mail with standard or expedited service, or in person at a local office or the Austin headquarters. The official order page is linked on this page. The funeral home usually orders the first copies for you.
Texas's standard statutory wait is 48 hours. Check the linked official source for any state-authorized exception or written-waiver process. A permit is also required. The person legally authorized under state law completes any required authorization; the provider handles its filing process.
Texas's stated small-estate threshold is $75,000. Value alone doesn’t establish eligibility. Ownership, asset type, timing, beneficiaries, debts, and other state requirements can affect whether a simplified procedure is available.
No. Texas has no state estate or inheritance tax. The federal basic exclusion amount is $15 million for deaths in 2026, and Form 706 may also be relevant for certain elections.
These ticks stay in this browser and don’t transfer into an account. A free MORTL account has a separate dashboard and planning tools when you’re ready for them.