Conway Death Index Records
Conway is the county seat of Faulkner County and one of the fastest-growing cities in Arkansas, home to three universities and a population that has driven significant record activity at both the city and county level. Death certificates for anyone who died in Conway are held by the Arkansas Department of Health in Little Rock, not at any local office, but the Faulkner County Clerk, the local health unit, and the Conway Public Library all offer resources that make Death Index research here more efficient and complete. Whether you are tracing a recent death or a family burial from the early registration era, the right contacts and tools are covered on this page.
Conway Death Index Overview
Conway Death Certificate Requests
Death certificates for Conway residents are held by the Arkansas Department of Health, Division of Vital Records, at 4815 West Markham Street, Slot 44, Little Rock, AR 72205. The main phone is (501) 661-2174, and the toll-free number is (800) 637-9314. Walk-in hours run Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Arrive before 3:00 PM for same-day service. Conway is about 30 minutes from Little Rock, making an in-person visit manageable. The Faulkner County Health Unit at 811 N. Creek Drive, Conway, AR 72032, phone (501) 450-4941, also accepts death certificate applications and forwards them to the state office. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, closed Tuesdays.
A certified copy of a death certificate costs $10.00 for the first copy. Each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time is $8.00. If the state office searches and finds nothing, the $10.00 search fee is charged and not refunded. Photo ID is required on every request. Records less than 50 years old are restricted under Arkansas Code § 20-18-305 to immediate family, legal representatives, and those with a direct legal interest. Records 50 years or older are public and open to anyone.
Online orders go through VitalChek, the only state-authorized platform for Arkansas vital records. VitalChek adds a $5.00 processing fee and $1.85 identity verification fee on top of the certificate cost. Mail requests go to the Little Rock office with a completed application, a copy of your photo ID, and a check or money order payable to "Arkansas Department of Health."
Faulkner County Records Supporting Conway Deaths
Deaths in Conway fall under Faulkner County jurisdiction for probate and court matters. The Faulkner County Clerk at 801 Locust Street, Conway, AR 72034, phone (501) 450-4911, maintains marriage licenses from 1873 to the present, probate records, voter registration, and county court records. As the Clerk's office notes directly: "All birth and death records are recorded in Little Rock with the office of Vital Records dating back to 1914." That clarification saves time for anyone who calls the Conway courthouse first. The Clerk's probate files are where you go when a death certificate is restricted or when you need secondary confirmation of a death event.
The Faulkner County Circuit Clerk Records Search System provides online access to real estate data and images going back to January 1, 1972. Users can search 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Document types include deeds, mortgages, death certificates recorded with the clerk, liens, and more. When a Conway resident died and property changed hands, those deed records show up in this system. The Circuit Clerk also maintains probate case indexes that can be searched through the Arkansas CourtConnect portal for older filings not yet in the online system.
The Faulkner County public records portal provides online access to property and court records that support Conway Death Index research, particularly for estate transfers and probate matters.
Conway Public Library Genealogy Resources
The Conway Public Library maintains genealogy resources that are directly useful for Death Index research in this city. The library's local history collection includes obituary indexes, cemetery records, and materials from Faulkner County going back to the county's establishment in 1873. Obituaries published in Conway-area newspapers often include date and cause of death, surviving family members, and burial location. Those details help confirm the identity of the person you are searching before you place a formal certificate order.
A specialized resource for Conway researchers is the Faulkner County Death Records Index for 1924 to 1933, which provides a name index for Conway-area deaths from that period. That index is particularly useful for the early registration era when gaps in the state system are more common. The library staff can assist with research strategies and direct you to materials in the collection that relate to specific Conway neighborhoods or communities.
The Conway Public Library genealogy collection includes a Faulkner County Death Records Index for 1924 to 1933 that is a key resource for researchers working on Conway Death Index records from the early registration era.
Conway Death Index History and State Archives
Arkansas began statewide death registration on February 1, 1914. Conway was already a significant central Arkansas city by that date, and compliance with the new registration law was generally better in established urban centers than in rural areas. Even so, some deaths from the 1914 through early 1920s period may not appear in the index. The Arkansas State Archives in Little Rock holds the Death Index for 1914 through 1949, which is searchable by name and county and provides certificate numbers needed for ordering from the Department of Health.
The free online tool at the Arkansas Digital Archives Death Records Index covers 1935 through 1961 and is searchable by name and county. Use it for Conway deaths in that range before paying the nonrefundable state search fee. FamilySearch holds Arkansas vital records collections with Faulkner County data, searchable free at FamilySearch Arkansas Vital Records. Ancestry.com has also digitized Arkansas death certificates from 1914 through 1969 through a partnership with the Department of Health. Under Arkansas Code § 20-18-601, deaths must be registered within 10 days. The attending physician completes their portion within 3 business days.
The Arkansas Genealogical Society maintains resources for all Arkansas counties and can assist with Conway-area death research. Under Arkansas FOIA § 25-19-101, public agencies must respond to records requests within 3 business days and charge $0.25 per page for copies.
Nearby Cities
Other qualifying cities near Conway have dedicated Death Index pages with local contacts and search resources.