Jacksonville Death Index Records
Jacksonville is a city in Pulaski County northeast of Little Rock, home to Little Rock Air Force Base and a community with deep military and civilian family roots going back to the city's incorporation in 1941. Death certificates for anyone who died in Jacksonville are held at the Arkansas Department of Health in Little Rock, which is only about 15 miles away. The Pulaski County Clerk maintains the county-level probate and marriage records that serve as secondary sources for Jacksonville Death Index research. This page explains how to request certificates, what Pulaski County offices hold, and where to find historical resources for deaths before state registration began.
Jacksonville Death Index Overview
Jacksonville Death Certificate Requests
Death certificates for Jacksonville residents are held by the Arkansas Department of Health, Division of Vital Records, at 4815 West Markham Street, Slot 44, Little Rock, AR 72205. Phone: (501) 661-2174, or toll-free at (800) 637-9314. Walk-in hours run Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Arrive by 3:00 PM for same-day service. Jacksonville is approximately 15 miles northeast of the state office, making an in-person visit straightforward. The Pulaski County Health Unit in North Little Rock at 2800 McCain Boulevard, phone (501) 791-8511, is even closer to many Jacksonville residents and can accept applications and forward them to the state office.
A certified copy costs $10.00 for the first copy. Each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time is $8.00. The $10.00 search fee applies even when no record is found. Photo ID is required for all requests. Under Arkansas Code § 20-18-305, records less than 50 years old are restricted to immediate family, legal representatives, and those with a direct legal interest. Records 50 years or older are public. Online orders go through VitalChek, the state-authorized platform, adding $5.00 processing and $1.85 identity verification to the certificate cost. Mail requests go to the Little Rock address with a completed application, photo ID copy, and payment to "Arkansas Department of Health."
Pulaski County Records Supporting Jacksonville Deaths
Deaths in Jacksonville fall under Pulaski County jurisdiction for probate and court matters. The Pulaski County Circuit and County Clerk at 401 West Markham Street, Suite 100, Little Rock, AR 72201, phone (501) 340-8500, maintains marriage licenses, real estate records, probate records, and court records for Jacksonville residents. Both applicants must be present when applying for a marriage license, and the fee is $60.00, payable by cash or credit card. Certified copies of marriage licenses are $5.00 each and can be picked up in person or mailed. They cannot be emailed.
Probate records at the Pulaski County Clerk are the key secondary source for Jacksonville Death Index research when a certificate is restricted or missing. When a Jacksonville resident died leaving property or dependents, a probate case was typically opened with the Pulaski County probate court. Those estate files include dates of death, heir lists, and asset inventories. The Clerk also maintains deed records online, providing 24/7 access to property ownership documentation. Probate and civil case indexes are searchable through the Arkansas CourtConnect portal. Under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act, § 25-19-101, agencies must respond within 3 business days. Document copies cost $0.25 per page.
Jacksonville Death Index History and Archives
Arkansas began statewide death registration on February 1, 1914. Jacksonville was incorporated in 1941, so the city itself is younger than the state death registration system. That means all deaths in the Jacksonville area from 1914 onward were registered under the Pulaski County portion of the state index, even when the city did not yet officially exist as a municipality. For research reaching back before Jacksonville's incorporation, look at Pulaski County records broadly, since the area was simply part of the unincorporated county at that time.
The presence of Little Rock Air Force Base means that some deaths in Jacksonville may involve military personnel. Military deaths on base may be handled through military channels rather than state vital records. If you are searching for a military family member who died in Jacksonville, contact the base records office in addition to the state Department of Health. The Arkansas State Archives in Little Rock holds the Death Index for 1914 through 1949. The free online tool at the Arkansas Digital Archives Death Records Index covers 1935 through 1961. FamilySearch holds Arkansas vital records with Pulaski County data, searchable free at FamilySearch Arkansas Vital Records. Under Arkansas Code § 20-18-601, deaths must be registered within 10 days.
The Central Arkansas Library System (CALS) in Little Rock holds one of the best genealogy collections in the state, with Arkansas death certificates, obituary indexes, and historical resources that cover Pulaski County including the Jacksonville area. CALS is easily accessible from Jacksonville and is worth visiting for research projects that require deep archival work.
Nearby Cities
Other qualifying cities near Jacksonville have dedicated Death Index pages with local contacts and search resources.